Rabbitohs garbage Meninga hearsay as Cook dinner admits he is 'pissed off, offended and unhappy' over shedding his spot

South Sydney chief government Blake Solly insists the Rabbitohs haven’t begun planning for all times after Jason Demetriou, regardless of Australian Take a look at coach Mal Meninga being linked with taking cost of the embattled membership.

After skilled NSW State of Origin hooker Damien Cook dinner voiced his frustration that he had been dropped for Saturday’s conflict with Cronulla, stories emerged on Wednesday that Meninga headed a brief listing of alternate options to Demetriou.

The Kangaroos coach would maintain sway with a squad that has appeared at odds with one another over current months and fell to a 1-4 begin final Saturday to ramp up the strain on Demetriou.

Meninga was unavailable for remark, however Solly was adamant the membership remained dedicated to Demetriou, who signed a three-year contract extension final October.

“The concept of a brief listing is full garbage,” Solly advised AAP.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 08: Rabbitohs head coach Jason Demetriou looks on during a South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL Training Session at Redfern Oval on March 08, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Jason Demetriou. (Photograph by Matt King/Getty Pictures)

“Our solely focus is throwing the kitchen sink at a win on Saturday towards the Sharks.”

Elevated conjecture over Demetriou’s substitute solely provides to the hypothesis that Saturday’s assembly with the Sharks may very well be his final.

There was discuss that Rabbitohs assistant coach Ben Hornby might additionally step as much as the function on an interim foundation, whereas Wayne Bennett stays unsigned past this season.

A bye both aspect of video games with Cronulla and Melbourne would give the Rabbitohs time to decide on alternate options ought to they choose to half methods with Demetriou, who has made one of many boldest calls of his tenure by dropping Cook dinner.

The hooker admitted feeling offended and pissed off after being dropped for an important match of the Rabbitohs’ season.

A NSW State of Origin hooker final yr, Cook dinner stated on Wednesday he didn’t really feel as if he had grow to be a scapegoat for Souths’ woeful 1-4 begin to the NRL season.

And, whereas his feelings weren’t directed at Demetriou, he was upset to be dropped for the primary time since changing into Souths’ first-choice hooker in late 2016.

“After all I’m offended,” Cook dinner stated on the Massive Sports activities Breakfast on Wednesday.

“(I’m) pissed off, offended and unhappy. I had all of the feelings yesterday.

“As a result of I do need to be on the market on the sphere giving my finest for the group to get us out of the place we’re.

“Little doubt yesterday shocked me. It was fairly a troublesome day.

“However I can’t sit there and mope round. I skilled rather well yesterday and gave the group some good opposition to coach towards.”

The 32-year-old was adamant his absence could be temporary, and that he might combat again into the NRL aspect rapidly after Peter Mamouzelos’ choice at No.9.

“It’s been powerful. Clearly adjustments wanted to be made and he wants me to be higher,” Cook dinner stated.

“The leaders of the group have to cleared the path and we mustn’t be doing a ok job with that.

“I do know I’ve extra to offer. I felt like I used to be constructing into this season, and I’m assured I might be again.”

Cook dinner’s feedback got here as former Rabbitohs captain Adam Reynolds threw his assist behind Demetriou and embattled pair Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.

Mitchell will miss the conflict with Cronulla after copping a three-game ban for a forearm to Shaun Johnson’s head towards the Warriors.

With Lachlan Ilias first dropped after which injured, it leaves Walker as the one remaining member of their round-one backbone.

Walker has additionally been beneath par this yr, as Souths’ end-of-season woes from 2023 carried into this season.

Additionally lingering are claims that Demetriou has afforded preferential therapy to Mitchell and Walker, one thing Brisbane skipper Reynolds stated he had not seen whereas at Redfern.