‘We wouldn’t’: NRL responds to bombshell Wayne Bennett rumour

The NRL has responded to suggestions Wayne Bennett is the preferred option to coach PNG in 2028.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo says no formal offer has been made to Wayne Bennett about potentially coaching the new Papua New Guinea franchise when it enters the competition in 2028, with the master coach under contract at Souths until the end of 2027.

Bennett confirmed on Tuesday that the Australian Rugby League Commission had approached him about the PNG role, but he indicated he was in no rush to decide anything.

The veteran is a logical choice given what he was able to do with the Broncos and Dolphins when they joined the competition, but both parties need to tread carefully given he has another two seasons to run on his Souths deal.

Andrew Abdo discussed Wayne Bennett and the PNG job at the launch of the Beanie for Brain Cancer Round in Sydney. Picture: Julian Andrews.

“We wouldn’t (ask him to break the Souths contract),” Abdo said at the launch of Beanie for Brain Cancer Round at Allianz Stadium.

“There are lots of discussions happening and mainly those discussions are happening around the boardroom table, and the commission, thinking about getting the right people involved.

“No offers have been made, no formal negotiations have even started. That’s a matter for down the track.

“There are a few things that need to happen first. It’s great that people are interested. (But) any mention of names at the moment is pure speculation, there haven’t been any decisions made and certainly no formal offers made.”

Abdo was in PNG on Tuesday to announce the new board as the game scouts places for a centre of excellence and the team village.

Recruitment is something they’ll need to consider down the track as well, with PNG international Alex Johnston likely to be a target.

Johnston has other things to worry about, with the try-scoring machine just six away from tying Ken Irvine’s incredible haul of 212 tries that many people thought would never be broken.

Alex Johnston is closing in on Ken Irvine’s try-scoring record. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“What a phenomenal record that we are talking about here that is fast approaching,” Abdo said after Johnston scored four tries against the Storm on Saturday.

“Alex Johnston is just a try-scoring machine and in the modern game, for him to be amassing the amount of tries he’s amassed, that we’re even talking about approaching this record that we thought no one would beat, is simply phenomenal.”

The big question is how the game will celebrate his record-breaking achievement, with Abdo hinting that we won’t see a repeat of the incredible scenes at the SCG when fans stormed the field to celebrate Lance Franklin joining the 1000-goal club.

“You’re not going to like my answer because my answer is that we have to do something that is safe and responsible,” he said.

“Let me take a step back and just say it’s incredible that we’re talking about this. It’s a phenomenal achievement, 206 tries in itself is just simply phenomenal.

It’s unlikely that fans will be allowed to run onto the field when Johnston breaks the record. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“If Alex goes on to beat Ken Irvine’s record, that is a moment that the game will stand still and really acknowledge and respect. How that happens, and how we facilitate that happening is something we will work on.

“We will work with South Sydney, we’ll look at the unique circumstances of what game that is, what game that might be. It’s not something you can script or even plan for.

“The way Alex goes, he could score all of those tries in one game, the next game.

“There’s an element that will happen organically. Regardless of what happens post-match, it has to be done safely and we need to think responsibly around the player and the public and the fan safety as well.

“Ultimately, there will be multiple ways we can celebrate this.”