‘He’s a scapegoat’: NRL world fumes over brutal Rabbitohs axing
Rugby league fans have called out the South Sydney Rabbitohs over a brutal axing following a horror start to their season.
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NRL fans have been left seeing red over news South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback Lachlan Ilias was set to be axed after just two games in 2024.
Things have continued on a downward trend for the Rabbitohs after a horror second half to the 2023 season.
After falling to Manly in Las Vegas, they produced an even uglier display against the Broncos as they dropped to 0-2.
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It means the club have now lost 11 of their past 15 matches and face a tough six-week stretch that could determine their season.
The club elected to act with a bombshell move, but the axing of Ilias hasn’t sat well with fans who vented their rage on social media.
News Corp journalist Shane Jones wrote: “What a wash, rinse, repeat attempt at solving the issues at South Sydney. Lachlan Ilias is not the problem. The issue is far deeper than that.”
Another user wrote: “Lachlan Ilias is a scapegoat for South Sydney in being axed. South Sydney haven’t looked like playing as a team this year. Just a bunch of individuals with a bad attitude. Spotlight has to be on the coach. Time running out to turn things around.”
A third added: “If people think Lachlan Ilias is the problem in this team then I don’t know what to say.”
Ilias is set to be replaced in the team by back-up Dean Hawkins with former Dally M Medal winner Jack Wighton set to return from suspension this week.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou reportedly resisted the urge to replace Ilias with the man who won the 2020 Dally M playing at five-eighth.
Souths stunned the competition when they signed Wighton from the Raiders on a four-year deal worth $750,000 per season.
That price tag triggered uproar as Canberra’s offer was for more than $1 million per season, but the Rabbitohs insisted he was signed as a centre and therefore worth less.
Demetriou could also name Hawkins and then make a late change on game day, shifting Wighton into the halves alongside Cody Walker.
“Souths are 0-2, but they have got the Roosters next week,” Matty Johns said after the Broncos loss.
“They have got Jack Wighton back next week and that can’t come quick enough.
“It depends what they want. The system of play is slightly wrong. They are looking to always play around opposition.
“If they want to make a change and they want to adjust, the answer, if they want to start playing through teams, might be Cody Walker to No.7 and Jack Wighton to No.6.
“That will give them more of a run threat. But it is unfair on Ilias because it is not the kid’s fault.”
The Daily Telegraph columnist Phil Rothfield believes Demetriou is the coach under the most pressure coach in the NRL and the favourite to be the next one axed.
- with foxsports.com.au
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Originally published as ‘He’s a scapegoat’: NRL world fumes over brutal Rabbitohs axing
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