South Sydney Rabbitohs issues

[Marshall_magic]

It's all shuffling deck chairs on the titanic anyway. 2024 is a write off already, happy to build for the future.

Jye Gray has ridiculous talent - if he can find a way to work around his small size in the NRL we could have the answer to our fullback and 3/4 shortcomings in one.

I think he’s trying to signal to the higher ups that he is in control of the team. “You don’t think I can make the big calls, we’ll I’ve dropped Cook”

desperate play by a desperate coach. I think he’s cooked (pun not intended).

 

[Captain Apollo]

I think he’s trying to signal to the higher ups that he is in control of the team. “You don’t think I can make the big calls, we’ll I’ve dropped Cook”

desperate play by a desperate coach. I think he’s cooked (pun not intended).

Thing is, Cook is only one issue. I think dropping Walker (with Mitchell unavailable due to suspension) might have had a bigger impact within the walls of the club at Souths.

He can coach, but its his player management that appears, to us in the public, to be JD's problem.

 

[Penrith fan]

The problem is that JD has to win this game to keep his job so he needs everyone on the same page and firing so he can make it happen.

JD doesn't have time for a long-term strategy, he can only have a short-term strategy.

 

[Steel Saints]

Did you see him defend on the weekend? Egan embarrassed him on several occasions. Has conceded more linebreaks than any other hooker. Had to be dropped.

So Peter Mamouzelos replaces Cook. What type of a player is Mamouzelos at hooker?

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

So Peter Mamouzelos replaces Cook. What type of a player is Mamouzelos at hooker?

Not a beach sprinter.

LOL @ Souths

 

[Marshall_magic]

Thing is, Cook is only one issue. I think dropping Walker (with Mitchell unavailable due to suspension) might have had a bigger impact within the walls of the club at Souths.

He can coach, but it’s his player management that appears, to us in the public, to be JD's problem.

I wonder if he has the stones to drop Choady, I doubt he’d would ever drop Trell.

It reminds me when Potter benched Marshall - it’s a big call but it feels like a big call for the sake of a big call not the betterment of the team.

 

[yobbo84]

So Peter Mamouzelos replaces Cook. What type of a player is Mamouzelos at hooker?

An actual hooker/dummy half, not a manufactured one. Very craft around the ruck. Brings forwards onto the ball well.

That's not to say he's better. But the kid won the 2019 Flegg GF at dummy half, had a couple of COVID wilderness years, then won the 2023 NSW Cup GF at dummy half. Couldn't do more of an apprenticeship and couldn't do any more to get a shot at NRL.

 

[Penrith fan]

I don't care if he is the next coming of Cameron Smith. Its a massive roll of the dice in a game that decides your future.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Jack Wighton won that premiership yet?

 

[Steel Saints]

An actual hooker/dummy half, not a manufactured one. Very craft around the ruck. Brings forwards onto the ball well.

That's not to say he's better. But the kid won the 2019 Flegg GF at dummy half, had a couple of COVID wilderness years, then won the 2023 NSW Cup GF at dummy half. Couldn't do more of an apprenticeship and couldn't do any more to get a shot at NRL.

Sounds promising. Looking forward to see how he goes. I just wonder if those Covid years affected the development of Illias at halfback? Ilias was also part of that winning Flegg team in 2019. Then came the two years of the pandemic in 2020 and '21.

Was it wise to let Reynolds go at the end of '21?

 

[Penrith fan]

They would have offered Reynolds a 7-year contract in retrospect.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Everyone can see the glaring issue at Souths, and its their star origin player not playing centre.

Blind Freddy can see it, so why cant ANYONE at Souths? And now he's not even in the team in a make or break game for the coach and quite possibly for the clubs hopes in 2024. Its complete madness.

Get Damien Cook in the Centres IMMEDIATELY !!!!

 

[Penrith fan]

Egos make a mess of a football team.

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

You gotta feel a bit sorry for Demetriou at this point. If he doesn’t make changes he’s accused of being too loyal. If he makes changes he’s accused of panicking. Tough gig.

 

[Penrith fan]

‘Of course I’m angry’: Rabbitohs veteran breaks silence after shock axing as JD fights for his job

‘Of course I’m angry’: Rabbitohs veteran breaks silence after shock axing as JD fights for his job

www.foxsports.com.au

Cook doesn’t believe he was a scapegoat but the NSW Blues veteran admitted he’s filthy with the decision.

“Of course I’m angry – frustrated and angry; sad, all the emotions,” Cook told the Big Sports Breakfast radio show.

“No doubt, it shocked me. It was obviously a tough conversation (with Demetriou) in the morning.


“I want to be out there on the field doing my best to get us out of where we are. That’s why I’m angry and frustrated because I want to be out there with them.

“But I can’t mope around. All I can do is focus on my game, where I can be better and work harder to get back. I’m confident I’ll be back.

“We’re not winning at the moment. The leaders of the team need to lead the way and we mustn’t be doing a good enough job.”

Cook hasn’t been named in the NSW Cup this weekend and with a bye next week it means he won’t play a game for up to three weeks.

“All I can do is try and prove myself at training,” he said.

“It’s been tough. Obviously changes needed to be made and he (Demetriou) needs me to be better.

 

[King hit]

Josh Mansour spoke the truth about JD didn’t he

 

[Valheru]

I've never understood the whole "he needs to win the next game or he is sacked" mentality.

If that's the case you're already a dead man walking, just a matter of when.

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

I've never understood the whole "he needs to win the next game or he is sacked" mentality.

If that's the case you're already a dead man walking, just a matter of when.

Yeah completely ridiculous if true. Just means they don’t have the balls to do it after a win and are waiting for a loss.

 

[Penrith fan]

It sounds to me that there are a lot of Blokes who are blueing.

No real leadership anywhere.

 

[Captain Apollo]

‘Of course I’m angry’: Rabbitohs veteran breaks silence after shock axing as JD fights for his job

‘Of course I’m angry’: Rabbitohs veteran breaks silence after shock axing as JD fights for his job

www.foxsports.com.au

Cook doesn’t believe he was a scapegoat but the NSW Blues veteran admitted he’s filthy with the decision.

“Of course I’m angry – frustrated and angry; sad, all the emotions,” Cook told the Big Sports Breakfast radio show.

“No doubt, it shocked me. It was obviously a tough conversation (with Demetriou) in the morning.


“I want to be out there on the field doing my best to get us out of where we are. That’s why I’m angry and frustrated because I want to be out there with them.

“But I can’t mope around. All I can do is focus on my game, where I can be better and work harder to get back. I’m confident I’ll be back.

“We’re not winning at the moment. The leaders of the team need to lead the way and we mustn’t be doing a good enough job.”

Cook hasn’t been named in the NSW Cup this weekend and with a bye next week it means he won’t play a game for up to three weeks.

“All I can do is try and prove myself at training,” he said.

“It’s been tough. Obviously changes needed to be made and he (Demetriou) needs me to be better.

I dare say though, any professional league player would feel "filthy" at being dropped. Its whether they channel that anger into inspiring performances in NSW Cup to force their way back into first grade that's going to be the real question.