Bennett gets his magician
WAYNE Bennett chuckles at the sliding doors moment that has reunited him with Cody Walker at Souths because if the super coach had his way, the five-eighth magician would be in Broncos colours.
Walker will be Souths’ danger man in Friday night’s clash against the Broncos at ANZ Stadium but there was a time when Bennett had plotted to steal the in-form fiveeighth from Redfern and deliver him to Red Hill.
The year was 2016 and Walker, a late bloomer at 26, was in his maiden season of first grade at Souths.
Coaching Brisbane at the time, Bennett took a liking to Walker’s Indigenous “magic”.
So Bennett went for the jugular. Walker flew to Brisbane for a secret meeting with Bennett and Broncos recruitment chief Peter Nolan. They tabled a three-year deal, an extra 12 months than Souths were willing to offer.
Walker flew home convinced he would be a Bronco in 2017. But then Souths boss Shane Richardson upped the ante with a revised offer, ensuring Walker slipped from Bennett’s grasp.
Bennett is eternally grateful the planets have aligned, with his eventual sacking at the Broncos giving him the chance to forge a formidable coach-player alliance with Walker at South Sydney.
“I tried to get him to the Broncos,” Bennett said.
“I went pretty close to getting Cody. He was actually coming until Shane Richardson offered him more money.
“It’s funny how it worked out. I’m now coaching him at Souths, which I never expected.”
Walker’s decision to stay in the red-and-green has been vindicated. Under Bennett at Souths, he has become a NSW Origin pivot and underlined his qualities as a leader with his mesmerising display in last week’s 32-24 defeat of the Dragons.
“We could all see how talented he was, it was just getting all the other stuff together off the field that he struggled with,” Bennett said.
“You meet some special players on your journey that have all the skills and Cody has all the skills.
“The challenge in Cody’s life has to play a leadership role but it is now coming together for him. He is growing. Some get there in a heartbeat, other guys have to work hard to achieve it and Cody has achieved that.”
Richardson is glad Walker resisted the initial urge to play under Bennett at the Broncos.
“The attraction of going to Brisbane under Wayne was huge,” he said. “Right until the last minute, I thought Cody would go to the Broncos, because Wayne has a Svengalitype effect on people and I don’t, so I thought Wayne would get his man.
“Cody was considering going, but he chose to stay.
“Now Wayne is coaching him so in the end Wayne did get the player he wanted, just at the Rabbitohs.”