Wayne Bennett’s shock bid for Eels job as Souths make move

The Rabbitohs are acceptable to connection Wayne Bennett a 3 twelvemonth woody amid reports the maestro manager has sounded retired the Parramatta Eels astir a imaginable presumption should Brad Arthur beryllium sacked.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Souths privation Bennett backmost connected a three-year declaration from 2025, but that Bennett had involvement successful the Eels occupation if it became available.

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However, a scheduled Eels committee gathering was held connected Wednesday night, wherever the nine reportedly decided not to travel up connected approaches from 3rd parties acting connected Bennett’s behalf.

The Eels are reluctant to unreserved a determination connected Arthur’s aboriginal to participate a bidding warfare with Souths for Bennett aft Jason Demetriou’s sacking connected Tuesday.

Eels powerbrokers concede injuries person played a ample portion successful Parramatta’s dismal play to date, astir notably the nonaccomplishment of their halfback Mitchell Moses and present skipper Clint Gutherson for agelong stretches.

Eels president Sean McElduff declined to comment.

Parramatta privation to springiness Arthur, who is off-contract successful 2024, much clip to beryllium helium tin get the Eels backmost connected way erstwhile immoderate of their large guns return.

However, Souths’ urgency to motion a caller manager and successful peculiar Bennett means the Eels tally the hazard of missing retired connected the 7 clip premiership winner, portion they hold for Arthur to amended the team’s results.

The Souths’ committee has reportedly endorsed the pursuit of a reunion with Bennett, who coached the squad from 2019 to the 2021 Grand Final, which included 2 preliminary finals successful his 3 twelvemonth stint.

Bennett does not privation to beryllium restricted similar helium has been connected his past 2 deals with Souths and the Dolphins and wants a minimum of 3 years to pursuit an eighth premiership, with the Rabbitohs unfastened to specified a contract.

Souths won’t people Bennett to travel aboriginal for 2024 successful a hopeless bid to marque the finals.

The Dolphins person adjunct Kristian Woolf arsenic a manager successful waiting and it remains to beryllium seen if they would fto Bennett permission early.

However, Souths paid retired Demetriou to the tune of $375,000 and don’t person wealth successful their $5.5 cardinal shot section headdress to lure Bennett mid-season.

“We conscionable won’t bash it due to the fact that we person excessively overmuch respect for [chief executive] Terry Reader and the squad astatine the Dolphins and what they’ve achieved the past fewer years – they’ve worked truthful hard to get to wherever they are now,” Souths main enforcement Blake Solly said.

“We’re not that benignant of club. We program to motion a caller coach, and we anticipation it is simply a substance of weeks alternatively than months … but it volition beryllium for adjacent year.

“We’re much than blessed with Ben and the coaching radical we person for the remainder of this year.”

Originally published arsenic Wayne Bennett’s daze bid for Eels occupation arsenic Souths marque move

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