South Sydney slammed over ‘cruel’ sacking of Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou, CEO Blake Solly to address media
Jason Demetriou’s agent has spoken out against South Sydney over their treatment of the former coach, as Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly prepares to front the media.
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Jason Demetriou’s management has launched a stinging attack on South Sydney bosses, describing the Rabbitohs’ axing of the besieged coach as “extremely cruel” and heartless.
As Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly prepares to front the media on Wednesday, Demetriou’s agent Chris Orr believes Wayne Bennett’s former right-hand man has been hung out to dry by South Sydney hierarchy.
Demetriou was formally terminated by South Sydney’s board on Tuesday night - just 209 days after the same executive rubber-stamped a three-year extension for Bennett’s successor at Redfern.
Orr was dismayed by the treatment of Demetriou, who ran a training session on Tuesday with the axe hovering as Souths’ board held a series of meetings to decide whether to rip-up his contract.
“It was a long day,” said Orr, a former first grader and one of the code’s longest-serving agents with 20 years’ experience.
“To be honest, it wasn’t fair to have your head coach waiting around all day just to be axed.
“Coaches are human beings with families and I thought South Sydney’s process was extremely cruel.
“I feel they got it wrong … or they got it wrong last year when they upgraded him and extended him a further two years.”
Demetriou was given a stay of execution after Souths’ 34-22 loss to Cronulla in round six, but after a bye weekend, the Rabbitohs’ heavy 54-20 belting by the Storm last Thursday night represented the final straw.
Demetriou’s assistant Ben Hornby will operate as interim coach for the remainder of the year, giving South Sydney time to assess full-time candidates - opening the door for a possible Bennett resurrection at Redfern in 2025.
Dolphins super coach Bennett is off-contract at season’s end.
Orr said Demetriou, a trusted deputy to Bennett at the Broncos and South Sydney for six years before taking charge at Redfern in 2022, has not ruled out coaching again in the NRL.
“Unfortunately professional coaching comes with extreme ups and downs,” he said.
“’JD’ will look to take some time out and focus on his family and we will reassess in a week or two.”
The Rabbitohs initially met on Tuesday morning for three hours but were unable to finalise an agreement on the way forward, prompting them to schedule a second board meeting for Tuesday afternoon.
Chair Nick Pappas confirmed that the board unanimously agreed at that meeting – which lasted another two hours – that the time had come for the club to have a change of coach.
Bennett now looms large as the club targets the Dolphins coach for a return to the club.
The 74-year-old led Souths to a pair of preliminary finals and a grand final before leaving at the end of 2021 as part of a succession plan that resulted in Demetriou being handed the head coaching job.
Souths’ decision to sack Demetriou clears the way for them to open negotiations with their former mentor – Bennett has always been reluctant to negotiate with clubs when a coach is in place.
The drums were beating incessantly that Souths were planning for Bennett to be parachuted into Redfern to repair the Pride of the League. Demetriou remains adamant Bennett has not undermined him.
“It’s not something I think Wayne would do,” Demetriou told this masthead a fortnight ago.
“I know my relationship with Wayne.
“The respect between us has always been mutual.
“At the end of the day, it’s Wayne we’re talking about. When Wayne is off-contract, that talk (of his next move) is everywhere and whichever club isn’t going well is suddenly linked with Wayne Bennett.
“Look, I lived through similar times with Wayne at the Broncos.
“I have a good understanding of how cruel the game can be, even to one of the greatest coaches in the game.
“I saw what happened to Wayne at the Broncos, so I’m not protected from it (being axed), that’s for sure.”
It is understood Demetriou walked away with a nine-month golden handshake, believed to be worth in excess of $350,000.
“The board was unanimous that the time had come for Jason to be moved on with all his rights on his contract,” Pappas said.
“We thank Jason for his services to the club. I know he gave his very best.
“We wish him well in his future coaching endeavours.”
Chief executive Solly added: “The board and management feel that now is the time to make a change to the leadership of our football program in terms of the head coaching role.
“There is no doubting Jason’s work ethic or his drive for success, but unfortunately that success has not been forthcoming over the past 12 months.
“We wish Jason, his wife Natalie and his daughters the very best of luck in the future and we thank him for his service to our club over the past five-and-a-half years.”
Demetriou is understood to have sent a text message to the playing group on Tuesday night saying it had been a privilege to be their coach and part of their professional journeys.
“That feeling in the change rooms that led us to the top of the NRL ladder less than a year ago was some of the greatest experiences of my career,” he wrote.
“I’m sure this team is destined for more of those memories.
“Blessings to you and your beautiful families.”
Demetriou had only just signed a three-year extension last October until the end of 2026 but pressure had been growing since last season, after the club dropped out of finals contention despite leading the competition in round 11.
Hornby now gets the chance to showcase his head coaching credentials as he steps into the breach and attempts to reignite the Rabbitohs season.
It will be Hornby’s first time in charge of an NRL roster. He went close to securing the top job at his former club St George Illawarra last season and at one point was the favourite for that position.
He faces a monumental task to turn around the Rabbitohs’ season, such has been their fall from grace.
Things had been so dire, the club considered sacking Demetriou a fortnight ago but gave him more time to try to turn around the side’s fortunes.
At the time, there were whispers that Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga would join the club on an interim basis to help them navigate the remainder of the season.
However, Meninga ruled himself out of the job after growing frustrated with the process. Demetriou then brought in Furner to act as a sounding board and strengthen his coaching staff.
South Sydney started the season $81 in the TAB’s most losses market but are now $4 second favourites behind the Gold Coast ($4), which is almost unthinkable considering they were $9 in premiership betting.
Savvy punters weren’t convinced of their 2024 chances as Souths were the second-best backed team to miss the top eight and third-best backed to miss the top four in pre-season betting.
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