Former Pride premiership coach departs Broncos

Jason Demetriou will target a new position in the NRL after the former Brisbane Broncos assistant coach officially parted ways with the club on Tuesday.

Demetriou was one of four Broncos football department staff members - joining Jeremy Hickmans, Scott Barker and Tannath Scott - who were told by the club to take leave in the wake of Wayne Bennett's sacking on December 2.

The last week has been a waiting game for Demetriou but now that he has received closure on his two seasons as assistant coach at the Broncos he can look towards securing another role in the NRL.

The timing of the decision to sack Bennett could not have been worse for Demetriou.

With South Sydney already committed to the staff they had on board, and new Broncos coach Anthony Seibold bringing his own staff with him, there was no role for him at either club.

Whether that remains the case at the Rabbitohs remains to be seen.

Demetriou told NRL.com that he only had "fond memories" of the Broncos. He was pragmatic about the situation he was left in and optimistic about his future.

"Obviously the timing was unfortunate, and being let go hasn't happened to me before, but a new coach comes in and has his own ideas and methods and the club is backing him to have the resources he wants," Demetriou told NRL.com.

"Sometimes, unfortunately, that is the nature of the beast but there is nothing I can do about it. All I can do is look forward and see what is on the horizon.

Only a month or so ago I was being interviewed for the top job [at Brisbane]

Former Brisbane assistant Jason Demetriou

"To get another job in the NRL is the plan and that is what I am working towards with my management. I am confident that with my reputation and what I have done that something will arise.

"I had a great time at the Broncos and made a lot of great connections with the playing group and the staff and I'd like to see them all go on and do well."

Working in Demetriou's favour in securing another top-level position is that he is one of the game's most respected figures and held in high regard by players, coaches and officials right across the NRL.

He has a track record of success as a head coach at Intrust Super Cup and Intrust Super Premiership level where he won titles with Northern Pride (2014) and Illawarra Cutters (2016). He was also a valued assistant coach to Paul Green when the Cowboys won their inaugural premiership in 2015.

Broncos playmakers Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford were both effusive in their praise of Demetriou for unlocking their creative best in 2018.

Milford was the club's player of the year as Demetriou - who took over as attack coach in round six - ensured the Broncos scored more points than any other club from that moment on.

Demetriou impressed the Broncos hierarchy to such a degree that he was also interviewed to be Bennett's successor.

"For me, coming to Brisbane was always about getting that experience and exposure at a big club and my goal by the time I had finished at the club was to know I was ready to be a head NRL coach," he said.

"I think I have definitely done that with the relationships I have developed with players and the feedback I have got from them. Wayne has been outstanding in terms of the freedom he has allowed me to have.

"Although it is disappointing how it has all ended I have got to take the positives out of the fact that only a month or so ago I was being interviewed for the top job. I was obviously a candidate that was thought highly of."

Demetriou has a wife and three young daughters and they will be central to any decision he makes in the coming weeks.

"We will enjoy Christmas together and sit down as a family to see where we go from here," he said.