Souths land Bennett on twoyear deal
SYDNEY: South Sydney has confirmed the biggestname coach signing in the club’s 110year history, landing
Wayne Bennett in a move that is expected to end with Anthony Seibold joining Brisbane.
The Rabbitohs yesterday afternoon became the next club to move in the biggest coaching upheaval in NRL history, announcing Bennett would join the club from 2020.
After growing tired of waiting for incumbent Seibold to accept a contract that had been on the table since June, Souths pounced on Bennett who had been told by the Broncos he was not wanted in Brisbane after 2019.
That is set to leave Seibold free to join the Broncos at the end of next year, as he continues to remain favourite to replace Bennett.
‘‘Wayne is one of the best, if the not the best, rugby league coaches of all time and we are excited to see what he can bring to our club,’’ Souths head of football Shane Richardson said.
‘‘His football record is second to none and his reputation as a leader is also of the highest order.
‘‘Anthony [Seibold] has done a great job at our club over the past two years. However, his hesitance to extend his contract with us, an offer which has been on the table since June, led the club to explore other options.’’
At this stage, the Rabbitohs are adamant the deal is for the end of next season, although it remains to be seen if both coaches and clubs will want to wait that long.
Either outfit can claim to be the winner of the possible deals.
Bennett is the only man to have won 500 games from the coach’s box and has seven titles to his name.
The 68yearold already has a close relationship with the Burgess brothers through his time with England, and will have all the resources he will require at the Rabbitohs.
‘‘I’m truly humbled by the opportunity to coach the South Sydney Rabbitohs,’’ Bennett said.
‘‘Souths is one of the iconic clubs in the game. I didn’t think I would get this opportunity, but that opportunity has now come for 2020 and 2021.’’
While far less established, Brisbane will see Seibold as the man who can take the club forward in the long term after being turned down earlier this year by Craig Bellamy.
He won the Dally M coach of the year in 2018, after taking the Rabbitohs from stragglers to NRL preliminary finalists in his first year in charge. —