No Jason No Wayne How Souths only wanted Bennett if deputy followed

South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas knows his proud club is destined for years of success because of incoming coach Jason Demetriou, and revealed they would not have signed Wayne Bennett if his long-term assistant did not follow him to Redfern.

Demetriou will sit next to Bennett at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday for one final time before stepping out of the mastercoach’s giant shadow and into the top job next season.

It has been well documented in recent weeks that the Souths board needed to be convinced about taking on Bennett. The Herald revealed this week how owner Russell Crowe “started to feel confident we had the deal in place” with Bennett for the 2012 season, only for wily old coach to pass and accept a late mega-rich deal from Nathan Tinkler’s Newcastle.

Pappas told the Herald the board always respected Bennett and his talents, but “it was the post-Wayne era we were concerned about and what he would leave behind”.

He also said Demetriou was well aware of the club’s expectations to finish in the top four every year.

“We weren’t going to bring Wayne unless Jason came as well,” Pappas said on Thursday.

“We heard good things about Jason from Wayne himself and from others.

“We wanted a succession plan. That’s what the board insisted on it. A former executive of the club said he had to convince us about Wayne.

“But it wasn’t about convincing us about Wayne. We knew Wayne was good. It was the post-Wayne era we were concerned about and what he would leave behind.

“Success is harder to manage than failure they often say. Once we knew Jason was coming with him, it was a done deal.”

Demetriou, 45, is untried as an NRL head coach but is hugely popular with the players, having turned them into a defensive powerhouse in the second half of this season.

Jason Demetriou and Wayne Bennett.Credit:Getty

The club interviewed half a dozen assistants before they agreed to go all-in on Demetriou.

“We like Jason’s humility, he listens, and the ultimate test for someone coming in to succeed someone else is if they support the incumbent in the closing stages,” Pappas said.

“It would be easy for someone to say, “I don’t want us to go too well this year because I’m taking over next year, and I’ll be better’. That’s the human temptation.

“But in Jason’s case, he wants success this year, success next year, and success the year after that. We’re very proud of our appointment.

“We aim for the top four every year. That’s the mandate from the board. If we don’t get top four, we want to know why.”

South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas.Credit:Fairfax Media

Souths director Ray Martin likened Bennett to Kevin Sheedy in the AFL and was someone who appreciated the club’s history.

Martin said only Souths and Balmain were the two clubs “that really have that tradition of rugby league”, and while Bennett won six competitions with Brisbane, “Wayne will be Souths forever”.

Pappas said the 2014 premiership was special because it had been 43 years since their last title. This year, however, was equally satisfying because of the pandemic and the farewells of Bennett and captain Adam Reynolds.

“There’s a nice humility about our entire squad,” Pappas said.

“Even the way they celebrate after tries, the way they react to the opposition when they’ve beaten them, they’re the nice things. Be gracious in defeat and be gracious in victory.”

Pappas will bring up 20 years as Souths chairman next year, but knows “the time to consider my options is approaching, whether it’s this year or next year”. He has linked to an eventual move to the ARL Commission, which he would consider seriously if given the opportunity.

“I believe I can give something back to the game that has given me a lot,” Pappas said.

“I’ve had some unbelievable experiences. At the end of the day it has to be about rugby league, not just your club.”

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