See the very surprising four-word message Russell Crowe sent to Jason Demetriou just hours before he was sacked by Souths.
Souths co-owner Russell Crowe backed Jason Demetriou all the way with a simple message just before the coach was sacked on Tuesday, it has been revealed.
The 48-year-old was fired with immediate effect on Tuesday night after the Bunnies fell to the bottom of the table amid a shocking run of form stretching back to the middle of last season.
His dismissal followed two board meetings – one Tuesday morning, the other beginning around 5 p.m. – and Crowe contacted him that day with the message “I support you”, shortly before the ax falls, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
Demetriou was supported all the way by Russell Crowe (pictured at a Souths match with Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum) on the day of his sacking.
Demetriou (pictured leaving Souths training on Wednesday) saw his fate sealed when the Bunnies fell 54-20 to the Melbourne Storm last Thursday.
The board voted unanimously in favor of Demetriou’s departure, a sure sign that the Hollywood star co-owner isn’t even close to having the final say on the club’s big decisions.
CEO Blake Solly met with Demetriou on Sunday and told him he had lost confidence in him and that the 54-20 loss to the Storm last Thursday would be his last game in charge, the publication reported.
Demetriou responded by writing a lengthy report detailing why he deserved to be given eight more weeks to turn the team around – but it had no effect when shared with board members.
A club statement highlighted a “series of less than satisfactory results” over the past two seasons as the reason for dismissal. Demetriou was also in charge when the team crashed out of the finals in 2023, suffering a shockingly poor run of form in the last half of the season after topping the table in the 11th round.
“The board and management believe the time is right to make a change in the direction of our football program in terms of the head coaching role,” said general manager Blake Solly.
“There is no doubt about Jason’s work ethic or his drive to succeed, but unfortunately that success has not been forthcoming over the past 12 months.”
Despite the shocking end to his time with Souths, the coach (pictured on Tuesday with Bunnies star Jack Wighton) had the class to send a heartfelt message to his players.
Assistant coach Ben Hornby, once appointed as head coach by Demetriou himself, will take charge of Thursday’s clash against reigning premiers Penrith and for the remainder of the season.
Demetriou had weathered swirling rumors about his job security by guiding the Rabbitohs to a spirited 34-22 defeat of high-flying Cronulla in their final game before the seventh-round bye.
But Souths hit a new low in round eight, conceding the most points in any game of Demetriou’s tenure as they were beaten 54-20 by Melbourne.
On Wednesday morning, Solly confirmed the club would approach former Bunnies coach Wayne Bennett to take over for 2025.
Crowe’s unequivocal support (pictured at a Souths match in 2008) did nothing to help Demetriou, a sure sign that the co-owner’s influence at the club is no longer what it used to be.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t think Jason’s coaching style would be able to make the change we needed or the improvement we needed,” Solly said.
“Given that we are now 17th on the table and our pros and cons are 50 points worse than 16th, I think now is the time to make a change.
“We tried to support the coach and give him as much support as possible, but I think over the weekend everyone realized that a change was needed and unfortunately the change had to be Jason .”
Despite the upsetting end to his time at South Sydney, Demetriou had the class to send a heartfelt message to his players after the ax fell, saying “blessings to you and your beautiful families” before leaving the club headquarters in Maroubra for what appears to be the last time.
