St George Illawarra Dragons can't seem to take a trick, with Jaydn Su'A ruled out for their crucial clash against the Warriors on Saturday.

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Su'A only returned from a three-week lay-off due to injury and suspension this week and was named to start in the centres before injuring his calf during the captain's run on Friday.

St George Illawarra Dragons interim head coach Dean Young. Picture by Anna Warr.

The injury happened just metres away while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and guests mingled during the official opening of the Dragons' new $65 million high-performance centre in Fairy Meadow.

Dragons interim head coach Dean Young wasn't sure how long Su'A would be out, saying only that the Parramatta Eels-bound 28-year-old would miss the clash against the Warriors, with Gerringong Lions junior Hayden Buchanan to take his spot in the centres.

"Unfortunately, Jaydn tore his calf at training. Hayden Buchanan will come in and play tomorrow," Young said.

"[The injury] happened probably 15 minutes ago, and we haven't had a chance to X-ray it yet. He's done his calf, and how bad it is, we'll, we'll get some scans and go from there.

"Hayden's been waiting for his opportunity. He is a good young kid, and he has played against the Warriors before and done a really good job. I've got a lot of confidence that he will do well tomorrow.

"It's an opportunity for Hayden. He's been training hard and doing a lot of good things under Willie Talua in the Cup, and now he gets his opportunity.

"That's what I've been doing since I've taken over, is giving blokes opportunities, and if they take it, they stay there, if they don't, I don't."

The winless St George Illawarra have improved in recent weeks, but Young heads into the round 12 stoush against the Warriors at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, with an 0-4 record since taking over from the departed Shane Flanagan.

Reports suggest Young is in a two-horse race with his former Dragons' team-mate and Rabbitohs assistant-coach Ben Hornby to be appointed St George Illawarra's head coach permanently from next year.

But having lost 10 games to start the 2026 NRL season, Young will be looking to end the Dragons' 14-game losing run, which stretches back to August 9 last year, to give the Red V hope of avoiding a first-ever wooden spoon finish for the joint-venture club.

"I haven't thought about a wooden spoon, or I haven't thought about where we're gonna finish," Young replied when asked what his goals were for the rest of the season.

"It's come in, change things around the way I wanna do it, focus every day on getting better, not just the players, the staff, and challenging the staff to make sure that what we're delivering in the playing group is at a high level and is consistent.

"We're catching up daily to make sure that we're just reviewing ourselves as hard as we're reviewing the players, and I just want our staff and our players to get better every day. That's what I'm focused on."

Young wasn't sure if the Dragons' new state-of-the-art home helped in luring Luke Metcalf, but he was happy the Warriors playmaker was joining the club from next season.

"That's probably a question for him, but if I'm a player on the outside and I'm looking at the young players that we've got, I'm looking at this facility and then I'm looking at Keaon [Koloamatangi], [Scott] Drinkwater and Phillip Sami walking through the door, you can tell that the club's on an improve, I'm sure it has an impact, but it's probably a question for him," Young said of Metcalf.

"I think it's great news for the club to have someone like Luke.

"We all can see the talent that he is, and I think with him, Scott Drinkwater and Jacob Little, and the other players that we've already got here, it's exciting times for the club, but that's a long way away.

"That's not my issue at the moment. My issue is this group here," he said.

'We're trying our arse off': Atkinson on new signing, old struggles

It looked at one stage that Daniel Atkinson would go head-to-head on Saturday against the man he may well partner in the halves next season.

But Atkinson will have to wait until 2027 to come face-to-face with the Dragons-bound Luke Metcalf, after the Warriors opted for Te Maire Martin to take over from the injured Tanah Boyd, for the stoush against St George Illawarra.

Daniel Atkinson is embracing the pressures of being the St George Illawarra Dragons playmaker. Picture by Adam McLean

Atkinson was excited that Metcalf was joining the club, but stressed his priority was on helping the Dragons break through for a first win of the season and end a 14-game winless run stretching back to last August.

Metcalf is one of four new players set to join the Red V next season, giving fans hope of better times ahead for the struggling club.

But the here and now was what mattered for Atkinson, who stressed he relished the responsibility of being the Dragons' playmaker, even though he wasn't loving the circumstances the club was in.

"It'll be a light at the end of the tunnel getting a few wins this year," Atkinson said.

"I love [being a starter]. It's what I signed up for.

"Obviously, not loving the circumstances we're in at the moment, but then again, I've put myself in this circumstance, and I'm gonna face it head-on.

"And I wanna be the one who gets us out of here, but I want us to be the ones who get us out of here.

"I'm not gonna shy away. I'm not proud of where we are.

"It's a very passionate club with passionate fans, and everyone inside those doors is trying their arse off, the coaches, everyone from the top down, the players, like we don't wanna be in this circumstance.

"Nobody does. We're trying our arse off to turn the tide."

Atkinson said bringing in a player of the calibre of Metcalf was outstanding for the Dragons.

"Before his injury, he was absolutely killing it. I think he was leading the Dally Ms," the 25-year-old said.

"He's an exciting player to watch; he's fast, he attacks the game, he's courageous with how he plays, and to be honest, it's exciting, I'm excited."

Asked if he would be comfortable wearing either the No 6 or No 7 jersey, Atkinson warned all the players at the Dragons had to earn their number on the back.

"There's a narrative there that I came here to be a halfback. I came here to be in the halves, and to play my game, which is running, kicking and tackling well," Atkinson said.

"All I'm thinking about is how I can benefit this team at the moment, to be honest with you. I'm not thinking 27.

"Obviously, it's very exciting for him coming in, but I've got a job to do for this club first in 2026."

The Dragons head into the round 12 stoush against the Warriors at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, after an improved last outing against the Penrith Panthers.

Atkinson said while interim head coach Dean Young was proud of his team's showing, only a win would end their disappointment.

"He made it clear that he wanted to see a group of players try their absolute best out on the field.

"And I think he was proud of the effort, but the end result was we lost, so while you can be proud of the effort, at the end of the day, you didn't get the two points, so it's disappointing."

Su'A denies exit talk, opens up on 'dark days' before Eels move

Parramatta Eels-bound Jaydn Su'A has shot down rumours he sought an early exit from St George Illawarra Dragons.

Su'A, who returns from a three-game suspension and injury lay-off against the Warriors on Saturday, also opened up on the "hard" decision to end his five-year stint with the Dragons and join Jason Ryles' Eels on a three-year deal from 2027.

Parramatta Eels-bound Jaydn Su'A, pictured here playing against Melbourne Storm at WIN Stadium on March 14, 2026, will play in the centres for St George Illawarra Dragons against the Warriors on Saturday, May 23. Picture by Adam McLean

There had been speculation that Su'A could join the Eels in the coming weeks, given St George Illawarra won't be playing finals, but he indicated on Wednesday that he would see out his final year at the club.

"There have been conversations in-house, but I'm here for the rest of the year," he said.

"I just want to play my best and do whatever I can to help this club get some wins."

The 28-year-old's first game back for the Dragons since being sent off and subsequently suspended for a high shot on former Rabbitohs' teammate Cam Murray in round seven, won't be in his preferred back-row position, with Dragons' interim head coach Dean Young naming Su'A in the centres for the round 12 stoush against the Warriors at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium.

The send-off came a day after he officially signed with the Eels, but Su'A denied he decided to leave because of the young crop of forwards coming through at the club.

"I didn't really ever think like that," he said.

"I was in talks with the club early this year, and obviously that stuff broke down, but at the end of the day, when your time is done, it's done.

"It was time to look elsewhere and look for another opportunity, and thankfully, I got that opportunity.

"But at the end of the day, I'm here for the rest of the year and I just want to go out there and put my best foot forward.

"I've been here for five years now, so I just want to go out and play.

"I was open (to staying). I'm coming to that age now where the next move I make is probably vital, but I know I've still got some good footy left in me.

"Things happen for a reason, and that's been done now, so as I said, I'm still here for another six months. I'll do what I do, and I'll give my all like I always do.

"It's been hard. I've been through a lot of dark days with this club, and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I'm not going to be here.

"I'm grateful for my time here, thankful to all the people that have helped me along the way, and it is what it is."

A lot has changed since Su'A's last game, but the winless Dragons are still searching for their first NRL win in 2026 and looking to end a 14-game losing run stretching back to August 9 last year.

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With Moses Suli ruled out because of a back injury, Young has turned to Su'A to partner Valentine Holmes in the centres.

Su'A has been training there with the NSW Cup side and has filled in at centre in the past, with the veteran keen to get back on the field for Saturday's game against the Warriors after a frustrating few weeks on the sidelines.

"I'm looking forward to doing the job," Su'A said.

"I tell the coach I can play anywhere, so I guess we'll find out this weekend how good a centre I really am.

"The trust [from the coaching staff] comes with experience, and I guess doing the job before. Deano knows the type of player I am. I'm grateful for his trust in me, and I won't let the boys down."

Saturday night's game kicks off at 5.30pm.