South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has been urged to walk out on the Rabbitohs as reports swirl that Kanagaroos coach Mal Meninga is set to replace him for the remainder of the 2024 season.
It was reported earlier in the week that Demetriou was to be given 80 minutes to save his job when his side takes on the Sharks on Saturday night.
Demetriou responded by dropping incumbent Blues hooker Damien Cook for the inexperienced Peter Mamouzolous and naming debutant Jye Gray at fullback to replace the suspended Latrell Mitchell.
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However, the surprising news of the Rabbitohs’ interest in Meninga dropped on Wednesday afternoon by Fox League’s James Hooper.
The NRL360 panel discussed shock revelation on Wednesday night’s show, with co-host Paul Kent believing the Rabbitohs have done wrong by Demetriou.
“What I find interesting about this is whether Jason Demetriou has been told about this,” Kent asked.
“If so, it almost makes it untenable Kenty,” The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis replied.
“That’s the point. With Jason Demetriou, the narrative all week has been that he has 80 minutes to save his career,” Kent said.
“There’s no doubt he’s put all his efforts into it. He’s made some pretty big team changes for this week’s game. He’s no doubt aware of all of the rumblings around and he says in himself, ‘I’ve got this weekend to start to turn it around’.
“It’s the last shot for him and now he finds out, probably through the media I dare suggest.
“I find it very unlikely that someone has Souths has called him up to give him a heads up. I daresay JD has found out about it by someone sending it to his phone, which is pretty poor by the Rabbitohs to be fair.”
While the news of South Sydney’s interest hasn’t been publicly confirmed by the club, Kent says there are enough reports out there to suggest it’s factual.
The Rabbitohs have won just five games from their previous 20, and with the roster they have, it’s easy to see why Demetriou is under extreme pressure.
However despite this, Kent believes South Sydney have thrown their coach under the bus and implored Demetriou to “walk out with some dignity”.
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“It doesn’t matter now for Demetriou. It’s all over now,” Kent said.
“From his point of view, he might be better off saying let’s work out a deal now.
“In fact I’d even go as far to challenge South sydney and ask ‘if this is true, I won’t be here this weekend, work out your deal and Souths can coach themselves this weekend’.
“He’s entitled to say to South sydney, pay me out now what is in the contract, which is a nine-month clause (worth $400,000). Pay me out that and find someone else to coach this week. What’s the point of him turning up this weekend?
“Walk out with some dignity. Walk out and say, you know what, you aren’t treating me like this.
“If your Jason Demetriou why aren’t you saying to South sydney, stick it up your clacker. I’m out.”
Carayannis then added: “I can’t argue with that. If he goes to them tomorrow and asks if it’s true or have you spoken with Mal, or have even drawn up a shortlist to replace me, I’d walk as well.”
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