NRL 2020: Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson says he will leave at the same time as Wayne Bennett
Major changes are set to shake the foundations of the Rabbitohs after club boss Shane Richardson followed up Wayne Bennett’s exit announcement with his own bombshell.
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South Sydney boss Shane Richardson has revealed he will follow super coach Wayne Bennett out of Redfern as the Rabbitohs prepare for a new era under rookie mentor Jason Demetriou.
The winds of change are sweeping through the Pride of the League with Richardson – who helped Souths to the 2014 premiership – declaring he will quit with Bennett at the end of next year.
Richardson confirmed Demetriou will take the reins from Bennett from 2022 and then dropped his own bombshell, saying he will walk away next year after two successful stints as a trusted figurehead for Souths co-owner Russell Crowe.
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“I’m definitely finishing up with Souths next year,” he told News Corp today.
“Like Wayne, I’m contracted until the end of 2021 and I’ve always told Souths that is my finishing date.
“My contract ends then and I won’t be going on.
“We are putting in a good succession plan and a great club like Souths will go on without Wayne and myself.
“All good companies put succession plans in place.”
A former NRL strategy chief, Richardson returned to the Rabbitohs in 2016 and played a key role in the signing of Bennett after the super coach was sensationally sacked by the Broncos in 2018.
Richardson is one of the most respected administrators in the code and, as a proud Queenslander, could be an option for a second Brisbane team as the NRL considers expansion for 2023.
“I’m not thinking about retirement,” he said.
“Who knows what I will do in the future.
“I’m 65 and I really enjoying being part of the game. I have no concrete plans moving forward, I have a commitment to Russell and the board and I will meet that commitment and see what happens after that.”
Bennett’s decision not to seek re-appointment at Souths has opened the door for his trusted assistant Demetriou to finally realise his dream of becoming an NRL head coach.
South Sydney’s succession plan for Bennett has shifted gears. The master coach has been privately grooming Demetriou for an NRL top job since their time together at the Broncos and now the man known as ‘JD’ will get his chance in the big league.
It is understood Demetriou has agreed to a beefed-up contract that will see him replace Bennett as head coach at Souths for 2022-23 with an option in the Rabbitohs’ favour for 2024.
Demetriou is so content at Souths his wife and children, who remained in Brisbane last year following his sacking at the Broncos at the end of 2018, have relocated to Sydney.
Their relocation is an emphatic sign South Sydney have long-term plans for Demetriou, who has an outstanding record in the lower-tier.
“It’s no shock to us,” Richardson said of Bennett’s impending departure.
“When we signed Wayne we said we would look at things in 15 months and see how things are panning out.
“We haven’t signed a contract with Jason, we only agreed to terms last week.
“Wayne was aware of it and always supportive of it. It doesn’t matter whether we win the premiership or not this year, Wayne was always planning to finish up next year.
“It’s a good way of succession planning.
“We didn’t want all the speculation of is he going on or not? There’s no back-stabbing here. We have handled this situation with dignity and it will be a great opportunity for Jason.
“We’re thrilled for Jason. It gives him a bit of security and he knows where he is going.
“There’s nothing to hide here. Jason will replace Wayne so we’re getting on with it.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson says he will leave at the same time as Wayne Bennett