Bennett call led to job at Souths
SHANE Richardson’s phone rang two weeks ago.
On the other end was Wayne Bennett. The Broncos coach knew South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold was firming as his replacement and wanted to gauge Richardson’s interest in finally uniting, having missed out on working together twice before, first in 2012 when he chose Newcastle and then in 2014.
For months discussions to extend Seibold’s contract had dragged on. The deal with Bennett was closed within weeks.
The Rabbitohs tried as early as June to lock down Seibold, who by that stage was just 15 games into his head coaching career. Seibold wanted to put off negotiations until the end of the season because he didn’t want any distractions as he tried to join a rare group of coaches to win a premiership in their first year in charge.
South Sydney happily obliged, but the rumour mill moved into overdrive that Seibold was being groomed as a potential replacement for Bennett. By August, the talk of Seibold joining Brisbane grew so loud that Seibold had to deny any approach from the Broncos to Souths officials.
Negotiations between South Sydney and Seibold recommenced after the grand final.
The offer was financially rewarding, too. It was almost double the salary he earned this year, with an upgrade for his contracted 2019 season.
Enter Bennett. While Seibold sat on the Rabbitohs offer, Richardson turned his attention to Bennett as the South Sydney general manager of football holidayed in Fiji.
“Souths were happy to take me from 2020 on,” Bennett said. “It’s my intention to fulfil (my contract) unless I’m told otherwise. It doesn’t change anything for me. That’s my position. If the Broncos have another position on that they will have to address that.
“It came about because Anthony was in discussion with the Broncos. I was told I wasn’t required any more. Souths were feeling vulnerable and realised they were probably going to lose their coach.
“It’s not my prerogative to think if it will or won’t work (coaching Brisbane in 2019).”
While the relationship between Bennett and the Broncos management is toxic, the same strain is not evident with Seibold and South Sydney.
If Bennett moves to the Rabbitohs in 2019, it is possible Jason Demetriou – who has been overlooked for Bennett’s post in Brisbane – will follow Bennett to the Rabbitohs and provide South Sydney with a potential succession plan for the post-Bennett era.