NRL 2022: Wayne Bennett denies Dolphins have signed Sean O’Sullivan from Penrith Panthers

Wayne Bennett has broken his silence on speculation the Dolphins have finally landed another playmaker, after missing out on Knights’ star Kalyn Ponga.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett says he hasn’t signed Sean O’Sullivan but has left the door ajar for the Panthers playmaker to potentially link with the expansion newcomers next season.

Dolphins hierarchy were buffeted by reports the NRL’s 17th team had secured the off-contract Panther, the son of the new franchise’s recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan, to a two-year deal.

The Dolphins have already poached one playmaker from the premiers, having snared boom halfback Isaiya Katoa, rated the best young player in Penrith’s system.

But Bennett has broken his silence on the O’Sullivan rumours, saying the Dolphins have not had talks with the 23-year-old at this stage, but admits he is open to possibly signing the former Broncos playmaker for their foundation season in 2023.

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Wayne Bennett says the Dolphins have not signed Sean O’Sullivan, but has opened the door for the playmaker to join the expansion side. Picture: Getty Images.

“I’m not going to lie about this - we haven’t signed Sean O’Sullivan,” Bennett said.

“We haven’t spoken to him, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t consider Sean down the track.

“I know who’s off-contract in the NRL and O’Sullivan is off-contract and he’s a player we may well want to talk to, but as of today, there’s been no conversations, no approach, nor have we tabled an offer.”

O’Sullivan’s stocks rose at the start of the season after he piloted Penrith to three consecutive wins while first-choice halfback Nathan Cleary was sidelined with injury.

The left-footer has played for four NRL clubs - the Roosters, Broncos, Warriors and Penrith - and could bolster the Dolphins’ playmaking stocks at the right price.

However, the optics of the Dolphins signing O’Sullivan may well be a consideration given that the 24-game playmaker has family ties to the recruitment boss of the NRL’s 17th team.

Bennett says he himself would broker a deal with O’Sullivan if he was interested in joining the Dolphins Picture: Steve Pohlner.

Bennett insists if O’Sullivan eventually did join the Dolphins, the super coach would broker the deal himself.

“If he signs it will be my call in conjunction with Terry Reader (Dolphins CEO),” Bennett said.

“His father (Peter O’Sullivan) won’t be allowed to be involved. I won’t have that.

“I don’t know where we are going yet with our depth in the halves.

“Sean has shown at Penrith how useful he can be, he did a good job filling in for Cleary, but we don’t know which playmakers we will have on our books.

“A lot will depend on whether we can get guys like Cameron Munster and Anthony Milford.

“We won’t be jumping at shadows now, we have to stay patient with our recruitment because there’s still another six months to go (before the Dolphins’ first pre-season) and a lot of football to be played.

“We already have one halfback in young Katoa, but he’s only 18 and we will need more experienced guys to support him.”

The Dolphins are desperate for some big signings after missing out on yet another star in Kalyn Ponga. Picture: Getty Images.

REVEALED: THE PLAYER WAYNE WISHES HE COULD SIGN

—Travis Meyn, Peter Badel

Wayne Bennett would sign Tevita Pangai Jr “in a heartbeat” as the Bulldogs firebrand was tipped to explode in his first appearance at Suncorp Stadium since being shown the door by the Brisbane Broncos.

Pangai will lead Covid-ravaged Canterbury’s forward pack into Friday night’s battle of the cellar dwellers in Brisbane.

The bottom-of-the-ladder Bulldogs have been gutted by at least four positive Covid cases this week and have 12 players unavailable for selection.

But one player set to run out at his old stomping ground is Pangai.

Pangai, 26, was punted by the Broncos midway through last season as part of coach Kevin Walters’ Red Hill revolution after 96 games for the club.

He spent the back end of the year with eventual premiers Penrith, making an impressive six-game cameo for the Panthers before missing their grand final triumph with injury.

Tevita Pangai Jr is in his first season with the Bulldogs, but is back in Brisbane to take on the Broncos in Round 7.

Pangai was fired up when Canterbury hosted the Broncos in Sydney in round 2 and he is expected to come out all guns blazing in his return to Suncorp.

“Some of the things Tevita can do in terms of talent is scary,” said Pangai’s mentor and Broncos great Corey Parker.

“His form for Penrith was outstanding. I honestly believe he helped get Penrith to a grand final with his performance in the preliminary final against the Storm.

“I was in my last year at the Broncos when Tevita arrived and I was impressed by his talent.

“Tevita can be a complex character, no doubt. He has to put his own hand up for some of the mistakes he made at the Broncos and I believe he has owned his time at Brisbane.

“He has done some good things since joining the Dogs and he will be primed for a big one coming back to Suncorp this week.”

Pangai had a colourful six years at Red Hill after leaving Canberra to be coached by seven-time premiership-winner Bennett at the Broncos.

Tevita Pangai Junior came to the Broncos because of Wayne Bennett. Picture: AAP.

The Tongan torpedo quickly became one of the NRL’s most exciting forwards, with his brute strength and tackle-busting ability making him an explosive prospect.

But it seemed like for every moment of brilliance there was a moment of madness from Pangai, who was suspended multiple times for on-field ill-discipline.

Off the field, Pangai’s disdain for Covid rules saw him stood down for the back end of the 2020 season and the Broncos eventually had enough last year, giving him permission to leave the club.

He secured a three-year contract with the Bulldogs from 2022 and was immediately released to end the 2021 season with Penrith, where he was unlucky not to win a maiden NRL premiership.

Bennett said Pangai was misunderstood and he would sign him at expansion club the Dolphins if he was available.

Pangai had a short stint with Penrith last year, before signing a big money deal at the Bulldogs. Picture: Brad Fleet.

“I have a lot of time for Tevita. He was no trouble for me. I knew how to handle Tevita,” Bennett said.

“If he was on the open market tomorrow, I would sign him in a heartbeat for the Dolphins. He was one of the guys I really enjoyed coaching at the Broncos.

“He actually came to the Broncos because of me. He was at Canberra at the time and he called me up and said he wanted to be coached by me. He played some excellent games for me at the Broncos.

“I remember one game where he took the Roosters apart by himself and won the game for the Broncos. He dominated Jason Taumalolo one night when the Broncos beat the Cowboys.

“I saw him as a kid playing at Newcastle and I thought ‘I would love to coach that kid one day’. He just has skills that can’t be coached. He has God-given talent.

“It always comes back to being coached at the right club. The system can make you into a better player, but you also need to have the desire.”

Pangai was rocks or diamonds during six seasons with the Broncos, but has impressed in his start at the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images.

For all his talent, the Broncos felt Pangai was a destabilising force in the dressing room, prompting the club to sever ties with him last year.

His form for the battling Bulldogs has been erratic, but Parker believes Pangai can reach his potential with the right support.

“What do they mean when people suggest Tevita is destabilising? Is he someone who is troublesome or actually asks questions and challenges people to be better?” he said.

“Tevita reminds me of David Fifita. If they were racehorses and you walked them around the sale yard, you would buy them in a heartbeat.

“But a guy like Tevita needs to micromanaged, especially if a club doesn’t have a strong senior playing group. If you put Fifita or Tevita at the Storm or the Roosters, do you believe they would be hard to handle?

“Look at Tevita when he joined Penrith for the last few months of the season. The Panthers had a strong leadership group and they demanded excellence in the areas that needed to be micromanaged. Tevita didn’t get away with bullshit at Penrith and he played accordingly.”

Pangai’s return to Suncorp will coincide with Broncos prop Payne Haas’ return to the team following a one-game ban for his scuffle with teammate Albert Kelly.

That sets up a mouth-watering battle in the midfield and Walters said Brisbane’s forwards had to stand up to Pangai.

“He is certainly dangerous,” he said.

“He is a talented player and he is one guy who has come up in our videos through the week, so we have to make sure we do a good job on him.

“He is a very explosive player. He was good against us in round 2, he will be pumped up for a good game, but we have to combat him with our forwards.”