NRL 2024: Wayne Bennett refuses to rule out coaching next NRL expansion club amid Rabbitohs return rumours

While Wayne Bennett is odds-on to coach South Sydney next year, the seven-time premiership legend has refused to rule out heading up the NRL’s next expansion club.

Wayne Bennett and Kristian Woolf. Picture: NRL

Wayne Bennett has refused to rule out heading up the NRL’s next expansion team despite ramping up talks with South Sydney ahead of his expected return to Redfern.

Bennett will lead the Dolphins into Thursday night’s showdown with Manly at Suncorp Stadium where the NRL’s youngest club will look to retain its top four spot after 10 rounds.

The Dolphins have been one of the surprise packets of the 2024 Premiership, jumping out to a 5-3 record in Bennett’s final season in charge.

The seven-time premiership coach is in negotiations with South Sydney to replace sacked coach Jason Demetriou from next season, returning to the Rabbitohs club he coached to the 2021 grand final.

If Bennett signs a two or three-year contract with Souths, it could conflict with his aspirations to coach the NRL’s 18th club.

A Papua New Guinea franchise is the frontrunner to secure the competition’s next licence and has been mooted for a 2027 launch. A team based in Perth has also been mooted as a potential option.

Wayne Bennett hasn’t ruled out a Rabbitohs return or a new venture with the next NRL expansion side. Picture: NRL

Bennett, 74, would be the frontrunner to head up the next expansion club and said that was still a chance even if he was in charge of the Rabbitohs.

“Don’t write me out of anything,” he said.

“Just let it all unfold and see where it goes and we will see where the expansion team comes in and what year it comes in. They are in the future, not the present.

“We don’t know when the next expansion is coming. Why don’t we wait until it happens?”

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has such a high opinion of Bennett he insisted to bid teams that the Broncos’ foundation coach be in charge of the 17th franchise, which proved to be the case with the Dolphins.

At this stage, V’landys is believed to be leaning towards Bennett once again overseeing the introduction of the next NRL club.

The Australian Government-backed PNG bid is the leading contender, but Bennett said it would take years to organise before entering the NRL.

“I don’t think there is any doubt about that (being the favourite),” he said.

“It is not a project that they are going to put together in six months. It will be a two or three-year project when they make the decision.

“I have never spoken to Perth about doing anything with them but I believe Perth should be one of the expansion teams. They are very rugby league aware now and have had a lot of teams over there and Origin games.

Wayne Bennett agrees that PNG are a leading contender for an NRL expansion club but is also in favour of a Perth expansion. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“A lot of people move to Perth from all over the world but certainly there are a lot of Australians, English people and New Zealanders who know about rugby league

“It is a huge area of income. They have got some of the biggest companies in Australia in Perth and Western Australia. It all makes a bit of sense and they have got great facilities.

“We will have 20 teams in the next decade in the competition. Australia is getting bigger every day. That is how it works.”

In the meantime, Bennett will welcome back star signing Herbie Farnworth (shoulder) for the Sea Eagles clash.

Despite a solid start to the season, the Dolphins’ form at Suncorp Stadium has been poor.

They have lost games to the Cowboys, Broncos and Knights, only beating the Tigers at their main home ground.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Wayne Bennett refuses to rule out coaching next NRL expansion club amid Rabbitohs return rumours