Just a few weeks ago, before the frenzy over his next move had reached fever pitch, Wayne Bennett said something about the coaching caper that resonated.
“The easiest solution is not to appoint the wrong guy,” Bennett told your correspondent. “Then you don’t have to go through the grief.”
South Sydney has decided that Bennett is the right guy. But is South Sydney the right move for Bennett?
It’s a question the master mentor would have been asking himself while watching the Rabbitohs’ latest loss, against a benchmark Penrith team that easily prevailed despite the absence of Nathan Cleary.
Souths played with an early resolve seldom seen during the final weeks under Jason Demetriou. They remained in the contest for almost an hour, despite the loss of their halfback and hooker to injury, only to again wilt when it got tough. The worst defence in the league leaked 42 unanswered points. It is yet another indicator of the enormity of the task confronting the coach willing to take it on.
Once again, the lack of punch in the middle was exposed. During a set of six in possession midway through the first stanza, the Rabbitohs spent the entire set almost on the same spot, about five metres out from their own line. Tom Burgess’ departure at the end of the season won’t help.
Is Wayne Bennett wary about a Rabbitohs return?Credit: Getty Images
The ill discipline that has crept in since Bennett departed in 2021 was also evident. When the Panthers took a quick 20-metre tap, no one in a cardinal and myrtle jersey made the effort to get back into the defensive line. Silly sin bins didn’t help either.
Other dramas: Damien Cook, normally so explosive out of dummy half, was too gassed from defending to make a single run in the opening half. Only when he was shifted to fullback, out of sheer necessity, was Cook able to engage the Panthers defence.
Everywhere you look, confidence is down. Cody Walker hasn’t been able to reproduce anything resembling the form he produced in last year’s State of Origin finale. Cook, playing in his 200th NRL game, is still smarting from the indignity of being dropped. Latrell Mitchell is yet to decide whether he wants to play for the Blues. Unless he comes back with a bang, the decision will be made for him.
And then there’s the question about the halfback. Lachlan Ilias appears on his way out, an early injury cruelled Dean Hawkins’ audition for the No.7 position on a more permanent basis and the incoming Lewis Dodd, set to arrive from St Helens on a three-year deal, is untested at NRL level. South Sydney’s best kick of the night came from the boot of burly prop Burgess.
Should Bennett join Souths, he will do so with the backing of Russell Crowe. That support doesn’t carry the weight it once did. Demetriou, the man Bennett anointed as his successor, also had Crowe in his corner. The Rabbitohs boardroom doesn’t appear as united as the “unanimous” decision to punt Demetriou suggests.
Over at Parramatta, directors are fully behind Brad Arthur. Their belief in the coach has been steadfast, a stance that could well cost them any chance of Bennett’s signature. The master mentor would have taken note of that as well: nothing appeals to him more than working for a board that backs its coach to the hilt.
Should he return to the Rabbitohs, Bennett will ostensibly be replacing himself. History shows that those who have come after him have failed. It’s a tough act to follow. Even if you’re Wayne Bennett.
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