The future of Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou is expected to be determined within the next 48 hours.
That is according to News Corp journalist Phil Rothfield, who told Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast that the Rabbitohs powerbrokers will come together in a board meeting on Tuesday.
It comes after the Rabbitohs’ 54-20 loss to the Storm on Anzac Day, which has only heaped more pressure on Demetriou.
South Sydney sit dead last on the ladder with just one win this season. They’re without Latrell Mitchell (suspension), Alex Johnston (hamstring), Campbell Graham (sternum) and Tevita Tatola (foot), while Lachlan Ilias suffered a serious injury in reserve grade.
But it’s no excuse given the team still boasts the likes of Cody Walker, Jack Wighton, Damien Cook and Keaon Koloamatangi.
Demetriou has been skating on thin ice ever since it was reported that the club was set to cut ties with him after Round 6 and parachute Mal Meninga in as an interim coach.
That plan didn’t end up happening, with the Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly telling The Sydney Morning Herald “I don’t see why not” when asked if Demetriou would still be the coach for the Storm game.
Regardless, the blowtorch has been on Demetriou ever since — but now there may finally be some clarity on the situation.
“I think we’ll know in 48 hours. South Sydney have a planned board meeting scheduled for tomorrow, obviously, top of the agenda will be Jason Demetriou’s future.” Rothfield told Big Sports Breakfast.
“We thought and we were told that he was a dead man walking a week or two ago. You saw their performance in Melbourne on Anzac Day, they’ve got Penrith this weekend.
“If he survives the board meeting, is it a Band-Aid solution to keep JD there? Is it his fault that Latrell was so ill-disciplined, that Campbell Graham hasn’t been there, that Jai Arrow’s been away, Alex Johnston’s out, Cookie hasn’t been playing as great… It’s a really difficult one.
“But when they backed him a couple of weeks ago, they didn’t back him long-term so I think they’ve got to at least come out of that board meeting with some sort of statement so say ‘he’s there for the rest of the season’.
“Or ‘we’re going to look at Ben Hornby or we’re going to look at Mal Meninga just for the rest of this year, or we’re going to look at Michael Maguire to come back’.
“I think it’s got to be a statement board meeting and the uncertainty, which would not be helping the players, needs to be addressed.”
The Rabbitohs have been making changes in a bid to find form like dropping Lachlan Ilias and dropping — then recalling — Damien Cook.
The club is reportedly set to sign 22-year-old English Super League half Lewis Dodd for next season, while more immediate changes are said to be on their way.
“Short term, sadly I don’t think Dean Hawkins has aimed up since he came into the side for Lachlan Ilias,” Rothfield said.
“I’m getting mail out of Heffron Park that Jason Demetriou will now look at moving Cody Walker to halfback, Jack Wighton to five-eighth and when Latrell’s ready to return after the Penrith game he’ll play centre because you’ve got to keep the young fullback (Jye Gray) there.
“Is that the answer? I don’t know, but they’ve got to try something else.
“There is a long-term effect in the Lewis Dodd signing in that Lachlan Ilias, I can’t see him staying at the Rabbitohs.
“I think there are other opportunities at other clubs that he or his manager (Braith Anasta) will be investigating. I will not be surprised this week if they ask Souths for permission to negotiate elsewhere.”