Dragons five making most of second chance under Demetriou

Hame Sele knows what it’s like to be thrown an NRL lifeline by Jason Demetriou so when the South Sydney coach asked him to sound out former team-mate Izaac Thompson about an opportunity to revive his career with the Rabbitohs he didn’t hesitate.

Sele and Thompson had come through the Dragons junior grades together and played under Demetriou and Souths assistant Ben Hornby in the 2016 premiership winning Illawarra Cutters squad, which included current Rabbitohs team-mates Jacob Host, Siliva Havili and Taane Milne.

However, none of the five were able to establish themselves in a Red V jersey, with Sele joining Penrith in 2019, Milne having a stint with the Warriors and Havili playing four seasons in Canberra before moving to Redfern this year last season.

Only Host made the switch directly from St George Illawarra to Souths, while Thompson quit the game altogether until Sele told him that Demetriou was willing to offer him another chance to play in the NRL.

“It was a pretty tough year with the Panthers,” Sele said. “There was a lot of stuff going on at the time and a lot of outside noise. They only signed me for a year and I didn’t have anything after that.”

Despite the Panthers making the 2020 grand final and winning last year’s premiership, Sele said: “In the time I was there I didn’t see that happening, but it is really good to see that they have progressed from what happened that year”.

After playing just five NRL matches for Penrith, Sele found himself on the NRL scrap heap until being offered a train-and-trial contract just weeks before the 2020 season kicked off by Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett on the recommendation of his deputies, Demetriou and Hornby.

Host and Milne followed last season, with Havili and Thompson this year joining a Souths squad many are now touting as genuine premiership contenders if they overcome Penrith on Thursday night.

“Everything happens for a reason and I have found a home at Souths so going forward hopefully I can secure a spot here and stay at the club,” Sele said.

“I have been at a few clubs now and coming here was like a whole new culture. The boys really helped me become a better player and, also, a better person.

“The boys have strung a few games together and we are building really nicely towards the finals, which is good to see.

"We are building in confidence in our team and our squad, and moving forward I just want to do my best because that is all this team asks for.”

Host’s season was ended by a shoulder injury in the round 10 clash with the Warriors but Sele, Havili, Milne and Thompson were all selected in an extended squad for the clash with Penrith at Accor Stadium on Thursday night.

Sele, Havili and Milne have been named on the interchange, while Thompson is listed among the reserves after making way for the return of star centre Campbell Graham following tries in back to back NRL appearances since making his debut two weeks ago.

A schoolboy athletics champion, Thompson has become a try-scoring machine in the NSW Cup, with 20 tries in 16 games, since returning to the game this season after Sele told him of Demetriou and Hornby’s interest.

“I have known Izaac for a long time. Growing up, we used to play together at Kingsford Colts and we started [at the Dragons] with Ben Hornby in the Harold Mats [Mathews Cup] when we were 16 years old,” Sele said.

“We were all there together at the Cutters and the conversation just started with JD and Benny Hornby asking about Izaac because we played in juniors with those guys.

“They were always asking about Izaac and what he was doing. I said he wasn’t doing anything, he hadn’t been on the field for years, and they asked me to give him a call to see if he would be interested in coming back.

“Izaac was really good, he said ‘I haven’t been doing much. I wanted to give it up,’”.

With Thompson overweight, unfit and initially reluctant to take up the opportunity, Sele convinced the 25-year-old winger to give the NRL another shot this season by offering to train with him.

However, after the entire Telstra Premiership relocated to Queensland last year due to a COVID outbreak in NSW, Thompson was left to work out on his own.

“He deserves all the credit because he has obviously worked hard to get back to where he is. He has worked his arse off,” Sele said.

“He has obviously had a few setbacks after coming back but that is football. He was in his last year at Dragons and I think he was looking to extend his time there but it didn’t work out so I think he just decided to walked away from the game.

“To see him come back now the way he has is just a massive achievement for himself and for his family. Going forward he has a big future ahead of him.”