Jason Demetriou is adamant he’s the man to lead South Sydney out of their crisis after another dreadful performance in a thumping loss to arch rivals the Roosters.
The Rabbitohs are last on the ladder for the first time in 14 years and after just three rounds they’re statistically next to no chance of making the finals.
Of the past 15 NRL teams to start their season 0-3, only one has gone on to play finals, and the heat on Demetriou will now crank right up.
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The Roosters’ 48-6 victory on Friday night was their second-biggest win ever over South Sydney in a rivalry that spans 116 years.
Demetriou’s side has now lost five straight games, dating back to last season, and 12 of the past 16 games as pressure mounts on the third-year coach.
“It’s disappointing, it hurts, it’s probably the lowest point of my career right now but I know how we get out of it. We’ll fight and fight together,” Demetriou said.
“I’ve got a lot of trust in this group, they’re a great group, they care about each other and that’s probably our biggest problem at the moment, we don’t want to be in this position but we have to accept our reality and fight our way out of it. I know this group and I know they’ll get out of it.
“The only way to quieten down (the noise) is to get laser focus, ruthless with our preparation and go after the performance next week and each week if we can do that, we’ll improve and get it off our back and get our season running again.
“It’s just where we’re at, at the moment, the monkey is on our back and you can see that in our resolve at times and there is some effort there but it’s put into the wrong places.
“I told the players there is only one way out and that’s staying together and fighting and getting back on the horse.
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“It’s a matter of just getting that first win. We’ve got to be more resilient to get that two points, nobody is going to give it to us.
“I’m extremely confident (I can turn it around), that’s my job, it’s on me to make sure we’re fighting hard and ready to play on Good Friday.”
Demetriou was asked why he thinks he’s the right man for the job.
“I’ve been with this group for a long time, I understand the group and I’m confident we’re on the same page and working together, we’ve just got to turn it around and I’ve got no doubt I’m the man who can do that,” he said.
“But ultimately what I sit here and say makes no difference to what people are going to say, the only thing that’s going to make a difference is results.”
Demtriou looks like a man running out of answers after he dropped halfback Lachlan Ilias this week and benched hooker Damien Cook, only for things to get worse.
But the coach wouldn’t commit to more changes next week against the Bulldogs, or if Ilias would return.
“I don’t think (more changes) is necessarily the answer, we brought Deano in who I thought did a pretty good job for us and he’ll be better for the run,” he said,
“I don’t know (if Ilias returns next week), we’ll have to watch the tape.”
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