2024 Rabbitohs Rumors, Signings and News

[handyman2190]

The last 5 years? We have played 4 prelims. I’m sure you haven’t been saying that.

I have actually because while weve been marking time sitting on our laurels other teams recruit 4,5,or more players,and ive been predicting this, and im not happy about it, sitting here in horror

 

[callmack1]

Inside South Sydney’s implosion: Bellamy, Bennett targeted as players challenge Latrell​

April 7, 2024 — 6.14pm
Coaching greats Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett sit at the top of a contingency hit list being compiled by South Sydney officials concerned their premiership window is about to slam shut.
The future of coach Jason Demetriou will come under heavy scrutiny as the club prepares to conduct a review after this Saturday’s game against Cronulla that could spell the end of his tenure at the Rabbitohs.
The drums are beating at South Sydney after four defeats in the first five games of the season, and a loss to the Sharks could be the catalyst that forces club bosses to terminate the contract of the coach they extended just last year.
The Herald can reveal that, while the Rabbitohs signed off on a three-year extension until the end of 2026, a clause was inserted into Demetriou’s contract that limits any termination payout to nine months’ wages. The same clause has been included in the contract of each head coach at Redfern since Michael Maguire was appointed back in 2012.
The South Sydney board isn’t scheduled to meet until the last week of the month, but can call a crisis meeting to discuss the coach’s future.
Club officials are concerned with the state of the football team under Demetriou and have begun formulating contingency plans in the event the coach is unable to exact a response from his players against Cronulla following a shocking 34-4 defeat to the Warriors at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.Gettynone
Assistant coach Ben Hornby, who has a close relationship with Bennett dating back to their time together at St George Illawarra as a premiership-winning captain-coach duo, is expected to take over for the rest of the season if Demetriou is axed.
Sam Burgess, who walked out of the club last August in protest at Demetriou’s coaching methods, will also come into contention, however it is hard to see him returning to South Sydney without significant changes to the club’s hierarchy, given they strongly sided with Demetriou last year.
South Sydney management are starting to realise that there is some validity to the concerns raised by Burgess at the time, according to club insiders. Burgess, a close friend of co-owner Russell Crowe, disagreed with Demetriou’s coaching methods but officials were unimpressed by the way in which Burgess expressed his opinions.

Teammates’ frustration with Latrell​

Developments surrounding Demetriou’s future come as the Rabbitohs reach a crossroads with Latrell Mitchell, who has left club figures questioning his desire to play rugby league after a horror outing against the Warriors that was compounded by a three-game ban for an inexcusable brain snap.

Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs reacts following the round five NRL match between South Sydney Rabbitohs and New Zealand Warriors at Accor Stadium.Gettynone
South Sydney officials have long defended Mitchell against attacks from the public and media, but even they have run out of excuses for their star player after his on-field behaviour and performance against the Warriors.
Mitchell faces a three-game ban for elbowing Shaun Johnson, and was cautioned, but not charged, for a dangerous throw in the 31st minute on Tohu Harris. Mitchell will be told he has let his team and club down and will need to earn back their trust through his actions, and be asked if he still has the passion to rediscover his best form.
At a team meeting following their win over the Bulldogs on Good Friday, Demetriou announced the nominations for the Jason Clark award, which is chosen by players and rewards the player who best displays the qualities of courage and resilience that typified Clark.

Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr after the game.Gettynone
According to sources with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the players highlighted a try-saving tackle in the corner on Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr, and Demetriou duly wrote the name of Isaiah Tass on the board alongside Mitchell’s.
In an environment where honest conversations have been strongly encouraged, winger Alex Johnston piped up and questioned the coach as to why Mitchell was being lauded for an illegal challenge that could have resulted in the fullback being suspended and hurting the team.
Mitchell, who was off sick with an ear infection that day, wasn’t in the room. The coach defended Mitchell, praising him for showing the effort to get across and put himself in the position to save the try, regardless of the execution that landed him in hot water and left Addo-Carr, his close friend, concussed.
Johnston’s words amounted to a call for accountability– the same thing demanded by Burgess before he walked out on the club last year.

Sam Burgess left the club in dramatic circumstances last year.Kate Geraghtynone
A week later, Mitchell was put on report for two “stupid things”, as Demetriou called them in the post-match press conference – hurting the team as Johnston feared.
According to sources who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, some players are growing tired of Mitchell, a senior player in the team, consistently failing showing the leadership qualities required of him, and resentment is beginning to seep into the ranks.

 

[callmack1]

Demetriou’s methods in spotlight​

In private, Burgess has gone out of his way to make it known he didn’t blame Mitchell for South Sydney’s plight last year, but rather his issue was with Demetriou for enabling a culture that prevented the team from capitalising on the talent within it.

South Sydney in crisis.Gettynone
Burgess did not agree with Demetriou’s coaching philosophies and had issues with his communication – or a perceived lack thereof – a matter which has since been highlighted by Josh Mansour in a scathing criticism of Demetriou on James Graham’s Bye Roundpodcast.
As part of the club’s planning in the off season, the coach undertook to use Peter Mamouzelos as part of a two-pronged hooker attack alongside Damien Cook.
Mamouzelos, who was firmly of the impression he was part of the coach’s plans, wasn’t used in the opening month of the season and didn’t get on the field against the Warriors until the final 17 minutes, when the game was long gone.
According to club sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, one of the major concerns is Demetriou’s reluctance to take on advice. The club advised him to hire a senior assistant to replace John Morris as his defensive coach, but Demetriou refused to do so, instead promoting NSW Cup coach Joe O’Callaghan to fill the void left by the departures of Burgess and Morris.
The Rabbitohs, who persuaded Demetriou to take on Burgess as an assistant last year despite the coach’s misgivings, didn’t want to tell him who he could and couldn’t appoint again.
Of greater concern to the club is that Demetriou has taken over from Morris as the team’s defensive coach. The Bunnies have conceded 162 points this season – the worst defensive record in the competition.
Compounding their frustration is that Morris has gone to work with Benji Marshall at the Wests Tigers and has made significant improvements to their once frail defensive line.
The Rabbitohs also have the second-worst attack in the competition, with the Tigers having scored more points in four games than the usually potent Rabbitohs have in five.
Frustration is now spilling into the playing group. Sitting on the sideline watching on as the Warriors ran riot at Accor Stadium, their angst was clear to see.

Rabbitohs players show their frustration during the defeat to the Warriors.NRL Photosnone
Players began squabbling among each other, blaming others for mistakes. Their body language spoke volumes of their unhappiness with the predicament they now find themselves in just five weeks into the competition.
That frustration has filtered down to the player agents, with Braith Anasta, the manager of Lachlan Illias, taking a pot-shot at the club on social media after the halfback suffered a broken leg playing in NSW Cup on Saturday.
“I love ya mate you’ll be back biggers and better than ever,” Anasta said on Instagram. “One things [sic] for sure .. they need you! Should of [sic] been there today in first grade. Joke.”

Will the Bunnies bring back Burgess?​

Mitchell has previously been afforded time off to return home to Taree when he hasn’t been playing.
This time the club will instead implement a strict training regime to make sure he stays in shape, but more importantly to show his teammates he is being held to account for his disciplinary lapses.
Part owner and tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes was a keen observer inside the sheds after the game on Saturday. There’s no doubt he would be concerned with what he saw in a sombre and depressing dressing room.
Can the Rabbitohs bring back Burgess, who has coached Warrington to second place on the Super League ladder with five wins from their first seven games? And if so, would they have to move on key players first?

Cody Walker recently told the Herald that he still hasn’t spoken to Burgess since his departure last year, though not through a lack of trying.
“I actually tried to reach out to him before he went to England … the logistics of it couldn’t work out,” Walker said.
“I don’t hold any hard feelings towards Sam. I still love the player that he was and still have wonderful respect for the man. I’d just like to sit down and have a yarn with him and hash out anything that needs to be hashed out and move on from it.”
If and when South Sydney pull the trigger on Demetriou, club officials are of the opinion that the next coach should be selected following a rigorous process.
The appointments of Maguire, Anthony Seibold, Bennett and Demetriou were all approved by the board on the recommendation of former boss Shane Richardson.
There’s a view internally that South Sydney is too big a club for a rookie coach, but that they should still cast a wide net to see what’s out there.
Burgess? Bellamy? Michael Cheika? Or Bennett, who has unfinished business at the cardinal and myrtle following two preliminary finals and one grand final loss in his three seasons at the club?
A loss to Cronulla on Saturday and we will know pretty quickly who it won’t be. Perhaps Demetriou won’t be the only casualty.

 

[doyen]

Sam BURGESS is trouble --with a capital "T" & we should steer well clear of him--Bennett becomes available next season & we should chase him with great gusto !!!

 

[Hellray]

Sam BURGESS is trouble --with a capital "T" & we should steer well clear of him--Bennett becomes available next season & we should chase him with great gusto !!!

I just can’t see Warrington letting him go so early into his contract anyways. Especially when he has them second on the ladder.

 

[Rabbits20]

S

Sam BURGESS is trouble --with a capital "T" & we should steer well clear of him--Bennett becomes available next season & we should chase him with great gusto !!!

Sam said some home truths doyen and guess what he was exactly right! He’s already a better coach than JD

 

[southsydneyrabbitohs]

Inside South Sydney’s implosion: Bellamy, Bennett targeted as players challenge Latrell​

April 7, 2024 — 6.14pm
Coaching greats Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett sit at the top of a contingency hit list being compiled by South Sydney officials concerned their premiership window is about to slam shut.
The future of coach Jason Demetriou will come under heavy scrutiny as the club prepares to conduct a review after this Saturday’s game against Cronulla that could spell the end of his tenure at the Rabbitohs.
The drums are beating at South Sydney after four defeats in the first five games of the season, and a loss to the Sharks could be the catalyst that forces club bosses to terminate the contract of the coach they extended just last year.
The Herald can reveal that, while the Rabbitohs signed off on a three-year extension until the end of 2026, a clause was inserted into Demetriou’s contract that limits any termination payout to nine months’ wages. The same clause has been included in the contract of each head coach at Redfern since Michael Maguire was appointed back in 2012.
The South Sydney board isn’t scheduled to meet until the last week of the month, but can call a crisis meeting to discuss the coach’s future.
Club officials are concerned with the state of the football team under Demetriou and have begun formulating contingency plans in the event the coach is unable to exact a response from his players against Cronulla following a shocking 34-4 defeat to the Warriors at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.Gettynone
Assistant coach Ben Hornby, who has a close relationship with Bennett dating back to their time together at St George Illawarra as a premiership-winning captain-coach duo, is expected to take over for the rest of the season if Demetriou is axed.
Sam Burgess, who walked out of the club last August in protest at Demetriou’s coaching methods, will also come into contention, however it is hard to see him returning to South Sydney without significant changes to the club’s hierarchy, given they strongly sided with Demetriou last year.
South Sydney management are starting to realise that there is some validity to the concerns raised by Burgess at the time, according to club insiders. Burgess, a close friend of co-owner Russell Crowe, disagreed with Demetriou’s coaching methods but officials were unimpressed by the way in which Burgess expressed his opinions.

Teammates’ frustration with Latrell​

Developments surrounding Demetriou’s future come as the Rabbitohs reach a crossroads with Latrell Mitchell, who has left club figures questioning his desire to play rugby league after a horror outing against the Warriors that was compounded by a three-game ban for an inexcusable brain snap.

Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs reacts following the round five NRL match between South Sydney Rabbitohs and New Zealand Warriors at Accor Stadium.Gettynone
South Sydney officials have long defended Mitchell against attacks from the public and media, but even they have run out of excuses for their star player after his on-field behaviour and performance against the Warriors.
Mitchell faces a three-game ban for elbowing Shaun Johnson, and was cautioned, but not charged, for a dangerous throw in the 31st minute on Tohu Harris. Mitchell will be told he has let his team and club down and will need to earn back their trust through his actions, and be asked if he still has the passion to rediscover his best form.
At a team meeting following their win over the Bulldogs on Good Friday, Demetriou announced the nominations for the Jason Clark award, which is chosen by players and rewards the player who best displays the qualities of courage and resilience that typified Clark.

Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr after the game.Gettynone
According to sources with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the players highlighted a try-saving tackle in the corner on Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr, and Demetriou duly wrote the name of Isaiah Tass on the board alongside Mitchell’s.
In an environment where honest conversations have been strongly encouraged, winger Alex Johnston piped up and questioned the coach as to why Mitchell was being lauded for an illegal challenge that could have resulted in the fullback being suspended and hurting the team.
Mitchell, who was off sick with an ear infection that day, wasn’t in the room. The coach defended Mitchell, praising him for showing the effort to get across and put himself in the position to save the try, regardless of the execution that landed him in hot water and left Addo-Carr, his close friend, concussed.
Johnston’s words amounted to a call for accountability– the same thing demanded by Burgess before he walked out on the club last year.

Sam Burgess left the club in dramatic circumstances last year.Kate Geraghtynone
A week later, Mitchell was put on report for two “stupid things”, as Demetriou called them in the post-match press conference – hurting the team as Johnston feared.
According to sources who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, some players are growing tired of Mitchell, a senior player in the team, consistently failing showing the leadership qualities required of him, and resentment is beginning to seep into the ranks.

Trellmyth is a cancer at the souths club.

 

[southsydneyrabbitohs]

S

Sam said some home truths doyen and guess what he was exactly right! He’s already a better coach than JD

Coach Wayne bennett/sam burgess as assistant coach is what souths need so desperately look where we are today with Dudmetriou.Dudmetriou is a dead man walking bye bye Dudmetriou.

 

[doyen]

S

Sam said some home truths doyen and guess what he was exactly right! He’s already a better coach than JD

Sam was a very good player for Sths---but;his record on & off the field though ,was abysmal---he was probably causing friction last season well before he walked out--I wouldn't be taking the risk with him---go for Bennett ,if he's available---we also need to be looking for better options than Cook & Walker---they seem to be well past their best to me !!

 

[southsydneyrabbitohs]

Sam was a very good player for Sths---but;his record on & off the field though ,was abysmal---he was probably causing friction last seson well before he walked out--I wouldn't be taking the risk with him---go for Bennett ,if he's available---we also need to be looking for better options than Cook & Walker---they seem to be well past their best to me !!

Doyen you may well be right my mind would be clouded i realise that because Sam burgess is my favourite player since 1960 from memory.i think that bennett could control Sam if you think Sam is not the man to be the under study under bennett point taken but ile take the chance as I believe Sam has a lot to give and I hope he can learn from bennett if it comes to fruition you may well be right though Doyen.

 

[themacemaceman]

It’s good to hear AJ has spoken up.
And I believe Arrow called out Trel last year saying he has more respect for his shadow than he does for him.
The players were off him so much last year he reported had to fly on a different flight to them to Perth.
The coach has lost the locker room because of his support of this so called “star player”
Sammy was right. Yeah maybe he went about it the wrong way , but maybe this was after trying to tell JD privately.
I can’t see this going any other way except a new head coach

 

[assess5]

I would beg Russell Crowe to convince Sam Burgess to leave Warrington and return to Souths.
I think the Souths club, especially the players need a good stirring up and cleanout.
Players the calibre of Arrow, Cameron Murry, etc. shouldn't have to put all this social garbage and bad football.
The Rabbitohs are a rugby league team, full stop.
Its very telling that Cody Walker stated he'd like to sit down and have a chat with Sam.
I'd be happy if the chat was two words from Sam to Cody - good bye -

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

I still maintain its not Cody that is the problem. He is playing behind a pack that is getting smashed with the ball, and then not defending when they don't have it.
And that article doesn't say Sam was pissed off with him or Latrell, but it does say Sam has had at least one blue with JD. The Dom Young thing is gotta be a part of that criticism by Sam of JD. He's probably had more, and it sounds like a lot more than just Cody and Latrell, but the media has latched onto that narrative and are running with it.

 

[Rabbits20]

It’s good to hear AJ has spoken up.
And I believe Arrow called out Trel last year saying he has more respect for his shadow than he does for him.
The players were off him so much last year he reported had to fly on a different flight to them to Perth.
The coach has lost the locker room because of his support of this so called “star player”
Sammy was right. Yeah maybe he went about it the wrong way , but maybe this was after trying to tell JD privately.
I can’t see this going any other way except a new head coach

Cook also called JD out mate

 

[southsydneyrabbitohs]

It’s good to hear AJ has spoken up.
And I believe Arrow called out Trel last year saying he has more respect for his shadow than he does for him.
The players were off him so much last year he reported had to fly on a different flight to them to Perth.
The coach has lost the locker room because of his support of this so called “star player”
Sammy was right. Yeah maybe he went about it the wrong way , but maybe this was after trying to tell JD privately.
I can’t see this going any other way except a new head coach

Dudmetriou is gone TMMM.

 

[doyen]

JD didn't want Sam on his team from the start---I believe Rusty went over JD's head & appointed him---I think JD was wary of Sam & his behaviour & was dead against him being signed to the coaching staff---in the end Sam waltzed out of the club at the most inopportune moment which created havoc at the time--thank you Sam !!!!!

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

JD didn't want Sam on his team from the start---I believe Rusty went over JD's head & appointed him---I think JD was wary of Sam & his behaviour & was dead against him being signed to the coaching staff---in the end Sam waltzed out of the club at the most inopportune moment which created havoc at the time--thank you Sam !!!!!

"Waltzed out"?
How did he do that?
Two step? Double shuffle?
He didn't leave of his own accord, but you are entitled to your own deluded opinion.

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Some one asked earlier, I think it was @Thumper that we need to back to last year to see where this all fell apart.
You can probably look to this event as being a significant milestone:

‘Most of the time, you’re not there’: Murray’s crack at Latrell revealed amid Souths unrest

‘Most of the time, you’re not there’: Murray’s crack at Latrell revealed amid Souths unrest

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[themacemaceman]

I still maintain its not Cody that is the problem. He is playing behind a pack that is getting smashed with the ball, and then not defending when they don't have it.
And that article doesn't say Sam was pissed off with him or Latrell, but it does say Sam has had at least one blue with JD. The Dom Young thing is gotta be a part of that criticism by Sam of JD. He's probably had more, and it sounds like a lot more than just Cody and Latrell, but the media has latched onto that narrative and are running with it.

Sam called out Cody apparently Trell and Cookie for spending more time on the physio table than on the paddock last year .
He said you play hurt and train hurt with your team mates.
It said Trell also said to Keon you can train or hang back with the origin boys or words to that effect.
It all ads up to a bad culture when it comes to high performance by the looks of it.
Do you reckon Madge would put up this?
I think he pulled Sutto up during a shuttle run for giving only 99% instead on 100.

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Sam called out Cody apparently Trell and Cookie for spending more time on the physio table than on the paddock last year .
He said you play hurt and train hurt with your team mates.
It said Trell also said to Keon you can train or hang back with the origin boys or words to that effect.
It all ads up to a bad culture when it comes to high performance by the looks of it.
Do you reckon Madge would put up this?
I think he pulled Sutto up during a shuttle run for giving only 99% instead on 100.

But how many games did Cook and Walker miss last season through injury?
The same could be said about Adam Reynolds.
No Madge wouldn't put up with that, but if your remember, the players starting getting the jack of him and his "overworking", and they finished 12th and 12th before he was punted. And then suddenly there was a resurgence to 5 prelim finals in a row.
But I don't dispute what you say that the culture is bad now. I just don't think we, or the media, know exactly the reasons. Sure Latrell has got a lot to do with it, but I think with him, its more about the lack of effort and focus he seems to be putting in, and his team mates are picking up on that, and getting the jack of it.
I don't think you can say Cody has a lack of focus or effort, from last year - he looks like he wants to win every game, and gets the shits when they are losing. This year, apathy seems to have set in.
Regardless, I think we've seen enough games to know he ain't a fullback, there's at least 7-8 full backs in the comp who are better at the full back position than he is playing in the last 12 months. He's been told how to fix his deficiencies, such as positional play in attack and defense, backing up a runner through the middle, kick return carries etc etc. He just seems unable or unwilling to fix these deficiencies up.