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Wayne Bennett has reportedly agreed to join the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the end of 2024 NRL season.
According to Sydney Morning HeraldThe 74-year-old master coach agreed terms with the Rabbitohs after meeting with club officials on Monday.
He is expected to complete the deal by the end of this week, locking him in a return to the Rabbitohs, three years after leaving the club.
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The story says a last-minute change of heart is not beyond Bennett, having previously backed out of verbal agreements to join the Roosters and Dragons.
But Bennett’s return to Souths is otherwise all but certain, with an announcement from the club expected in the coming days.
Asked last week about his impending return home, the Dolphins coach was evasive.
“We will deal with it. You’ll find out sooner or later. Nothing to worry about,” replied the shrewd trainer.
Bennett was identified by ARL committee chairman Peter V’landis as a possible coach of an expansion team, with the NRL exploring expansion to a possible 20-team competition, with PNG, Perth and a second New Zealand team all candidates.
But he now appears to be out of that equation if he goes to Souths, although he still left that door ajar last week.
“Don’t write me out of anything, will you. Just let it all play out and see where it goes and we’ll see where the expansion team comes in and what year they come in,” he said.
“I’ve never spoken to Perth about doing anything with them, but I believe Perth should be one of the expansion teams.
“We will have 20 teams in the next decade in the competition. Australia is getting bigger every day. That’s how it works.”
Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly has made no secret that Bennett is high on the club’s priority list following the sacking of Jason Demetriou – whose predecessor Bennett himself was.
“Wayne is one of the coaches we will be talking to,” Soli said earlier this month.
“Wayne had a lot of success (at South Sydney) (and) left the club on very good terms.
“We’ll talk to Wayne and if he’s available and interested, we’ll certainly move forward with that.”
– With AAP
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