Brown's contract
extended to end of 2008

St George Illawarra has handed coach Nathan Brown a two-year contract extension to keep him at the NRL club until the end of the 2008 season.

The 32-year-old's contract was due to expire at the end of this season but he accepted the deal to stay on at the Dragons after the club's monthly board meeting. Brown says he is very pleased to be continuing his role at the club beyond this season.

?I have always had great passion and enthusiasm for this Club, ever since I arrived here as a player in 1992." Brown said.

?Everybody knows I want to be a career rugby league coach and I couldn?t be happier knowing that I have been given a further opportunity at this great Club.

?Being head coach in one of the highest profile Clubs in the business certainly presents its challenges and comes with great expectations from everyone but I wouldn?t want to be anywhere else?.

Brown accepted the new deal which was finalised after the Club?s monthly Board meeting on Tuesday.

Dragons Chairman Warren Lockwood said the Board resolved the matter this week because they wanted to have the Club?s coaching direction in place, well before the June 30 deadline for player movements.

?Nathan was always a part of a long-term coaching strategy for the Club and as an organisation we are pleased with the return on that investment, to date, which we anticipate will increase considerably over the next few years,? said Lockwood.

?The Board has confidence in Nathan?s human and technical stewardship and is particularly impressed with his development of junior players to NRL level, one of our key strategies in rugby league, across our region.

?Furthermore, his commitment to our brand across all our business endeavours is significant and of quality,? added Lockwood.