High profile NRL coach reveals ex-Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity coach key to his development alongside Championship club

It’s great to see former Super League players do well especially do well in rugby league.

That’s why Wakefield Trinity fans are happy to see Jason Demetriou in the hot seat at the South Sydney Rabbitohs as Head Coach.

However, the former Trinity star has paid tribute to the club’s former coach John Kear for the role he played in developing him as a coach.

Speaking on St Helens legend James Graham’s podcast, The Bye Round, Demetriou said: “Coaching is something I always wanted to do, when you become a senior player you are basically being a coach at training helping with attitude stuff.

“I learnt a lot from John Kear and the way he motivated people.”

He described his time in England with Wakefield and of course his coaching role with Keighley as “a sliding doors moment” in helping him reach the heights he had today:

“It is a sliding doors moment. Without Keighley I’m not coaching South Sydney Rabbitohs.

“If I hadn’t taken a one way ticket to England to see where my footy career could go, I’m not sat here.

“The English game gave me so much to be thankful for, I’ll always be a huge ambassador for the game over there, I am forever grateful to have the opportunities I did.

“I absolutely loved finishing my career at Keighley, it reminds you how much you love playing the game.”