‘Needed a circuit breaker’: How Bunnies’ bold Mal plan was hatched — Jimmy Brings
South Sydney’s pursuit of Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga was hatched after the Bunnies’ diabolical loss to the Warriors in round five.
With only five wins from their previous 18 NRL matches, Bunnies powerbrokers realised they needed a circuit breaker.
Spit-balling through a list of possible candidates was a tough road given Wayne Bennett is still coaching at the Dolphins, Craig Bellamy is locked in at Melbourne and Sam Burgess had a spectacular bust-up with the Bunnies last August.
Queensland coach Billy Slater and NSW coach Michael Maguire’s names were also tossed up.
Then Meninga’s name was put forward out of left field. The Bunnies unanimously liked the idea.
Meninga – an Immortal of the game – handed Cameron Murray his Test debut for the Kangaroos and enjoys a tight-knit rapport with senior players Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton and Campbell Graham from his time as Australian coach.
If anyone can fix the bun fight going on inside the Rabbitohs Heffron Park headquarters right now it’s a figurehead with an aura like Meninga.
Few coaches can instantaneously command respect from a playing group and officialdom like Meninga can.
Bennett, Bellamy and Ricky Stuart are the only others who spring to mind.
What’s the common theme? All have enormous skin in the game, have been successful at the highest levels as players and coaches and know how to heal a fractured dressing room.
Dating back to last August when Sam Burgess was sacked by South Sydney there’s been a torrent of information flowing out of Heffron Park about mixed messages inside the Rabbitohs dressing room.
Everyone likes and respects Bunnies coach Jason Demetriou – who made a preliminary final in his first season at the helm – but as is often the case Wayne Bennett is a hard act to follow.
Fox League understands the Bunnies will cut ties with Demetriou after South Sydney’s round six clash against Cronulla and then attempt to immediately fast-track negotiations with Meninga about coming in as an interim coach.
The Rabbitohs have a bye in round seven before facing the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park in round eight and three-peat premiers Penrith in round nine.
Meninga, an Immortal and one of the most respected figures in rugby league, will be approached about coming in as a caretaker coach for the remainder of this year only.
Meninga has previously enjoyed enormous success as coach of Queensland and Australia famously guiding the Maroons to nine victories out of ten series.
Given Meninga’s aura and style of man management the South Sydney club believe he is the perfect fit to try and fix the Rabbitohs diabolical 1-4 start to the season where they have managed to score only 72 points and conceded 162 to sit last on the NRL ladder.
If South Sydney can secure Meninga on a short-term contract for the remainder of the season then the Bunnies are expected to swiftly shift their attention to landing the signature of Wayne Bennett for the 2025 season and beyond.
EELS RESISTING CALL-UP FOR YOUNG GUN
The halves merry-go-round at the Parramatta Eels is a curious case.
With Mitchell Moses out for up to 12 weeks with a busted foot plenty of good judges thought it was time to turn to young gun rookie Ethan Sanders.
The only problem is the NSW under 19s no.7 is off contract at the end of this year and about to be fair game for the 16 other NRL clubs.
On a development deal this year with the Eels, Sanders can’t field rival offers until the completion of round six this weekend.
The smart money has Sanders headed to the national capital to continue his education under the tutelage of champion halfback Ricky Stuart at the Raiders.
But the Eels indecision about the local junior is a weird one with the club quite literally at sixes and sevens.
Sanders bleeds blue and gold having been born into a family of avid Eels fans and played his junior football for the Hills Bulls.
He’s also more of a classic organising halfback with an all-round kicking game which is exactly what Parramatta is missing in the absence of Moses.
Named player of the match in the Eels SG Ball grand final win last year Sanders then progressed to guide Parramatta’s Jersey Flegg side into the finals.
But still the Eels have resisted giving him a shot at an NRL debut.
With Moses out Eels coach Brad Arthur initially went with a combination of Dylan Brown and another teenage gun in Blaize Talagi.
But after losing games to the Wests Tigers and then Canberra now that’s shifted to Brown and Dejarn Asi.
The Eels indicated to Sanders a fortnight ago they intended to try and strike a deal to keep him at Parramatta prior to round six.
Yet no offer has been tabled. Despite some late interest from the Gold Coast Sanders is expected to sign with the Raiders next week.
Meanwhile the Eels are still searching for a halves combination who can get them winning without Moses.
