South Sydney Rabbitohs hit with another casualty as huge name walks out following Jason Demetriou's sacking

South Sydney have been rocked by another exit with COO Brock Schaefer walking out on the club.

The Rabbitohs parted ways with coach Jason Demetriou, a close associate of Schaefer, on Tuesday following the club's dismal start to the 2024 campaign. Demetriou leaves the team rock bottom of the NRL ladder.

Reports had suggested that Schaefer was 'giving consideration' to leaving the club in the wake of Demetriou's axing, and Fox Sports has since confirmed that he has left.

In a fast-moving situation, Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett confirmed on Wednesday that he is interested in returning to the Bunnies as CEO Blake Solly justified their decision to remove Demetriou from his post.

He said the club gave the coach 'every single opportunity' to turn the tide before eventually wielding the axe.

Solly also responded to claims made by Demetriou's agent, Chris Orr, in which he started that it was 'extremely cruel' of the club to make his client wait all day to learn his fate while the board deliberated over which step to take.

'To be honest, it wasn't fair to have your head coach waiting around all day just to be axed,' Orr said to The Daily Telegraph.

'Coaches are human beings with families and I thought South Sydney's process was extremely cruel. I feel they got it wrong.'

Solly responded:'I don't agree... Jason spent three years here as an assistant coach, was appointed to succeed Wayne very early on.

'The club gave Jason every single opportunity to have success and for half of that period here we did, but results over the last 12 months haven't been good enough for a club of our stature.

'And whilst, this is no criticism of Jason and how hard he works, but the last 20 games speak for themselves.

'For his agent to say that he has been treated poorly in the context of a year's worth of patience and support is unfair. I'm not sure Jason would share that view.'