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St George Illawarra interim coach Dean Young is unsure whether he will be at the Dragons next year as he weighs up his NRL coaching future.
Disappointed at being overlooked as head coach next year, Dean Young is yet to decide if he will stay at St George Illawarra as an assistant to Anthony Griffin.
The Dragons interim coach is weighing up his career options after missing out on the top job while the club begins a clean out of the coaching department.
On Friday assistants Shane Flanagan, James Shepherd and head of athletic performance Nathan Pickworth were all told their contracts would not be renewed for 2021.
Ben Haran has also been appointed as general manager of football, indicating a restructure of the entire department.
It leaves Young contemplating his future beyond the final three games of the year.
He and Griffin have a previous working relationship from their time as Tongan assistants, and the incoming coach has already indicated he wants Young to stick around.
The day the decision was made Griffin called Young, not to gloat but offer him a role for next year.
But after six years in the Dragons job, Young is open to the option that his future could lie at another NRL club.
"I'm in the coaching game for the long haul, I'm only 36 and I've been an assistant coach for six years so I've still got a lot to learn, just like head coaches who are 50 years of age," he said on Friday.
"I view myself as a coach and where my journey goes, I'm not too sure.
"We'll work that out in the future."
Leaving the Dragons would be a huge call for Young, who played more than 200 games for the club and transitioned into a coaching role after retirement.
Young was coy about whether he has been approached by other NRL clubs for next season, as well as what factors could influence his decision to stay or leave.
"I'm not going to go into too many details about that," he said.
"I've got a job to do for the remainder of the year, I'm fully committed to this playing group and I'm fully committed to this club to give my best to this group."
Although Young has been impressive in his short time as interim coach since Paul McGregor's departure, the board ultimately opted for experience to lead the club into the future.
It's an outcome he understands and respects.
"I think (Griffin is) going to do a great job, he's a great person and he's got a lot of experience and I think his time out of the game will probably make him a better coach," Young said.
"He would have reviewed what he did at Penrith and what he did at the Broncos and as a coach you learn every day and every year.
"I'm sure he's ready for the opportunity to turn this club around and turn it into a force again and I really hope he does."
