The prospect of entering a NRL season completely free of doubt has given Jason Demetriou reason to believe South Sydney can take the next steps on the road to premiership success in 2023.
The Rabbitohs began this season as an unknown quantity, having lost their chief off-field and on-field architects in master coach Wayne Bennett and long-term halfback Adam Reynolds.
Called in as their respective replacements were rookie coach Jason Demetriou and Lachlan Ilias, a 21-year-old with one game of top-flight experience.
Throw in the losses of veterans Benji Marshall and Dane Gagai, the appointment of a new captain in Cam Murray and an injury to Latrell Mitchell early in the season, and there was enough to keep Bennett's successor on his toes.
"With everything being new, there was a bit of doubt and that's understandable," Demetriou said.
"I had a little bit of doubt in myself, a little bit of doubt whether Lachie could do the job, a bit of doubt over our new captain. Obviously losing some key players as well."
But Mitchell's return coincided with an upswing in form.
And as it turned out, 24-year-old Murray was a natural captain despite his youth and Ilias marshalled the right edge with maturity on the way to the Rabbitohs' fifth preliminary final in as many years.
Since then, South Sydney have managed to re-sign their entire spine in Mitchell, Ilias, Cody Walker and Damien Cook to head into the new season with a spring in their step.
"That doubt has gone now," Demetriou said.
"We start the season really confidently. You can feel that in pre-season at the moment."
Demetriou's job now is to inspire the charge from high achievement to premiership glory.
"The expectations are to turn up every week and be more consistent," he said.
"I think that's probably been our biggest problem and because of that we rode the emotions quite high and low in the (2022) season.
"That takes its toll by the back end."
Keeping his troops on the park will also be a high priority; Mitchell, Murray, Campbell Graham, Mark Nicholls, Hame Sele and Liam Knight all spent significant time in the casualty ward this season.
"As a staff, we've got to own that," Demetriou said.
"We're making sure that we're getting every player as fit and healthy as we can to make sure we can reduce the injuries that played a big part last year.
"The club has aspirations, and as a team obviously we have to have aspirations. Otherwise what're we doing it for? We want to be the best."
