NRL 2024: Mal Meninga confirms South Sydney interest, Michael Maguire out of contention
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has expressed interest in taking over from Jason Demetriou at South Sydney — but the NRL could stand in his way.
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The NRL are expected to put up a roadblock which could quash Mal Meninga’s hopes of coaching South Sydney for the rest of the season.
Meninga has confirmed he has an interest in leading the Rabbitohs should Jason Demetriou be sacked in the coming days.
Despite distancing himself from a formal approach, Meninga did intimate that he knew there was interest from the Rabbitohs should they look for a caretaker coach.
Meninga won’t take the job if it means he has to stand-down from the Kangaroos position ahead of their end of season Tests.
It is understood the NRL would be reluctant for Meninga to take on both positions, which could dash his hopes of an NRL coaching return.
Rabbitohs officials have identified Meninga as the man to take charge immediately if they move on from Demetriou.
The role would only be for the rest of the season which would open up the door for Wayne Bennett to return.
While Meninga distanced himself from any official interest, he had heard rumblings that the club may pursue him.
“I haven’t, yet,” Meninga said on SEN when asked if he had been approached by South Sydney.
“I know there is interest. There has been nothing official. I feel sorry for what’s happened at the club. We want to see South Sydney firing.
“I feel a bit sorry for the coach.
There has been no official conversation held at all.
“I know they are keen on it but a lot of it is through the media.
“I can’t speak factually on it. We all know Jason is under the pump because of the performance of the football team.”
Meninga has not coached in the NRL since leading the Raiders in 2001.
Since then though he has enjoyed success at Origin level with Queensland before continuing Australia’s dominance on the world stage.
“I love the idea of being an interim coach,” Meninga said.
“It’s only a short-term [proposition], I know. It is something that certainly interests me and I am flattered that my name is being mentioned at all.
“But again, there’s no real foundation to it just yet.
“I see an underperformance. Whether that’s a direct result of Jason’s coaching prowess or the players not playing to their ability. I think it’s everything.
“I know they are having honest conversations, but they aren’t responding.”
Meninga spoke glowingly of his relationships with a host of South Sydney players, including Latrell Mitchell, Damien Cook, Jack Wighton, Campbell Graham and Cameron Murray.
He said if appointed, he would speak with Mitchell about his preference to play fullback or centre.
Ex-South Sydney coach Michael Maguire is unlikely to put his hand hard for the short-term position despite some interest from South Sydney.
Maguire has NSW Origin commitments to fulfil but would consider returning to South Sydney full-time beyond this year.
Craig Bellamy had been touted as a potential coaching option next year but that was quickly shut down by the Storm mentor.
“I haven’t heard from anyone at Souths, so I don’t think there’s any decision to make,” Bellamy said ahead of Friday’s game against the Bulldogs.
“I’m not looking (at any other jobs) at all, but you never say never.
“I’m coaching here, that’s my job. There’s nothing else on the table. If there was, I probably wouldn’t want to think about it anyway.
“I expect the players and the staff to be focused on what their job is, so that’s what I’ve got to do as well.”
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NO JOB GUARANTEE: RABBITOHS BOSS
South Sydney chair Nick Pappas has hit out at claims the club is laying the groundwork for the departure of coach Jason Demetriou.
Pappas, the most powerful and influential figure at the Rabbitohs outside their all-star ownership group, insists everyone from Russell Crowe down wants their coach to succeed.
That, and that alone, is their only priority. No shortlists have been drawn up. No candidates have been sounded out. No plans have been set in motion for Demetriou’s departure in case the Rabbitohs lose this weekend.
Pappas stopped short of declaring Demetriou would keep his job if Souths lose to Cronulla on Saturday night, but he reiterated that the club’s only priority was giving their coach all the support he needed to make sure it doesn’t come to that.
“The first thing is we want Jason to succeed,” Pappas said.
“We want him to win on Saturday night. There’s no doubt about that. We want him to succeed so he can carry the club through the rest of the season and his entire contract.
“That’s not just the club’s position, that’s Russell’s position, that’s our other owners position and the board’s position.
“There have been some changes made to the team and we hope that brings results. If the results continue we will look at it.
“There is no review. I want to make that abundantly clear. Russell is Jason’s strongest supporter, as am I, as is the board, as is management from (chief executive) Blake (Solly) down.
“No-one wants Jason to fail. We all want him to succeed. No-one would be happier than me or Russell or Blake if we win on Saturday night.
“That is honest and sincere.”
Demetriou’s position has been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks given the Rabbitohs’ misfiring start to the year.
They have won only one of their opening five games and sit last on the ladder, heightening speculation Demetriou’s days could be numbered.
The situation has been exacerbated by revelations that Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and former coach Michael Maguire were being lined up as potential interim replacements should Demetriou be axed after the weekend.
It is understood Meninga has had talks in an unofficial capacity about taking a role at Souths, but this masthead was told that they began before Demetriou’s position came under scrutiny.
If Pappas has his way, interim coaches won’t be an issue. He insists his only hope is that Souths win on Saturday night and the pressure is removed, for the time being at least.
Demetriou has rolled the dice to try to prompt a response, handing Jye Gray a debut at fullback, recalling winger Tyrone Munro and handing the hooking spot to Peter Mamouzelos at the expense of Damien Cook.
The suggestion has been that only a win will save the coach. Even that may not be enough according to some. Pappas suggests it is far from a fait accompli.
“You can lose and lose honourably, it is not just win or lose,” Pappas said.
“If would be very unfair to place on Jye Gray and Peter Mamouzelos that sort of pressure to deliver for a coach in one game. It is not fair.
“So we will look at the performance very closely, we will look at the dynamic of the coaches and how they relate to players.
“We think that important changes are being made internally to improve that. Whether we make a hard decision in one, two, three, four, five weeks is yet to be decided.
“That is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There is no decision that has been made, there is no decision that has been mooted, there are no candidates that are being considered.”
Caretaker coach: Shock duo earmarked to replace Demetriou
Mal Meninga has emerged as a potential surprise coaching option for South Sydney should they part ways with under fire coach Jason Demetriou.
Meninga and ex-Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire are among the names being considered should Demetriou be sacked after Saturday’s game.
It is understood South Sydney powerbrokers want an experienced mentor to see out the season should Demetriou be axed.
The only genuine option within the club is assistant coach Ben Hornby – and he too remains in the mix – but the Rabbitohs could add to their coaching stocks should things sour with Demetriou.
However, it is understood there is a strong push for Meninga to take over the club. He shares a close relationship with South Sydney players Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Cam Murray, Jack Wighton and Damien Cook through his time as Kangaroos coach. Meninga remains the current Australian coach but has no national commitments until the end of the NRL season. He has left his advisory position with the Titans and a short-term stint could work for Meninga who last coached in the NRL in 2001 with Canberra.
He has since gone on to become the most decorated representative coach with success at Queensland and Australia.
Maguire’s name has also been floated as a potential option with the premiership winning coach needed to juggle his NSW coaching commitments with any potential return to the club.
Given Maguire’s hopes of one day coaching in the NRL a short-term stint may not work as well for him as it would for Meninga.
By locking down Meninga it would enable South Sydney to go into the market for a coach in 2025 with Wayne Bennett at the top of their list.
Meninga has been a staunch supporter of Mitchell.
“He is such a big figure,” Meninga has said recently. “You talk about the Rabbitohs and everyone talks about Latrell. He is a good leader. People don’t understand how good a leader he is and how he speaks. He has a purpose in life. He is one of the best defensive fullbacks in the game.
“He stops more tries than most fullbacks in the game. There is no bigger character in our game. But rugby league is a team game.
“He will make a difference when everyone else is doing their job.”
Meninga also tried to entice him to the Titans in 2019 before he opted to join the Roosters.
Queensland coach Billy Slater is another name which would be discussed but he is considered long odds to want the short-term role.
South Sydney face the Sharks on Saturday before having the bye. The players will have three days off after the clash enabling the Rabbitohs management to lock down a potential coach before the players return.
They play Melbourne in round eight.
– Michael Carayannis
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