Wayne Bennett in telling revelation about Souths job after harsh Jason Demetriou detail
The Rabbitohs have confirmed that Bennett is high on their wish list.
Wayne Bennett has confirmed his interest in speaking with Souths about the vacant coaching role at the NRL club after emerging as the favourite to replace Jason Demetriou. The veteran coach's former protege, Demetriou, was axed by the Rabbitohs on Tuesday night, ending weeks of speculation about his future at the club.
Bennett - who is in his final year as head coach of the Dolphins - immediately became one of the frontrunners to take over as head coach of the Rabbitohs in 2025, having guided them to a grand final and two preliminary finals during his last stint with the club. Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly revealed on Wednesday that the club would be speaking to Bennett about the role after giving the veteran mentor a glowing endorsement.
Wayne Bennett says discussions have started with Souths
And Bennett has now revealed that those discussions have already taken place with officials at his former club, and that he could be interested in returning to Souths in 2025. “I wouldn’t be talking to them if I didn’t [have an interest], I wouldn’t be wasting my time," Bennett told The Sydney Morning Herald. “I’d know what’s expected of me there, but I’d need to address what players they’ve got and not got. They are the conversations to be had. I will worry about all that later when I make a decision on whether I want to do it or not."
Bennett says he is still enjoying his role as a head coach and intends to keep on doing it until someone convinces him otherwise. The master coach's deal with the Dolphins runs out at the end of this season, with assistant Kristian Woolf to take over as head coach in 2025. It's understood the Dolphins are keen for Bennett to stay on in some capacity but the opportunity at Souths could be too good to refuse.
Rabbitohs CEO in subtle dig at Jason Demetriou
Solly believes Bennett is the ideal man to get the best out of the "unique" playing group at the Rabbitohs. The Souths CEO praised Bennett's success and experience and said "the best coaches always get the best out of their playing group”, in what could be conceived as harsh dig at the club's previous coach, Demetriou.
“Wayne had great success, he left the club on very good terms. We will speak to Wayne and if he’s available and interested certainly we'll progress that," Solly said. “I think we want someone who fits this fine group and can get the best out of them. It’s a unique client group having worked with them for a long period of time.
“And we want I think a coach that can get them to form their best consistently and we want I think a coach that understands the values and heritage and history of this club. We’ve got great skills, great athleticism and some great personalities and every head coach has to get the best out of them whether it’s Ivan Cleary what he does at Penrith over a long period of time, Wayne, his track record with a number of clubs. The best coaches always get the best out of their playing group.”
Mark Carroll says there is an 'attitude problem' at Souths
Solly's comments come amid a warning from Souths and Manly great Mark Carroll, that whoever comes in to take over as Souths coach will need to fix what he believes to be an "attitude problem" at the club. Demetriou's former assistant and Rabbitohs legend Sam Burgess said the same thing after questioning the standards at training, before he was shown the door before the end of last season.
"I feel sorry for Jason Demetriou, but the players need a good kick up the arse," Carroll told AAP. "Wayne Bennett wrote a book called 'The Man in the Mirror'. The South Sydney players need to look in the mirror. They are conceding 36 points per game. That's an attitude problem."
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The Rabbitohs have had injuries this year but also boast a roster that is arguably stronger than the one that led the NRL competition after 12 rounds last season, before a historic implosion that saw them miss the finals. But Carroll believes Bennett is the man that can turn around the club's fortunes in 2025 and instil a winning attitude back into the side.
"He is one of the best coaches around and would fix any side," Carroll added. "Don't worry about Wayne's age. He is just as young and exuberant as ever and will be a bonus for any side, and especially Souths.
There is one thing I have always said about Wayne Bennett. If he said to any player, 'I want you to run through that brick wall', the player would ask, 'how big do you want the hole?' He is one of a kind. I had the same kind of bloke at Manly with Bob Fulton. I would demolish walls for him. Some other coaches, you would say to them, 'you go first'."
with AAP
