NRL: Jason Demetriou opens up on job pressure, Mal Meninga rumours, Wayne Bennett relationship, Latrell Mitchell
Jason Demetriou still thinks he is the man for the head coach job at South Sydney. In an exclusive and candid interview, Demetriou addresses his future with the Rabbitohs amid speculation he’ll be shown the door.
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Jason Demetriou insists he can save South Sydney amid speculation his one-time mentor Wayne Bennett is poised to answer an SOS and rescue the strife-torn Rabbitohs.
This masthead can reveal Souths hierarchy have held crisis talks with superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell as Demetriou fights to save his job in Saturday night’s clash against Cronulla at Accor Stadium.
In a candid interview with his masthead, besieged Souths coach Demetriou addressed rumours he is a dead-man walking at Redfern and will be sacked if the Rabbitohs crash against the Sharks.
The former Broncos assistant also opened up about the state of Souths, the blooding of young gun Jye Gray, the Bennett threat and managing the powerful enigma that is Mitchell.
“I can’t control the outside noise,” he said. “The only narrative we can control is what happens on Saturday night.”
FIRING LINE
Demetriou is under siege like never before. He has been buffeted by speculation he is 80 minutes away from the bullet if Souths slump to a 1-5 record with defeat against the Sharks at Homebush.
The pressure could easily crush an emerging NRL coach. Demetriou, however, remains defiant.
Asked if he will be jettisoned if Souths lose this week, he said: “It’s not something I’m thinking about to be honest.
“I can’t control what people are saying and speculating. The critics were saying this at the end of last year and they were saying it all off-season, so it won’t make any difference to the narrative whether I think about it or not.
“The only thing that makes a difference is making sure the players feel the energy from me and they respond this week, which I believe they will.
“I’m handling it OK, I really am.
“Look, it’s not ideal the situation we’re in, but it’s not my first rodeo in this environment and it’s business as usual for me.
“I have a job to do to prepare the boys and the energy this week has been excellent.
“We have 80 minutes to play this week and that’s all we can control. It’s my job to make sure the boys are ready and it’s on me to make sure the guys are clear on their roles and we have to be excited to play.”
THE MAL BOMBSHELL
Breaking his silence on revelations Mal Meninga has been sounded out as a possible interim coach, Demetriou said he hadn’t received any information from Souths hierarchy.
“I have no idea where that has come from,” he said.
“There’s so many rumours floating around this club at the moment. I haven’t heard a thing. I can’t worry about it.
“I will stay focused on the game this week and I will get the job done.”
REDFERN RESCUE
South Sydney’s collapse under Demetriou has been as rapid as it has been unfathomable.
Just 334 days ago, the Rabbitohs were leading the 2023 premiership after a 20-0 whipping of Wests Tigers. Since then, the Rabbitohs have lost 13 of their last 18 games. Amid the free fall, Souths hierarchy were so confident in Demetriou’s methods they handed him a three-year extension last October.
Suddenly, Demetriou is all-but gone. The 48-year-old talks to Souths CEO Blake Solly daily and insists there has been no official warning from Rabbitohs hierarchy. He is adamant he can turn the club around.
“Without a doubt I believe I can get us out of this,” he said.
“It wasn’t long ago I was given a three-year extension.
“It’s not about lacking confidence (in himself), but it’s about making sure the messaging is clear to the group and the boys are clear in what their roles are.
“I need trust in the players to do the job and I have full trust in the group.
“I trust they will perform well this weekend and that’s all I can ask of the players.
“You need an ability to stay strong and have belief in what you do and what got you to the position you find yourself in.
“That’s where I’m at right now. I’m not over-thinking it.”
WAYNE BENNETT
No-one fought harder for Demetriou to be blooded in the NRL than Bennett.
The pair forged a strong bond at the Broncos. When Bennett was sacked at Brisbane in 2018, he recommended Demetriou replace him. When the Broncos board rejected his succession plan and hired Anthony Seibold, Bennett headed to South Sydney and demanded Demetriou go with him.
After serving a six-year apprenticeship under the master mentor, Demetriou learned first hand the brutal nature of NRL coaching.
The drums are beating incessantly that Souths are ready for Bennett, a free agent next year, to be parachuted into Redfern to repair the Pride of the League he coached to the 2021 grand final. Demetriou is adamant Bennett is not undermining him.
“It’s not something I think Wayne would do,” Demetriou said.
“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.”
THE LATRELL CIRCUS
Demetriou’s cause has not been helped by his key fullback Mitchell being suspended for three weeks for elbowing Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson.
There are suggestions Mitchell has fallen out of love with rugby league. It is understood Souths bosses have held talks with Mitchell in recent days about his attitude, his focus and cutting out the acts of ill-discipline that have led to a series of suspensions.
There is a view that only Bennett has the sage head and strength to keep Mitchell in line. Demetriou says it’s not about kowtowing to Latrell, but providing an environment to rekindle his passion.
“I don’t engage in all that anymore, it’s not something I believe in,” Demetriou says of talk Mitchell has too much power at the club.
“I know what goes on inside our four walls and the commentary around Latrell is the same old stuff.
“It’s not something I engage in anymore.
“My biggest focus right now is getting him playing good footy and clearing his head from the things that go on outside the grass.
“I want him to be excited about being out there with his mates and doing the things that get you excited to play football.”
THE PRESSURE
Demetriou, who has won four premierships in the lower tier, says he isn’t hitting the panic button.
“I’ve learned about my values and who I am as a person, no doubt about that,” he said.
“For me, I just switch off to all that outside noise and focus on what I can control.
“I’m not coming to work down about things, it’s on me to come to work with energy and I’m doing that.
“It’s not rocket science. None of us want to be in this position, but we’re here and we have to get out of it.
“I need to get our performances to a level where we are moving forward and not going backwards.
“We had a great performance against the Bulldogs, defensively we were very strong for the whole 80 minutes and we backed that up with a decent 30-35 minutes against a quality side in the Warriors. Either side of halftime we leaked points and they blew us away.
“That’s been the focus for us this week. In those tougher moments, we have to keep our discipline and stay within our process and not give up easy tries. We need consistency in our processes and that’s what we haven’t had so far this season.
“There’s been a few reasons (for Souths’ poor form), but if I offer anything at the moment, people will just see it as excuses.
“I know why we are in the position we’re in and it’s frustrating for all of us, but we have to ride it and come through it and when we do, we will get a lot out of it and it will make us stronger as a group and a team.”
SHADES OF GRAY
The suspension of Mitchell has opened the door for boom utility back Jye Gray to debut against the Sharks. If Gray fires at the back, there is every possibility Mitchell could return to form a centre alliance with his good mate Jack Wighton.
Demetriou says the promotion of the promising Gray is evidence South Sydney are not a club in crisis.
“I am excited by the boys who have been knocking on the door for a few years and a kid like Jye Gray gets his opportunity this week,” he said.
“Losing Latrell is not ideal but it’s business as usual. We keep talking about a next-man-up mentality, well we have to live it now.
“Jye has been banging on the door for the past month and he has been in our system for the past 18 months and we are excited about where he can get to.
“He is going to do his job, we know what he brings and it’s up to the rest of the boys to bring their part of the game to the forefront so Jye can do the things we know he is capable of doing.
“It’s exciting to see a kid come into our team with speed and energy which is what we need at the moment.
“As a club, it’s not the first time we have been in a tough position, but I know the pride that’s within the four walls of South Sydney.
“I’m not giving up on it.”
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Originally published as NRL: Jason Demetriou opens up on job pressure, Mal Meninga rumours, Wayne Bennett relationship, Latrell Mitchell
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