Wayne Bennett is unsure if expensive English recruit Lewis Dodd will see out the remainder of his lucrative deal at South Sydney as the coach prepares to ban any interviews with Triple M following an offensive radio segment.
In the lead-up to Friday night’s clash with Bennett’s former club Brisbane, Triple M’s local breakfast team of Greg Martin, a former Wallabies’ fullback, Dan Anstey and Margaux Parker, the wife of Broncos legend Corey Parker, recorded a skit this week that referenced Bennett’s ex-wife, Trish, and his current partner, Dale.
The trio pulled a snippet from Bennett’s press conference last week, when he said, “I knew someone would ask that question”, and played it each time they asked a random question, including one about Dale’s “boobs”, and why he had left Trish.
Bennett would not comment on the matter when asked by this masthead on Thursday.
Triple M, whose breakfast show issued an on-air apology – and apologised to Bennett personally – have been approached for comment. Triple M is an official broadcaster of the NRL.
Souths and Bennett are desperate to fight their way off the bottom of the NRL ladder, and will try to upset the Broncos in their backyard with Dodd recalled to play in the halves at the expense of the suspended Jack Wighton.
Dodd inked a three-year $2m deal that runs until the end of 2027, but has struggled to play regular first grade – and Bennett refused to confirm if the 23-year-old would remain at the club.
Rabbitohs coach Wayne BennettCredit: Getty Images
“That’s a good question, I can’t answer that for you right now,” said Bennett, when asked about Dodd seeing out his deal.
“Lewis has an opportunity Friday night to play again and show us what he can do and can’t do. Let’s wait and see how that goes.
“He’s got an opportunity to play, he hasn’t had that all year, he started last week, he’s starting this week, we’ll all be smarter in a couple of weeks time.”
When told about Bennett’s comments, Dodd said shortly afterwards: “I’m here for three years, and that’s the plan.
“I’ve got a chance now, we’ll see where that will take me into the off-season, and the start of next [season].
“It’s not nice seeing your name all the time in the media, and for your family as well, but it’s part of the game.
“I’ve done everything I can to be at a level where I think I can do what’s right for the team, do my job in the team, and not let anyone down. That started last week, and hopefully that will continue to the end of the year.”
English recruit Lewis Dodd
Ashton Ward, a Gerringong junior who was being watched by the town’s greatest league export, Mick Cronin at Heffron Park on Thursday, and Jye Gray were two halves options for Bennett, but he will go with Dodd and Jamie Humphreys.
Wighton was hit with a four-match ban for a shoulder charge that left Cronulla prop Toby Rudolf concussed, with Bennett still at a loss to explain why the NRL had come down so hard on his player, and how he was simply bracing for contact.
Wighton’s suspension also paves the way for Jai Arrow to captain the side – the fifth leader after Cam Murray (achilles), Cody Walker (calf), Latrell Mitchell (quad) and now Wighton (suspension).
Bennett has been in the game 50 years and was stumped by how the match review committee – and judiciary – could find Wighton guilty of a shoulder charge, rather than an innocent head clash.
“I’ve been in football as long as anyone at the moment, and it was never a shoulder charge – in my mind it still isn’t a shoulder charge; I’ve watched the vision time and again … it was a collision,” Bennett said.
“Even if it was a shoulder charge, four weeks for that? The shoulder charge didn’t knock him out. It was the fact they clashed heads.”