South Sydney is putting together a signing package that club officials are hoping will convince Wayne Bennett to not only stay beyond his 2027 contract expiry but will mean he ends his illustrious career at Heffron Park.
Bennett is just seven months into his three-year deal with the Rabbitohs, but the club is very eager to make sure the supercoach sees out his long and tenured career in Redfern.
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That aligns with Bennett’s ambitions to coach on beyond 2027, when his current South Sydney contract expires. Whether that is at the Rabbitohs or whether he wants to chase another challenge — his leading the PNG expansion team in 2028 has been mooted already — before he hangs up the clipboard is the big question.
Either way, Souths are going to wait until the 2025 NRL season ends before they start talks.
This year’s results won’t impact anything either; Rabbitohs brass understand injuries have derailed plans. “Wayne and our staff have done a tremendous job in difficult circumstances this season,” South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said.
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Solly continued: “We can also understand why Peter V’landys and the commission are keen to have Wayne involved in the new club out of Port Moresby. We will sit down with Wayne at the end of the season and talk extending.
“Hopefully, he wants to continue coaching in the NRL beyond that point… and with the Rabbitohs.”
For Bennett, everything boils down to seeing out his original Bunnies commitments before anything else. Beyond that 2027 mark, nothing is decided yet — and he certainly didn’t give anything away when speaking to the NRL media on the topic a little earlier this week.
“Yes, we’ve talked about [the PNG team],” Bennett told News Corp on Monday.“We’ll just see where I am in a couple of years. I will see where I’m at and where PNG is at. I’ve got to sort myself out. I have great respect for Peter V’landys, and I’ll help the game out if I can, but I’m not going to do anything right now.”
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“I’m still contracted for a few years here at Souths,” the supercoach then pointed out, speaking on his deal through to 2027, “so I’ve got to do my time here and we’ll see what happens.”
