NRL Opinion: South Sydney need to make a call on coach Jason Demetriou, Sam Walker rejects Broncos

Sam Walker is a Queenslander through and through, but he’s found a home at the Sydney Roosters and has no plans to test the market when a halfback position at the Broncos becomes available, writes BRENT READ.

South Sydney’s loss has ratcheted up the pressure on coach Jason Demetriou (R). Picture: Getty Images

Sydney Roosters star Sam Walker slayed St George Illawarra on Anzac Day and then drove a stake through the heart of Brisbane Broncos fans afterwards as he prepared for a return to Suncorp Stadium.

Walker, having won his second Spirit of Anzac medal in the space of three years, has ruled out becoming the long-term replacement for Adam Reynolds at the Broncos.

Walker’s contract with the Roosters expires at the end of next year. Reynolds’ contract with Brisbane finishes at the same time.

It would seem a marriage made in heaven, only Walker insists that he wants to stay at the Roosters and become a legend at that club.

The Broncos will have to look elsewhere.

“This is my home,” Walker said.

“I am looking forward to hopefully a long campaign here. There is always going to be speculation. Like I said, I am happy here and this is home here, looking forward to hopefully a long career here.

“I want to build on this. It has been an up-and-down start to the year – I want to focus on footy and leave that to other people.”

Sam Walker has rejected talks of a move to the Broncos. Picture: NRL Photos

Walker held talks with the Broncos as a teenager and considered signing a deal with the club before moving to Sydney, where he has become a star at the Roosters.

The 21-year-old reinforced his potential on Anzac Day against the Dragons with another masterclass as the Roosters rediscovered their best form ahead of a game that shapes as one of the grudge matches of the season.

The last time the Roosters and Broncos met they were in Las Vegas and the game ended with a racism allegation that eventually led to Roosters prop Spencer Leniu being given a long stint on the sidelines.

Leniu, who was suspended after calling Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam a “monkey”, won’t be back for the trip to Suncorp Stadium but there will be plenty of tension nonetheless given the way tempers flared in the aftermath.

Walker harbours no ill will. He knows Mam well, having played representative football alongside him as they were emerging through the age groups.

Broncos back rower Brendan Piakua was another of his teammates. Selwyn Cobbo was thereabouts as well. He and Broncos superstar Reece Walsh played loads of games alongside each other.

Spencer Leniu (R) will miss the Roosters rematch with the Broncos. Picture: Getty Images

“Me and Ezra played a lot of footy together,” Walker said.

“He was my back rower in Met West under 15. I was 15 and he was a year younger at 14. I loved playing with Ezzy. He was a (legend).

“He went though a little bit there (after Vegas) as well. I am sure he will be up for the game – really looking forward to coming up against those boys I grew up with.”

Walker will head to Brisbane in flying form if Anzac Day is anything to go by and the Roosters will be doing their darnedest to time him down before he hits the open market on November 1, where he could expect to command a significant bump in salary.

Halfbacks are prized commodities and clubs pay through the roof to land a good one. The million-dollar mark would be within reach if Walker wanted to explore his options. That doesn’t appear to be his desire as he zeros in on a new deal at the Roosters.

Contract talks are for another day though. His focus – and that of the Roosters – will need to be razor-sharp this week as they prepare to face a Broncos side hellbent on revenge after the events of Las Vegas.

It won’t be the only grudge match of the weekend, something that became clear in the aftermath to Anzac Day at Allianz Stadium.

St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan was still licking his wounds when he decided to open an old one. Flanagan, having watched his Dragons cop the mother of all hidings from the Sydney Roosters, cast his gaze a week ahead to the game against his old club Cronulla.

With his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, Flanagan noted that they hadn’t won another premiership since he left the club a few years back. Fuse lit.

Souths board must act on Demetriou

South Sydney have a board meeting scheduled for Tuesday but they may have no choice but to bring it forward after the team’s performance in Melbourne on Anzac Day.

This was a disaster for Souths and their coach Jason Demetriou. He was lucky to keep his job a couple of weeks back and his position is again under threat after a woeful display by the Rabbitohs at AAMI Park.

The Storm were red-hot as their big names fired up. Souths had no answer. The Pride of the League – not in Melbourne. Nowhere near it.

Demetriou was given the bye and a new assistant – David Furner – to help turn things around but this was more of the same.

They were woeful in defence and their discipline was summed up by Taane Milne’s moment of madness in the dying minutes.

There was no excuse given what was at stake and it may end up costing Demetriou his job. It feels like Rabbitohs officials are at the end of their tether and significantly, co-owner Russell Crowe is back in the country and will have a decisive say over whether the trigger is pulled.

Souths officials were happy to give Demetriou time to steady the ship but they wanted to see improvement.

South Sydney’s loss has ratcheted up the pressure on coach Jason Demetriou (R). Picture: Getty Images

They saw none in Melbourne as Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes destroyed the visitors. It doesn’t get any easier for Souths either.

They face premiers Penrith next and if they play like they did on Thursday night, they could lose by even more.

There is no quick fix to the malaise that has gripped Souths. The coach may go but whoever comes in faces a mountainous job to lift the Rabbitohs out of their quagmire.

Souths are still a big club – one of the biggest in the game – but they have fallen off a cliff and there appear to be deep-seated problems at play.

It seems remarkable to say, but they will do well to avoid the wooden spoon the way they are going.

The Gold Coast Titans are off the mark now and look on the improve. Souths seem to be getting worse.

The club needs to do something. They bought themselves some time when they gave Demetriou a stay of execution a fortnight ago but the clock continues to tick and it is becoming harder to mount a case for him to stay given the way they are travelling.

These are challenging times at Heffron Park and Souths need to make some big decisions. The sooner their board makes them, the better for everyone.

Originally published as NRL Opinion: South Sydney need to make a call on coach Jason Demetriou, Sam Walker rejects Broncos