‘Head coaches always go first’: Former teammate throws support behind fallen Rabbitohs coach

Northern Pride’s current assistant coach and former premiership player has thrown his support behind sacked South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou.

Northern Pride current assistant coach and former premiership player has thrown his support behind sacked South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou.

Sam Obst starred in the Pride’s 2014 premiership, playing under then coach and good mate Demetriou.

Obst said he was shocked to hear the news about his great mate and mentor.

“It is a cutthroat industry. Most industries are and I think he knew it was coming, but definitely shocked me a bit,” Obst said.

Jason Demetriou was sacked as head coach from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Picture: Supplied

“I sent him a text, I didn’t wait to send him anything on the day it happened, as I am sure he would have had plenty of people reaching out to him.

“I will probably give him a call later this week once everything has died down a bit.

“He is a pretty positive person and I am sure he will be alright in the end but hope he knows he has plenty of people out there for him.

“He will get back on his feet pretty soon anyway, that is just the type of bloke he is.”

The Pride’s 2014 Queensland Cup premiership was the second in their history, and came 12 months after Demetriou steered the Cairns club to a minor premiership.

The then 38-year-old coached the Pride to the inaugural NRL State Championship, defeating the highly-fancied Penrith Panthers, who were NSW Cup premiers on the same day the Rabbitohs - Demetriou and Schaefer’s future club - ended a four-decade drought to win the NRL Grand Final.

The two mates first played together Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Yorkshire before Demetriou moved as a player-coach to Keighley Knights, pulling off one of the competitions biggest coups, signing Obst before both moved to Northern Pride in 2013.

”We have been really good mates for a long time JD and I,” Obst said.

“I don’t know how he found it when coaching me because we were so close.

“But he has always been a family man and has always brought that into every playing group.”

Sam Obst during his playing days with the Pride. Picture: Brendan Radke

Former Pride CEO Brock Schaefer, who moved to South Sydney Rabbitohs after the premiership in 2014, walked out on the Rabbitohs just 24-hours after the sacking of Demetriou.

“Not 100 per cent sure what has happened there with Brock, maybe he just wanted a change,” Obst said.

“You know he has been there for about 10 years.

“I mean, people will read into it the way they want to but I don’t really know what happened there.”

Attention now turns to fellow Far North Queensland premiership stars Brad Arthur (Parramatta Eels coach), who took Brothers to premierships, and Adam O’Brien (Newcastle Knights coach), who played and won premierships as Brothers as well.

“We have done pretty well with players and coaches who have taken the next step,” Obst said.

“But as I said before, it is such a cut throat industry and if you are under performing then the spotlight is on you.

“Unfortunately it is the head coaches who go first before any of the players.

“Hopefully these boys can turn things around for them.”

Originally published as ‘Head coaches always go first’: Former teammate throws support behind fallen Rabbitohs coach