Incoming Rabbitohs head coach Jason Demetriou believes that he will be the circuit breaker in a curse that has made victims of Ivan Henjak, Steve Price, Rick Stone, and Anthony Seibold.
While it is undeniable that the aforementioned quartet of coaches were unable to keep their respective sides on track straight after succeeding Wayne Bennett, the 71-year-old's long-term right-hand man is of the view that the trend will end with him.
As stated byย The Sydney Morning Herald'sย Christian Nicolussi, the combination of Henjak, Price, and Stone were unable to find joy after taking the reigns from Bennett at the Broncos, Dragons, and Knights respectively.
Seibold's record with Brisbane was also dismal, having won just 35 per cent of his 40 starts after stepping into the Red Hill hot seat ahead of the 2019 season.
Now preparing for his leading role with Sydney's self-anointed oldest, proudest and loudest club, Demetriou claimed the pieces were in place for him to keep the Rabbits rolling in 2022.
โEveryoneโs circumstances are different,โ the 45-year-old said of the mooted hoodoo.
โYou guys can talk about that. Itโs irrelevant to me."
Having spent five-seasons in the mastermind's shadow, the former Canadian international declared that his run into the role at Redfern would likely hold him in better stead than those that have attempted the task before him.
"I do know nobody has transitioned from Wayne the way I have, so itโs an entirely new narrative," Demetriou continued.
โIโm hoping the things that make me successful as a head coach are the things that drew me to go and work with Wayne in the first place."
While Bennett is set to pen a three-year deal with the recently admitted Dolphins, Demetriou suggested that those who will wear the cardinal and myrtle hoops next season should be prepared to hear similar sermons delivered by their former mentor.
โHeโs got a real care for his players on and off the field, and that care continues whether heโs coaching them or heโs not. I see similarities with me in that regard," he revealed.
With the Rabbitohs' 114th campaign set to coincide with his first stint as a senior steward, Demetriou waxed philosophically about the task ahead of him and even quoted a man with about as many Super Bowl rings as he has fingers.
โIt was Bill Belichick who said, โNobody cares what you know until they know how much you careโ. That sums up Wayne and all the good coaches," he said.
โYou often hear people and the players talk about [Roosters coach] Trent Robinson and [Storm coach] Craig Bellamy โ they often talk about them as people first before they talk about them as coaches โ and thatโs indicative of any great leader.
โYou donโt know if youโre ready until you know. Weโll soon find out. What I do know is Iโve had the pathway to give me the best opportunity to be successful.โ
According to Nicolussi, the new Bunnies boss has returned to Sydney ahead of the pre-season and has already commenced planning for how the side will line up ahead of their latest attempts to claim their 22nd premiership.
Although outgoing skipper Adam Reynolds has served Souths with a seismic void within their playmaking slots, Demetriou was said to suggest that with Latrell Mitchell set to return from suspension, grand final fullback Blake Taaffe will shift further upfield to partner Cody Walker in 2022.
Given the fixture for next season is yet to be released, it is not yet known which particulate rival will dish the debutant his first challenge for two-points.
But with the annual Charity Shield contest with the Dragons tipped to once again take place in Mudgee, the club's date and destination for the Demetriou's opening afternoon in the main role has all but been cemented.
