Benji Marshall says Wests Tigers should look to hire Broncos assistant coach Jason Demetriou as next coach

WESTS Tigers veteran Benji Marshall says the next man in line to coach the club is north of the border — and that a raid on the Broncos would bring the best footy mind to Leichhardt.

Jason Demetriou has already been interviewed for the Broncos job. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

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WESTS Tigers veteran Benji Marshall says the next man in line to coach the club is north of the border and it’s not Wayne Bennett.

CEO Justin Pascoe has been busy jet setting across the Tasman interviewing potential replacements for current coach Ivan Cleary.

But Marshall says the man who is a perfect fit for the job is closer to home.

He has endorsed Brisbane assistant coach Jason Demetriou as someone who can lead the Concord club into the future.

Jason Demetriou has already been interviewed for the Broncos job. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

“He’s one of the best coaches I have ever been under, technically and culture wise,” he said. “Does the club take a leap on a not so high profile coach or a high profile coach?

“To me it doesn't really matter. What I do know is players come and go and coaches come and go and the one thing that always remains in the club and the fans.

“No matter who it is, the players will drive where it’s going.”

Marshall knows how things wortk in Brisbane. (Jono Searle)

While former South Sydney coach Michael Maguire is high on the list of targets for the club, Marshall sees plenty of merit in luring mastercoach Bennett to Sydney.

“I haven’t been coached by Madge [Maguire] but I have met with him a few times and he’s a great guy. I think Wayne would also be a good fit, his whole coaching style and the culture he brings, he’s got good people around him,” he said.

Marshall has only good things to say about Wayne Bennett’s assistant. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

One of those guys “around” Bennett is Demetriou, who’s tutelage he’s been under at the Broncos as an assistant coach for the last two seasons.

Before that, he had a stint as player-coach for the Keighley Cougars in England. Demetriou returned to coach in Australia in the Queensland Cup. He took the Northern Pride to consecutive minor premierships and to the title in 2014.

He was an assistant coach with the North Queensland Cowboys in their premiership winning year in 2015.

Demetriou moved south of the border to be the head of coach of the Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup, where he was also part of the coaching staff at the Dragons in 2016.

Marshall will go into his 17th preseason when the squad returns to training in November and the veteran playmaker already has one eye on his future post his playing days.

He’s already dabbling in some coaching at the development level and says he is willing to try his hand in a more full-time capacity even though the stress and pressure is “probably worse” than being an NRL player.

“You have to have a bit of a screw loose apparently [to be an NRL coach],” he said.

“The season just gone I did coaching on Mondays with Balmain and Fridays with Wests in SG Ball and Harold Matthews with their halves, hookers and fullbacks.

Old man Benji is enjoying every game. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

“I enjoyed that. I’m doing that again this year. Apart from playing footy there is no better feeling than teaching kids and watching them put it in practice and being stoked with what they are doing. It gives me a kick.

“There’s a chance I will do some coaching, whether that’s specialist or assistant I don’t know at the moment.”

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Originally published as Benji Marshall says Wests Tigers should look to hire Broncos assistant coach Jason Demetriou as next coach