Souths let Bennett know who is boss

WAYNE Bennett’s reign as the big boss is over with Souths hierarchy instructing the Broncos super coach to adhere to ‘ The Rabbitoh Way’ if he wants to succeed at Redfern.

The Townsville Bulletin can today reveal the inside story on Bennett’s signing with Souths, which was so secretive it was brokered at an airport without the knowledge of Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe.

Crowe spoke to Bennett just once – a congratulatory phone call from New York 24 hours before the 68- year- old was formally unveiled last Thursday as South Sydney’s coach from 2020.

While Hollywood megastar Crowe and Souths bosses are delighted to have Bennett on board, the NRL’s greatest coach is under no illusions about the decision- making structure at Redfern.

At the Broncos, Bennett had the final say on hiring and firing players and enjoyed enormous clout, but at the Rabbitohs, the veteran coach will have a clearly defined role.

“Wayne will only have to worry about coaching,” Souths boss Shane Richardson said.

“The Rabbitoh Way is not for one coach to come in and change the whole club.

“If that happens, a club can be destroyed by a coach leaving. We have an outstanding board that allows me to do my job and from my discussions Wayne is happy to come in and just be the coach, just as ‘ Seibs’ ( Seibold) was.

“Wayne will coach and select the side, but the recruitment and the other decisions, we will run the club as we run it now.”