South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has confirmed interest in Sydney Roosters star Brandon Smith as the New Zealand international runs off-contract at the end of this season.
Moving to the Roosters at the start of 2023 after six seasons and 107 matches with the Melbourne Storm, Smith has failed to live up to expectations and has yet to reach his full potential at the Bondi-based club.
Struggling to find consistency and on a contract worth around $850,000 per season, reports emerged that he is unlikely to remain at the Sydney Roosters beyond this season as the club looks to make several marquee new signings in the coming years.
While he is sidelined until at least June as he recovers from a ruptured ACL injury, a rival team's coach has confirmed an interest in the New Zealand international despite their controversial history.
"Well, I wanted him at the Dolphins and nothing's changed," Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett told AAP.
"I'd love to see him at South Sydney, so hopefully we can get to the negotiating table and get a deal.
"He's just 100 per cent. Like Cam Murray and those players, they just give their absolute best every time they get on the footy field.
"They don't always get it right, but you know that the one thing they're doing is just competing for everything and they're giving their best for the side."
All but certain to not be at the Bondi-based club in 2026, Smith spoke about a possible move to cross-town rivals South Sydney where it is understood that his manager Stan Martin is in talks with them on a possible two-year deal, per The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I am stoked he is interested in me but to be fair we had a pretty rough relationship. I did give him my word I was signing at Redcliffe and we all knew how that ended up,” Smith said on The Bye Round podcast.
“I felt pretty bad. Hopefully, he has forgiven me for that. I don't know what the go is yet. I hope something happens. It is just not really on me, to be honest. It is more about them.”
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Previously linked with the North Queensland Cowboys, it is more than likely that Smith finds himself playing alongside Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton and Cameron Murray.
However, an early release from the remainder of his contract with the Roosters seems improbable.
“I walked into the game and I saw it on the news,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson added.
“That's as much as I've seen about it. We won't get into hypotheticals around all of that.
"Brandon's training well, working hard and he's getting ready for mid-June. It'll be good to get Brandon and Sam back.”
With the former Melbourne Storm hooker destined to leave the Tricolous, Phil Gould questioned the club's decision to originally recruit his services but believes he will flourish in a change of scenary.
"I've never met Brandon Smith - I only see what we see on TV," he said on Six Tackles with Gus.
"I don't think he's malicious in anything he does, I just think he's a fun-loving kid who is a really good footballer. A little bit like oil and water with the Roosters, it hasn't really worked out for them and now he's had this injury.
"I think whoever gets Brandon Smith next will probably get the best of him. The experiences of being at Melbourne and then moving on and going to the Roosters and it not working out for him, hopefully that settles him down and steels him.
"If he was to get to South Sydney under Wayne Bennett, that would be a great help."