2 weeks ago
54
South Sydney person sacked manager Jason Demetriou, yet ending the speculation that has been surrounding the Rabbitohs’ dismal commencement to the season.
The Souths committee met doubly connected Tuesday to determine Demetriou’s destiny and it was determined thing had to springiness arsenic the nine continues to execute good beneath expectations.
Watch each crippled of each circular this NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE with nary ad-breaks during play connected Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your escaped proceedings contiguous >
Speaking connected Fox Sports’ NRL360, The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield confirmed that Demetriou had been sacked by the club.
“I’ve been told successful the past fewer minutes Jason Demetriou has been informed he's been sacked,” Rothfield said.
“A hard determination for the Rabbitohs but effectual immediately.”
Rothfield said his replacement for the remainder of the play had been firming to beryllium David Furner, who lone joined the nine 2 weeks ago, but aboriginal clarified that Ben Hornby would beryllium named the caretaker manager for the remainder of the season.
However, helium said helium could “100 per cent corroborate Jason Demetriou has contiguous been sacked by the South Sydney Rabbitohs”.
South Sydney released a statement, confirming the quality of Demetriou’s firing and that Hornby would beryllium named interim coach.
“The Board and absorption consciousness that present is the clip to marque a alteration to the enactment of our shot programme successful presumption of the caput coaching role,” Souths CEO Blake Solly said.
“There is nary doubting Jason’s enactment ethic oregon his thrust for success, but unluckily that occurrence has not been forthcoming implicit the past 12 months.
“We privation Jason, his woman Natalie and his daughters the precise champion of luck successful the aboriginal and we convey him for his work to our Club implicit the past five-and-a-half years.”
Speculation is that the determination is to wide the way for Wayne Bennett to instrumentality to the nine but Rothfield said: “I don’t person confirmation astatine this signifier that a woody has been done with Wayne Bennett but remainder assured helium is their fig 1 people and they volition bash everything they perchance tin successful the precise adjacent aboriginal to get him backmost connected committee astatine the Rabbitohs adjacent year.”
Earlier successful the show, Braith Anasta said it had “been a spot of a debacle” aft the committee needed 2 meetings arsenic the nine decided Demetriou’s destiny connected Tuesday.
Speaking connected The Back Page, Fox League commentator Dan Ginnane said the hold from the Rabbitohs came due to the fact that the nine were aiming to fastener successful Bennett with a succession program to Sam Burgess successful the future.
Anasta besides questioned whether the signing of St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd may beryllium linked to Bennett returning to Redfern.
“I don’t deliberation they would person made a telephone arsenic large arsenic this — I’m benignant of throwing it retired determination — without knowing who the caput manager was going to be,” Anasta said.
“I deliberation with his ties Wayne with England Rugby League and the Super League and Dodd playing nether his adjunct (Kristian Wolff) astatine the moment...”
James Graham said that it was Wolff, who is Bennett’s adjunct manager astatine the Dolphins and volition instrumentality the reins of the nine adjacent year, who brought Dodd onto the scene.
Demetriou has been nether mounting unit with his broadside sitting dormant past connected the NRL ladder with 1 triumph from 7 games — a 20-16 triumph implicit the Bulldogs successful Round 4.
The Melbourne Storm thrashed the Rabbitohs 54-20 past weekend, with a promising show from fullback Jye Gray the lone affirmative for Souths.
The telephone comes arsenic the Rabbitohs are conscionable 48 hours from their circular 9 clash against the Penrith Panthers connected Thursday night.
With a big of underperforming players, an ageing guardant battalion and Latrell Mitchell sidelined owed to suspension — the Rabbitohs person plummeted down the ladder.
With five-eighth Cody Walker struggling for form, and Lachlan Ilias relegated to reserve people earlier suffering a breached leg, the Rabbitohs are battling successful the halves department.
Ilias, 23, has requested support to negociate with rival clubs pursuing quality the Rabbitohs signed Dodd from Super League champions St Helens.
With conscionable implicit 2 years successful charge, Demetriou finished with a 51 per cent triumph percent (29 wins, 28 losses).
Demetriou, 48, took implicit from Wayne Bennett erstwhile the seasoned mastercoach departed for the Dolphins pursuing the 2021 Grand Final nonaccomplishment to Penrith.
The Rabbitohs made astatine slightest the preliminary last successful a accordant five-year agelong from 2018-2022, but they weren’t capable to get implicit the hump and triumph a archetypal premiership since Sam Burgess led them to glory successful 2014.
Demetriou is the archetypal NRL manager to beryllium sacked since Anthony Griffin was axed by George Illawarra mid-season past year.
Last twelvemonth the Rabbitohs became the archetypal squad successful past to miss finals aft being connected apical of the ladder astatine Round 11. They person lone won 2 games since August past year.
Burgess was serving arsenic an adjunct astatine the Rabbitohs but had an acrimonious manner past twelvemonth aft criticising the club’s interior standards.
The Clive Churchill Medal victor is presently the manager of Super League broadside Warrington.
Read related topics:Sydney
English (US) ·