Top Cowboy backs Demetriou for Titans job
JASON Demetriou’s Titans hopes have received a timely boost, with Queensland forward Gavin Cooper hailing the Broncos assistant for his ability to “get the best out of people”.
Demetriou is locked in a race for the Gold Coast role, with Michael Maguire understood to be the frontrunner while reports surfaced last night that Penrith NSW Cup coach Garth Brennan had flown into the Glitter Strip.
Currently Wayne Bennett’s right-hand man at Brisbane, Demetriou was Paul Green’s deputy when Cooper and the Cowboys made club history with their 2015 title.
It continued Demetriou’s run of success, since built on with a NSW Cup title at Illawarra in 2016 before playing a key role in overhauling the Broncos attack last season.
Those results ultimately jetted the 41-year-old into the mix to replace Neil Henry at the Titans, with the club inching towards finalising their preferred candidate.
As revealed by the Bulletin last week, it’s understood while other applicants remain in the picture, Maguire and Demetriou have strong support. Praise for Demetriou’s ability to handle a range of personalities will echo in the offices at Gold Coast given the notoriety of mercurial fullback Jarryd Hayne.
The former Super League star is known to have previously attracted all-star endorsements from Johnathan Thurston and Benji Marshall.
“(Demetriou) has a good footy mind on him and that showed in the results he’s had. But he knows how to get the best out of people,” Cooper told the Bulletin.
“That’s one of his strengths from his time here; he made those boys, especially those on the fringes, ready to play first grade. If he gets the job he has the ability to get them on the same page.”
“From an outsider looking in that’s what they need,” Cooper said.
While wary of offering advice to rivals, foundation Titan Cooper expressed his preference for a fresh set of eyes in a region crying out for success.
“Being a former Titan I know the local community wants to support the Titans but it’s going to take some good performances and proof they can make a mark,” he said.
“Queensland needs a strong team there and if they get the results the region will get behind them. A fresh set of eyes and a new approach to rugby league is a good idea.
“JD’s inexperienced as a head coach but what he has done at every level is pretty remarkable. I think JD has been around long enough that he deserves a shot.”
Cooper said Green’s “eye for detail” and Bennett’s man management masterclass would be the perfect tutorial for Demetriou’s ascent to head coach status.