Jason Demetriou is under pressure to remain Rabbitohs coach and could be gone by the end of the week following his team’s terrible start to 2024.
South Sydney are last after five rounds with a solitary win over Canterbury on Good Friday their only bright spot in what has been a disastrous campaign.
Star fullback Latrell Mitchell has copped a three-week ban and they have several players injured as they face the prospect of missing the finals for a second straight year.
Demetriou will have his position reviewed as early as after this Saturday’s clash with Cronulla at Accor Stadium, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report, and after their worst start to a year since 2008, the 34-4 loss to the Warriors last Saturday has prompted serious questions over whether he can hold onto his job.
The 1-4 start coming after last year’s capitulation when they tumbled from the top of the ladder midway through the season to finish ninth. First on the ladder last May, Souths suffered the biggest capitulation in NRL history as they lost nine of their last 13 matches to miss the 2023 finals.
Assistant coach Ben Hornby would be parachuted into an interim coach’s role for the rest of the season if Demetriou is told his services are no longer required.
Even though he had his contract extended last year until the end of 2026, the SMH revealed the Rabbitohs have a standard clause inserted in their coaching deals that a nine-month payout is the most they will fork out if they cut the coach’s tenure short.
Bennett coached Souths prior to Demetriou taking over in 2022 and the record-breaking veteran took the team to the Grand Final the previous year when they were beaten by just two points by Penrith.
Jason Demetriou. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
He is off contract next year after bringing the Dolphins into the premiership and handing the reins over to Kristian Woolf.
Bellamy is also set to step aside at the Storm to allow Jason Ryles to take over and is another option who is reportedly on South Sydney’s radar if they move on from Demetriou.
Sam Burgess is a long shot to return to Redfern in a coaching capacity after he walked out on the club last year following a dispute with Demetriou over the preferential treatment handed out to Mitchell and Cody Walker.
He is in the early stages of a long-term deal to coach Warrington in the Super League.
Mitchell is set to miss at least three matches, potentially four, after the NRL match review committee came down hard on the Rabbitohs fullback for a high hit with his elbow on Shaun Johnson.
Mitchell quickly apologised after catching Johnson in the head with a fend-off near the in-goal area, the incident one of two that earned the controversial star a report in the first half of South Sydney’s loss to the Warriors – the second an ugly lifting tackle on Tohu Harris.
“They’re both stupid things. You’ve got to be better, simple as that,” Demetriou said.
But the South Sydney coach refused to condemn the fullback, whose track record is starting to count against him.
“I’ll have those conversations (with him) during the week,” Demetriou said. “It’s not something for me to talk about right now.
“As a group, we’ll be honest as we are every week and have a look at things we need to be better at.”
The verdict will leave Mitchell on the sidelines ahead of a testing run for the Bunnies, who face Cronulla, Melbourne and Penrith over the next month.
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Souths are already without veteran winger Alex Johnston (hamstring) and forward Jai Arrow (shoulder) for another month, while centre Campbell Graham (sternum) is sidelined for the majority of the year.
Axed halfback Lachlan Ilias broke his leg in NSW Cup yesterday, while his replacement Dean Hawkins is yet to make his mark in first grade.
Mitchell’s pending ban likely means the club will call upon 20-year-old Jye Gray to debut in his spot against Cronulla on Saturday night.
with AAP
ForeverBok
Roar Rookie
Lance the boil. Squeeze the poison out. Get rid of Latrell. Then watch the Souths difference.
coastal
Roar Rookie
I think Demetriou is getting thrown under the bus. Mitchell obviously has too much influence on the club, the owners and the board, and they are reluctant to stand up to his antics, which has such a huge destabilising affect on the whole operation. His personality wouldn't accept a stern talking to, he would go totally MIA. All the discussion around this is potentially about the wrong person getting the sack.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
His coaching style doesn't suit representative teams. He is a long term build and develop kinda guy which works very well in the NRL environment, So its not about a safe haven in Melbourne so much as knowing when something doesn't fit.
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
Strange is an upgrade for sure.
Coastal01
Roar Rookie
No one will change this team as long as the protagonists are constantly being wrapped in cotton wool every time there is an issue. Walker is always looked at as a part of the issue, he may be, but I'd say getting rid of Mitchell will solve most of the issues.
Blink
Roar Rookie
I can't believe how poorly the Rabbitohs are playing. They are capable of way better so its a collective form thing. When I've watched the forwards aren't delivering up the middle and there is zero happenning in attack. I'm still expecting them to come good.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Bunnies sound a bit like Manly around 2015 or so. A group of players felt like they were running the show and weren't happy if they didn't get their way. The Bunnies won't be winning a title with Cody or Latrell in my opinion , the Kangaroo has bolted. Time to go backwards to go forward, ''thanks for the great times but goodbye, please shut the door on your way out''
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
That's what the Tigers thought.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I saw Savage decimate a very good Manly Flegg team ( I think it was) in a semi a few years back. Manly had Koula and Weekes and other stars but Savage was on another planet.
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
It reads like a wish list of people they know they won't sign. I read that as there is a successor in mind that can't be named for one reason or another, or they've got absolutely no idea. Surprising that the coach of the reserves, who won the comp last year, isn't in the conversation even for the interim appointment. Not the career path these days I suppose. Or maybe he is and he doesn't have anyone in the press to push his name forward.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Exciting is the word - and I don't think I've used that word to describe the Raiders since Rapana and BJ were together from 2016 to 2019.
PJ
Roar Rookie
Mario says "hi"
Megeng
Roar Rookie
Adam Reynolds for Captain coach.
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
This has been the plague of the amalgamated clubs, administrators can't even agree amongst themselves.
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
JD needs to go ASAP if they want to salvage part of the Year. He cant control Latrell. The only person who can get the best out of him (but it still won't be the best he could do) is Wayne and he is not available till next year. If Wayne does not take the job next year they need to manage Latrell out ASAP.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Really? When has it ever interfered with him training or playing? Seems like a cop out. Mitchell’s biggest issue is he’s naturally brilliant. So he’s never needed to work particularly hard to excel.
SPM
Roar Rookie
I see and to some degree agree with it, but to play devils advocate, the removal of the head coach and appointment of an interim coach for the rest of the season particularly a guy who has nothing to loose free to hold a few of these alleged senior players to account ie drop them to NSW cup for a few weeks, play them in a position thats best for the team rather than where they want to play.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
He is not brave enough to venture beyond the safe haven of Melbourne . He still remembers when he tried to coach Origin.
aerial lizard
Roar Rookie
Sounding familiar Tony? Imagine Hook at the Souths interview, straw hanging from the corner of his gob, gibbering on in his drawl about "I get really excited being around young men!" And he is the best applicant. Deja vu, how do you do!