NRL 2024: Wayne Bennett, South Sydney begin official negotiations at Magic Round

Gorden Tallis believes Wayne Bennett is the right man to fix the Rabbitohs’ broken culture, but has questioned whether he can solve South Sydney’s biggest problem.

Wayne Bennett will sit down with South Sydney during round 11. Picture: NRL

Wayne Bennett will formally meet with South Sydney bosses during Magic Round as the Dolphins coach moves a step closer to inking a multimillion-dollar deal to return to the Rabbitohs.

The development comes as Queensland legend Gorden Tallis backed Bennett to restore a hard edge at Redfern, saying the master mentor won’t be afraid to sack Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker if required.

This masthead can reveal the Rabbitohs will kick off official negotiations with Bennett next week when Souths travel to Queensland for the NRL’s Magic Round festivities at Suncorp Stadium.

It is fitting the parties should reunite on Queensland soil – Bennett’s last game in charge of the Rabbitohs was their 2021 grand final loss to Penrith at Suncorp during the Covid pandemic.

There were suggestions Souths could entertain a five-year package, but the Rabbitohs will table a three-year deal to lure Bennett back to the Burrow until the end of 2027.

The 74-year-old is currently on around $900,000-a-season at the Dolphins and South Sydney will at least match those financial terms to ensure Bennett is not short-changed by embarking on a Redfern resurrection.

Wayne Bennett will sit down with South Sydney during round 11. Picture: NRL

If talks progress well – as expected – Souths hope to have Bennett’s signature by the end of this month as part of their blueprint for a Redfern rebuild following the sacking of Jason Demetriou.

South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly confirmed he will meet with Bennett during the NRL’s gala weekend as the Rabbitohs waste no time to secure the code’s greatest coach.

“We’re all up in Brisbane soon for the Magic Round weekend and we should get a chance to sit down and talk further then with Wayne,” Solly said.

“We’re unlikely to catch up with Wayne this week.

“We’re respectful of his role at the Dolphins and ensuring their successful season continues.”

Solly made preliminary contact with Bennett last week to gauge his interest.

The Rabbitohs were prepared to ramp-up talks this weekend, but Bennett has been hampered by a short turnaround with his Dolphins to face Anthony Seibold’s Sea Eagles on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium.

Bennett has been linked with the Eels, whose coach Brad Arthur is under mounting pressure, but Souths are ready to strike before rival clubs get the chance.

Bennett blasted suggestions he is in secret talks with Parramatta officials, saying his only contact has been a brief phone conversation with Rabbitohs chief executive Solly.

“I don’t think we will catch up this week because it’s a short turnaround for us,” Bennett said of his next move with Souths.

“We’ll look to meet up at Magic Round and we’ll see what happens from there.

“I haven’t received any offers at this stage and I haven’t signed anywhere.

“I’m a free agent, so I’ll talk to Souths and see where it goes.”

Ex-Brisbane skipper Tallis, Bennett’s former champion forward at the Broncos, says the seven-time premiership winner has the gravitas and fear factor to crack the whip at South Sydney.

Souths have been buffeted by reports over the past 12 months that Mitchell and Walker wield too much power at Redfern, but Tallis says Bennett would show Rabbitohs players who’s boss.

“Wayne has the personality to handle them (Mitchell and Walker),” Tallis said.

“If they don’t deliver, he will move them on.

“Wayne is not afraid to make the tough calls.

Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly confirmed the club will begin talks with Bennett. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“He moved on Wally Lewis from the Broncos and there was no bigger figure than Wally.

“Wayne is not frightened to make a big call.

“Whether those calls are right or not, he still makes the call and owns it.

“Wayne needs to change the culture of Souths and get some hard workers like Max Plath (Dolphins ironman) there.

“Cam Murray is shot, he looks like has played 22 games this year, he is carrying that pack.

“Who knows if he can rebuild them? He failed at Newcastle.

“At the end of the day, it’s about the roster and that’s why I think the Parramatta roster suits Wayne better, but he did a great job at Souths the last time he was there.

“I don’t understand why Redcliffe haven’t made a play to keep Wayne coaching.

“Redcliffe should be saying, ‘Hey, this ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

“Wayne is old but he still has the magic in him, the Dolphins should have kept him on and let Kristian Woolf continue as his assistant.”