The South Sydney Rabbitohs have reportedly devised a daring plan in an attempt to retain legendary coach Wayne Bennett.
Bennett's current deal with the Rabbitohs expires at the end of this season.
At the end of the 2021 season, Bennett intends on returning back to his native Queensland where it's reported he has been linked with the Brisbane expansion side. However, if the expansion side doesn't enter the competition until 2023 then the Rabbitohs will want to keep him involved until then.
Dean Ritchie from The Daily Telegraph has reported on South Sydney's interest in keeping Bennett on at the club.
“Souths are in robust dialogue with Wayne as to what his future may be,” Ritchie said on Fox League’s NRL Tonight.
“There is a job offer there now. It is more of an advisory role.
“Wayne wants to move back and live in Brisbane and Souths have agreed that would be fine clearly, it is Wayne’s decision.
“But they still want him on board in terms of possible recruitment in and around the Queensland pathways.
“There is no better eye or judge of a performance than Wayne Bennett. A bit of a mentoring role. Maybe a shoulder to lean on in tough times.
“There is a variety of headlines for what Wayne’s job application would look like in terms of staying at Souths.
“At the moment he hasn’t agreed to anything, but Souths know what Wayne Bennett can bring to a club.
“He has been brilliant since he arrived at Souths a couple of years ago.
“Jason Demetriou will be Souths coach next year, but there is no doubt South Sydney, including their owner Russell Crowe who is a big Wayne Bennett fan, there is no doubt they would love Wayne to stay on next season in some capacity.”
Moreover if the NRL grant Brisbane with a new side for the 2023 season it his highly unlikely that he'll juggle a position with the Rabbitiohs while trying to build a club.
“It will centre around expansion and that is the reason why Wayne hasn’t committed yet,” Ritchie said.
“He said look I just want to investigate where he stands in terms of that 17th franchise.
“There are suggestions it was going to be 2023 and then there was reports saying they may put it back a year, given the current clubs are a little bit cautious about expansion in the middle of Covid.
“When that side comes in is a factor in all this and whether they want Wayne Bennett as coach.
“All three have indicated that they would certainly be interested in Wayne Bennett, but there are a lot of other good coaches out there that would be interested including Paul Green."