Bulldogs great Michael Ennis and a club sponsor could be key in bringing Super Coach Wayne Bennett to the Canterbury Bulldogs, according to journalist Paul Kent and league champion Matty Johns.
There has been talk of Bennett joining the Bulldogs over recent days as the club board will meet on Thursday night to discuss the future of coach Dean Pay.
On Wednesday, Bennett denied suggestions he would leave the Rabbitohs before his contract was up, where he is signed until the end of 2021.
On the Matty Johns Podcast, Kent and Johns revealed a Bulldogs' sponsors was interested in bringing Bennett to the club.
"There's whispers that there's a sponsor involved... this is actually where the [Craig] Bellamy stuff's come from... he's the one that's keen on Bennett, and he's willing to tip in money," Kent said on the podcast.
"There is actually a soft cap that they can only spend on their football department, so even though this sponsor is willing to tip in money, the rest will go into sponsorship for the club.
"There's a lot of money there. I think the Dogs are gathering a bit of a warchest and they're going to have a real look at what they can attract.
"The talk about Benntt is there's Bennett and a former player who might go up there as a bit of a package."
Johns has then cut in and revealed Ennis' name as the former player, to which Kent confirmed.
"The name that keeps going around is the bloke in this [Fox Sports] building, Michael Ennis," Johns said on the podcast.
Ennis had played 136 games for the Canterbury Bulldogs and now works for Fox League.
On NRL 360, earlier in the night, the panel discussed Bennett's heated press conference on Wednesday.
Kent and James Hooper both believe Bennett will remain at the Bulldogs and see out his contract. He has been linked to jobs at the Bulldogs, Dragons and the Warriors.
"I was certain he was on the move, he was looking elsewhere," Kent said on NRL 360.
"I think something has changed in recent days, recent weeks, and I think he'll now stay at the Souths.
"I think he sat there and all this late rush of how it would effect his tenure at the Souths has made him sit down and think: I'm going to see it out."