Wayne Bennett says Cody Walker is a priority signing at Rabbitohs

While the Broncos have made an approach to Cody Walker’s management to get the gun Rabbitoh to Red Hill, Wayne Bennett has revealed why he thinks Brisbane are no chance to sign him.

Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos in Toyota Cup U20s at Skilled Park, Robina : Cody Walker.

Wayne Bennett has issued a hands-off edict to rival clubs attempting to poach Cody Walker and pledged to stop the star Souths pivot re-uniting with his former coach Anthony Seibold at the Broncos.

As exclusively revealed by The Courier-Mail, the in-form Walker is a man in demand with the Broncos among seven NRL clubs to have expressed interest in the South Sydney sensation.

Walker is contracted to Souths until the end of 2020, meaning rival NRL outfits can begin from talks from November 1 this year to secure the five-eighth maestro for the 2021 season.

Cody Walker is bvery much on the Brisbane Broncos’ raider. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Broncos coach Seibold is a huge fan of Walker after their superb top-four campaign at Souths last year, but Bennett has vowed to fight tooth-and-nail to keep him, rating the NSW Origin hopeful the future of the Rabbitohs.

“I don’t plan to lose Cody,” Bennett said.

“Cody Walker is a priority player to retain at this club.

“He will command a lot on the open market, but he’s a quality player and you have to pay good money for a quality player.

“He’s an important part of what we’re doing at South Sydney.”

Coach Wayne Bennett (right) with Cody Walker at a Rabbitohs training. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Bennett, Brisbane’s foundation coach, is wary of the Broncos threat.

The super coach is acutely aware of the pulling power of Queensland’s flagship NRL clubs after Walker went within 24 hours of inking a three-year deal to play under Bennett at the Broncos in 2016.

Since then, Walker has gone to another level and is now among the NRL’s elite playmakers. The 29-year-old is capable of earning $900,000-a-season on the open market, which would represent a major upgrade on his current $600,000 salary.

While he has always respected Walker’s talent, Bennett says he has come to truly appreciate his ability working with the pivot at Redfern and says the Casino product is almost irreplaceable.

Walker was at his very best against the Broncos. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“Cody is a very talented player believe me. I am surprised at just how good he is,” Bennett said.

“Just his decision making and his skill level, it’s very high.

“There’s a lot of players we can build our side around, the seven (Adam Reynolds) is playing well too.

“The club would never want to lose Cody, you just can’t replace players like him. It’s like Greg Inglis, you don’t replace those players.

“We tried to get him to the Broncos three years ago, I had a couple of meetings with him and we were pretty close.”

Walker in action for the Gold Coast Titans U20s.

Bennett has been reluctant to talk up Walker for the NSW Origin side but said a Blues debut would be fitting reward for his superb form over the past 18 months.

“If he got picked I’d be really pleased for him,” he said. “But NSW have so many players to pick from, they could give us (the Maroons) a couple of guys with our injuries for Queensland.”

Walker admits he is blown away by his NRL success after almost losing his career in his mid-20s.

“I probably didn’t have the work ethic in my younger days,” he said.

“I didn’t have the best reputation coming out of the under-20s, but the years playing Queensland Cup helped me mature and made me a better player.

“When you go through some setbacks here and there, you have the thought process that you want to give the game away.

“But when you have a dream to play NRL, you don’t want to give up on it.”