Inside the best coaching transition since Gibson-Monie

New coach. New captain. New halfback. New goalkicker. No worries.

If Jason Demetriou can steer South Sydney to back-to-back grand finals it will be the most successful coaching transition since John Monie took over from Jack Gibson at Parramatta in 1984, according to league historian David Middleton.

After winning the 1981, 1982 and 1983 premierships under Gibson, the Eels lost the 1984 premiership decider in Monie's first season.

Bob Fulton also took Manly to back-to-back grand finals after replacing Ray Ritchie in 1983, with the Sea Eagles losing in consecutive years under the pair to Gibson's Eels. 

The Rabbitohs face the Panthers on Saturday night in their fifth successive preliminary final but it is the first under Demetriou following three years with Wayne Bennett at the helm.

Significantly, Souths also have a new captain in Cameron Murray, a new halfback in Lachlan Ilias and a new goal kicker in Latrell Mitchell following the departure of star playmaker Adam Reynolds to Brisbane this season.

It’s a succession plan four years in the making after Rabbitohs officials identified Demetriou as the man to follow Bennett and convinced him to work alongside the super coach for three seasons before taking over.

However, it was never envisaged at the time that Demetriou would face the enormous task of replacing Reynolds in his first season in charge.

With Ilias having previously played just one NRL match, Mitchell missing 10 games due to injury and Murray taking time to adapt to the captaincy, Souths have already exceeded the expectations of most outside the club.

Recent Souths captains - John Sutton, Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess and Reynolds - had been big personalities and Murray struggled to stamp his own mark on the role, while Ilias was hooked during the round 15 loss to the Dragons. 

If the Rabbitohs are to better last year’s 14-12 grand final loss to Penrith, they will need to defy history by becoming the first team to win the premiership from outside the top four. 

Yet the belief at Redfern is sky high after winning nine of their past 12 matches since Mitchell returned, including emphatic finals defeats of the Roosters and Sharks, and a 20-10 triumph against the Cowboys two weeks earlier.

The turn-around since their 32-12 loss to the Dragons in round 15 has coincided with an improved defence as Souths have conceded an average of 16.6 points in their past 12 matches compared to 21.5 points in their opening 14 games.

The WIN Stadium clash was the weekend before the mid-season representative round and players may have had their minds on Origin or playing for their respective nations.

“With those performances, a lot of times it is a cocktail of a disaster when you review it and you see all the little areas that each player was dealing with before the game, and different distractions that led to us going out and playing that way," Demetriou said.

“Our biggest focus since that game has been about making sure that the 80 minutes is the most important part of our week and making good choices that allow us to be at our best every week.

"I feel that since that point they have been really consistent with that attitude and we have had different guys out but we have still been able to get the job done."

The WIN Stadium defeat, which was the third time this season Souths had been on the wrong end of a 32-12 scoreline, is best remembered for Demetriou’s decision to replace Ilias after 29 minutes.

After signing Kodi Nikorima mid-season from the Warriors, it would have been understandable if the Kiwis halfback took over the No.7 jersey but Demetriou wanted him to work with Ilias.

“That was a collective performance that day and JD had to make changes, and that was one of them," Nikorima said.

"I messaged Lachie during that week and told him it had happened to me before, back in 2016 [at the Broncos] when I got hooked against Canberra. I just told him it is how you respond to that and the criticism that comes with it.

"To his credit he worked hard. We had the week off after that but he was in here training and working his backside off. It has paid dividends for us now. He is in his first finals series and you wouldn’t tell."

Bennett's legacy

Following Bennett as coach has been likened to batting after Bradman and until Demetriou none who have tried - Ivan Henjak (Broncos), Steve Price (Dragons), Rick Stone (Knights), Anthony Seibold (Broncos) - have achieved success.

Yet Bennett supported the Rabbitohs' succession plan and was willing to give responsibility for recruitment to Demetriou, who was charged with making some major decisions.

In his speech after last year's grand final loss, Bennett referred to Demetriou as his "co-coach" and he helped make the transition smooth for the players. 

“I think the fact that he was here for three years prior to being a head coach and building that relationship with myself and all the boys really helped. He had the trust of the whole group before he stepped into that head role," Murray said.

"Everyone knew he was up to it the moment he came here so we weren’t stressed about whether he was going to have the answer or not; everyone knew and trusted that he had what it takes to be where he is and he has proven that.

“He has got a big presence about him, he is passionate, he has got a great relationship with everyone but he is not afraid to pull you up when you need to be pulled up.

"I think there is just a lot of trust within the group - him trusting the players and the players trusting him. I think it is important for culture at the club. I asked him questions and I learned from him a little bit so he was really good for me."

Ice-cool Cam

Before a match, Demetriou will address the players about what how he wants the team to play and targets for the match.

Murray then reinforces the message when he speaks to the playing group without the coaching staff before they run onto the field.

“It is all process for us," hooker Damien Cook said. "It’s all about how we want to play as a team in attack and defence, and the goals we want to achieve because we know if we can tick them off we are every chance of winning the game.

“Cam takes the emotion out of everything he does so I am not sure how he will be on his wedding day or when he has his first kid, but I am sure he will be happy. He does that really well.

"He gets down to what we need to do in our processes - the first five sets we want to make sure we are getting ourselves in the game and everyone gets a touch. It’s really all process driven about what we want to do."

Cook is one of the players Murray leans on for support, along with Mitchell and five-eighth Cody Walker.

While he looked up to Burgess as a player, they are different personalities and Murray took a while to determine his captaincy style.

“I guess it was always going to be a challenge at the start being an inexperienced captain and leader," Murray said.

"I wanted to be a leader who led by his actions and not necessarily his words. That’s why it was a little bit of a struggle at the start of the year when I wasn’t performing to the standard I wanted to and the team wasn’t either.

“I think I went into my own head a little bit and the person I probably leant on the most was the coach.

"I trust JD a lot and I had the confidence and trust in him to know that if I was struggling with something I could go up to him and he would have the right answer for me.

"He did a few times and he was really good for me so I guess I owe a lot of my growth and experience to him."

Immortal boosts Ilias

Ilias, who made his NRL debut in the last round of the 2021 season, still gets nervous before each match but has been growing in confidence with each performance in recent weeks.

League Immortal Andrew Johns, considered by many to be the greatest halfback of the modern era, has been giving Ilias advice - as well as praise for his defence on Souths' right edge, where he will come up against Viliame Kikau this weekend.

"I have seen Joey quite a bit and he is really nice whenever he sees me," Ilias said. "I appreciate what he says. Coming from him that means a lot and gives me a lot of confidence. I have got a big job to do on Kikau this week.

“Joey was sort of before my time but my dad says Joey was the best ever so I still pinch myself."

Ilias has also built a combination with second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi, centre Campbell Graham and winger Taane Milne that has helped Souths right edge become almost as potent as their left.

“I think it is just about getting our defence right," Ilias said. "JD talks about attacking with our defence so if we get our defence right, we can attack freely and get confidence out of that."

Walker, the Rabbitohs star five-eighth, has also grown in belief since Mitchell's return from a hamstring injury and is back to his best as Souths make another charge for premiership glory.

"Cody is second to none when it comes to what happens on the field," Mitchell said. "I just love being around the bloke, he is my best mate and my brother. That is why I enjoy my time here.

“I am definitely at home here and I enjoy being around such a great bunch of boys. They make my family welcome and that is the most important thing for me - that family connection, and obviously the Indigenous ties here too."

In the past four matches, Mitchell has kicked 19 goals from 20 attempts, including seven from seven in last weekend's 38-12 elimination of the Sharks.

“I’ve gone through a lot and there is obviously a fire burning," Mitchell said. "It is the pressure cooker moments I love, it is what I thrive on, and it is do-or-die this week so I can’t wait to get out there and play.

“Love or hate me, I just do what I do and I know that even my best enemies are watching my games. That’s the best part about it and it is for me to put a show on."