Wayne Bennett could make a stunning return to coach St George Illawarra according to The Daily Telegraph’s chief editor Phil Rothfield.
A return to the Dragons for Bennett isn't off the table with the coaching great set to potentially look for a new job amidst the Rabbitohs' succession plan for his assistant Jason Demetriou to take over in 2022.
Bennett still has two years remaining on his contract, but there are growing fears that the distraction of the succession plan may cause the coaching great to depart earlier than first expected.
After a poor 2019, current Dragons coach Paul McGregor is under pressure to retain his job despite signing an extension to stay at the club until 2021.
“What I’m predicting here is that Wayne Bennett will be the next coach of St George Illawarra,” Rothfield said.
“I think it will happen in the next 12 months and I think it’s going to be potentially the biggest story of the year.”
The Rabbitohs find themselves in an off-field transitional period over the coming years with general manager of football Shane Richardson also set to depart the club once Bennett leaves.
“Wayne Bennett doesn’t want to be a football manager like Gus Gould was at Penrith,” Rothfield said.
“I would have thought there would have been a lovely slot for him to be Shane Richardson, Richo goes and they (Bennett and Demetriou) work together there.
(But) he insists he wants to coach again.”
McGregor passed his internal review during the off-season, but Rothfield is under the impression that his safety long-term isn't safe and that Bennett and the Dragons have a mutual interest in returning again.
”Everyone knows that if St George struggle this year — and it’s looking like they will with their roster and doubts around (suspended forward Jack) De Belin — that ‘Mary’ McGregor is gone,” he said.
”He was a cigarette paper off being axed last year.'
Rothfield believes McGregor should have gotten the sack after last year.
Dragons assistant Shane Flanagan would love a return to top-level coaching, but because of his suspension over Cronulla's salary cap scandal, the NRL has only allowed Flanagan to take on an assistant coaching role for the next two years which almost seemingly rules him out as a potential coach if things don't go as planned for the Dragons in 2020.
“I know for a fact that Wayne Bennett would be open to going back to St George,” Rothfield said.
“He loved this stint there — he won a premiership there and I honestly think it’s a big chance of happening.”
The Rabbitohs are tipped as a title contender in 2020, but Rothfield and colleague Dean Ritchie are under the belief that the Bennett-Demetriou plans could have a negative effect on any premiership aspirations.
“This is the problem Souths have when you try to set out your future long term,” Ritchie said. “I get that every club needs and wants stability, but when you say to a coach you’ve got two years and you’re out, those two years can be very disruptive on a variety of levels.”
Bennetts failure to see out contracts in previous years has also added to the speculation.
“It started back in 1987 at Canberra when he left the Raiders mid-contract to become the first coach of the Brisbane Broncos,” he said.
“He also found the going too tough at the Newcastle Knights and walked out early on his contract there to go take a job at the Broncos.
“He also left this Broncos contract early, albeit he was axed, because they thought he was pre-coaching at Souths before he got down there and they wanted to do the swap with Seibold.
“There’s a few contracts over the years he hasn’t seen out.”
With Bennett's position at the Rabbitohs under a cloud and one eye on the future, the Rabbitohs playing ranks could also be affected.
“Cameron Murray is off contract at the end of next year. Would Wayne Bennett be keen to extend him or would be Wayne Bennett be keen to have a quiet chat to him and say ‘look, I’m off to St George, would you think about coming over and captaining that club?” Rothfield said.
“Other players that need to be extended at Souths that Jason Demetriou might want to keep but Wayne Bennett doesn’t think they’re worthy of that.”
Rothfield also believes the McGregor shouldn't be the only coach who should be worried about a potential Bennett arrival.
“If Dean Pay doesn’t improve the Bulldogs this year I think Wayne Bennett would be an obvious target for them,” Rothfield said.
“We know George Khoury and their leagues club prints money and they’d have the cash available to attract him.
“There’s a $4 million war chest there at the beginning of next year to rebuild.
“I just think it’s a really big developing story that could be unsettling for the Rabbitohs particularly if they go through a rough streak this year.”
Although the Bennett-Demetriou succession plan isn't set to start until the end of next year, Rothfield believes the change is already in effect.
“You ask any player there, he’s not the hands-on coach,” Rothfield said of Bennett.
“Demetriou is the hands-on coach there.”