Coaching talks for Benny and Jets

WAYNE Bennett has held secret talks with the Brisbane Jets as the super coach plots his future beyond his quest to deliver a premiership to South Sydney.

Bennett met with officials from the NRL’S prospective 17th team, the Ipswich-based Jets, in the lead-up to Friday night’s grand-final qualifier between Souths and Manly at Suncorp Stadium.

The meeting, held on Saturday at South Sydney’s hotel on the Gold Coast, was instigated by the Jets, who outlined their vision to bring Bennett back to the Ipswich region where he launched his coaching career.

The ARL Commission held a board meeting on Thursday and it is understood League Central’s analysis of expansion suggests the T e l s t r a Premiership is ready for a second Brisbane team for the 2023 season.

That scenario would perfectly set the scene for Bennett (pictured) to return to Queensland and spearhead a new second Brisbane franchise, taking on the Broncos club that sacked him in 2018.

Bennett’s unwavering focus is steering Souths to the 2021 premiership, including Friday night’s Sea Eagles suddendeath showdown, but that hasn’t stopped the Jets ramping up plans to snare the NRL’S greatest coach.

Jets bid chief Nick Livermore confirmed the meeting with Bennett, the Souths coach’s third catch-up with the western-corridor bid following their first round of talks in February.

“We believe Wayne is the perfect fit for our franchise,” Livermore said. “I know the other two bids (Dolphins and Firehawks) will be looking to sign Wayne but he started his coaching career at Ipswich and has ties to the western corridor. It was an informal chat. We totally respect the fact Wayne has more important matters on his mind. He has two more games to try and win a premiership and we don’t want to distract him from winning the title at Souths.”