South Sydney Rabbitohs Mull Coaching Change as Pressure Mounts on Jason Demetriou
(April 19, 2023 – BBC Sport)
After Sam Burgess ruled himself out of the running to become the next South Sydney Rabbitohs head coach, a new favorite has emerged – and it’s a name familiar to Super League fans. Current Souths boss Jason Demetriou is facing increasing pressure, with widespread expectations that he will be relieved of his duties if the Bunnies lose their upcoming clash against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday.
The former Wakefield Trinity player has endured a difficult start to the year in the top job at the Redfern club, winning just one of the opening six games to leave Souths 16th on the NRL ladder. With their 2024 finals hopes slipping away, reports from Australia suggest the South Sydney hierarchy is ready to make a change, and his replacement may already be in place.
“The timing of Furner’s arrival has raised eyebrows, with the appointment seen as a contingency plan by the Souths board to ease the strain on the under-fire Demetriou.”
Last week, the Rabbitohs announced the return of David Furner to the club as assistant coach, a role he previously held in 2017 before leaving to become Leeds Rhinos head coach in 2018. Furner’s stint at Headingley lasted just 14 games, with the Rhinos sacking the Australian after 10 defeats left them flirting with relegation from Super League. Since then, the former back-rower has held assistant coaching roles at Newcastle Knights, Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests Tigers.
The timing of Furner’s arrival has raised eyebrows, with the appointment seen as a contingency plan by the Souths board to ease the strain on the under-fire Demetriou. Leading Australian media outlets believe Furner’s return is a sign that the club is preparing for a coaching restructure in the coming weeks. Reports suggest that if South Sydney lose their next two games, against the Storm and then the Penrith Panthers, Demetriou will be ousted and Furner thrown into the hot seat to try to resurrect their troubled season.
The Rabbitohs know Demetriou is under immense pressure, and they have already made the first subtle move to change the direction of their turbulent campaign. However, they are trying to convince fans that a miracle turnaround is still possible, at least for the time being.
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