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Solly confirms Souths interest in Bennett

Pplspoet said:
It’s only a year, he’s already on the books, and I’m starting to think we have too many cooks already (no pun intended).

Across the game the hooker has become a blue collar position in the spine. I’d suggest our next one after Cook falls more in line with that.

Keep the middle tight, drive line speed, take defensive pressure off the bigger bodies. That’s good value and something Cook can accomplish even if he is a little older.
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Its another year wasted though.

I am not saying we need a blue chip hooker but if we intend to just use Cook as a worker and interchange him with Mamo then it isnt really good value for money for someone on 700K plus.

We would be better off releasing him if possible, using Mamo (or someone cheaper) as our dummy half and invest those funds into a decent middle, edge or big bodied winger who can do 150-200m a game.
 
brendan299 said:
Its another year wasted though.

I am not saying we need a blue chip hooker but if we intend to just use Cook as a worker and interchange him with Mamo then it isnt really good value for money for someone on 700K plus.

We would be better off releasing him if possible, using Mamo (or someone cheaper) as our dummy half and invest those funds into a decent middle, edge or big bodied winger who can do 150-200m a game.
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You’re paying for the cover and insurance as well.

And again, that is a very important value a worker version of Cook would provide. And we don’t know what he’s on in the final year of his contract. So worrying about money is futile. He’s contracted, unless they talk about punting him early, he’s here, so how does he best serve the team?

Mamouzelos is a question mark. As would any value buy be. Cook is a known quantity that is bankable in a good environment.

His role next year is to hedge your bets if Mamouzelos isn’t the guy moving forward (in which case you make a big purchase in 2026). Get Cook to empty the tank and not get in the way.

He’s always talked about leaving the place in a better state than you arrived, he’s got 18 months to back his words up with action.
 
All the rumours about announcement timing, wasn’t Solly supposedly quoted as saying it’ll be a Magic Round meeting to finalise details? Save getting Wayne or them to travel for a meet amongst their existing commitments?

That would mean news after round 11.
 
I’d take Stone. Maybe Niu too - he is pretty inconsistent but he at least he has some speed and athleticism to go with that unlike some others we currently contract.
 
I'd be happier with Wayne on a 5 year deal rather than a 3 year deal.

It gives Sam 3 more years overseas, then enough time to come back for the last 2 years of Wayne's deal and get back into gear for a hand over.
 
Bully said:
I’d take Stone. Maybe Niu too - he is pretty inconsistent but he at least he has some speed and athleticism to go with that unlike some others we currently contract.
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Yeah. You’d love to upgrade a depth piece like Milne with Niu.
 
Cody or Milford ..... we need a quality half as a backup if reasonable priced , especially if Ilias goes. they can be , 14, and put pressure on the likes of Walker who should not be guaranteed a place in 2025.
 
www.foxsports.com.au

Wayne’s $3m Souths deal ‘verbally done’ ... but he’s ‘loving every second’ of playing mind games

Wayne’s $3m Souths deal ‘verbally done’ ... but he’s ‘loving every second’ of playing mind games
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au

Wayne Bennett is “holding all the aces” amid his potential return to the Rabbitohs which is been “verbally agreed” with powerful owner Russell Crowe.

That is according to Fox League’s James Hooper who revealed Crowe had already spoken to the master coach and offered him a three-year deal.

Bennett, in typical fashion, delivered in a trademark press conference on Wednesday, dancing around questions from journalists regarding his future.

The only place to watch every game of every round LIVE with no ad-breaks during play is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

“He’s literally loving life because he’s holding all the aces,” Hooper said on NRL360.

“The deal has already been done, the deal has been done verbally with Russell Crowe over the telephone. He will be at South Sydney next year.

“I think it will be a three-year deal when it is finally rubber stamped and made official, I think it will be a million dollars at least per-season, if not more.

“What the Rabbitohs really want is Wayne to continue beyond that, they want Wayne to continue coaching until he’s 79, possibly even 80.

“Which would mean that he’s coached way over 1000 games.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis agreed and explained Bennett is currently playing games with the media, knowing full well his next move.

“He’s loving it, loving the theatre, he’s loving being in demand. He’s loving the people working in the shadows on his behalf,” Carayannis said.

“Reaching out to other clubs and the like. I think this is all set up for Wayne and he’s enjoying every second of it.”

Bennett is currently in the midst of a successful tenure at the Dolphins, with the NRL’s newest club currently sitting in fourth after nine rounds.

Carayannis believes that decision has come back to bite the Redcliffe-based club.

“Even if the Dolphins had their time again, why do we have to put a time limit on Wayne’s time at a club,” he said.

“Don’t worry about a succession plan just yet, lock him in for three years and then reassess, why usher him out the door?

“They’ve been spooked by his age and they didn’t want to be left at the altar.”

So what’s changed at the Rabbitohs between now and when he last departed, leaving Jason Demetriou in charge?

“The change is the contingency and the succession plan didn’t work, I don’t think it’s a fault of Wayne’s but I feel sorry for the assistant coaches who cut their teeth under him,” Hooper said.

“Then have the enormous job of taking over when he leaves, because he’s got such a massive, commanding aura and so many runs on the board, it’s not an easy assignment.

“There were different people in charge at the time, Shane Richardson, he was the one that rubber stamped the blueprint over three years. That didn’t work.”

Rugby league legend James Graham echoed Hooper’s opinion of Bennett’s “aura” but believed it’s going to be a tougher job this time around.

“He has such an ability to get the best out of players,” Graham said.

“Sometimes it’s the right message with the wrong messenger when it comes to coaching. Every coach delivers strong messages to their playing group.

“But when Wayne delivers that message, you stand up to attention and you go and deliver.

“He’s a person that, because of his standing in the game, you cannot afford to let him down.

“That’s where Wayne’s magic is, going to South Sydney this time around it’s very different... he’s got a lot of work to do.”

Bennett is known for making changes to a squad when he arrives at the club and Hooper revealed Damien Cook, Jacob Host, Michael Chee Kam and Siliva Havili could be on the chopping block.

He also signalled a potential recruitment move he could make, taking one of the Dolphins’ best players back to Sydney.

“None of them are on big money. I find the Jeremy Marshall-King situation very interesting, the Dolphins have put a fresh offer to him and he’s signed until the end of 2025,” he said.

“I just wonder if Wayne would try and manufacture some sort of swap between Damien Cook and Marshall-King.”
 
Phil said:
www.foxsports.com.au

Wayne’s $3m Souths deal ‘verbally done’ ... but he’s ‘loving every second’ of playing mind games

Wayne’s $3m Souths deal ‘verbally done’ ... but he’s ‘loving every second’ of playing mind games
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au

Wayne Bennett is “holding all the aces” amid his potential return to the Rabbitohs which is been “verbally agreed” with powerful owner Russell Crowe.

That is according to Fox League’s James Hooper who revealed Crowe had already spoken to the master coach and offered him a three-year deal.

Bennett, in typical fashion, delivered in a trademark press conference on Wednesday, dancing around questions from journalists regarding his future.

The only place to watch every game of every round LIVE with no ad-breaks during play is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

“He’s literally loving life because he’s holding all the aces,” Hooper said on NRL360.

“The deal has already been done, the deal has been done verbally with Russell Crowe over the telephone. He will be at South Sydney next year.

“I think it will be a three-year deal when it is finally rubber stamped and made official, I think it will be a million dollars at least per-season, if not more.

“What the Rabbitohs really want is Wayne to continue beyond that, they want Wayne to continue coaching until he’s 79, possibly even 80.

“Which would mean that he’s coached way over 1000 games.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis agreed and explained Bennett is currently playing games with the media, knowing full well his next move.

“He’s loving it, loving the theatre, he’s loving being in demand. He’s loving the people working in the shadows on his behalf,” Carayannis said.

“Reaching out to other clubs and the like. I think this is all set up for Wayne and he’s enjoying every second of it.”

Bennett is currently in the midst of a successful tenure at the Dolphins, with the NRL’s newest club currently sitting in fourth after nine rounds.

Carayannis believes that decision has come back to bite the Redcliffe-based club.

“Even if the Dolphins had their time again, why do we have to put a time limit on Wayne’s time at a club,” he said.

“Don’t worry about a succession plan just yet, lock him in for three years and then reassess, why usher him out the door?

“They’ve been spooked by his age and they didn’t want to be left at the altar.”

So what’s changed at the Rabbitohs between now and when he last departed, leaving Jason Demetriou in charge?

“The change is the contingency and the succession plan didn’t work, I don’t think it’s a fault of Wayne’s but I feel sorry for the assistant coaches who cut their teeth under him,” Hooper said.

“Then have the enormous job of taking over when he leaves, because he’s got such a massive, commanding aura and so many runs on the board, it’s not an easy assignment.

“There were different people in charge at the time, Shane Richardson, he was the one that rubber stamped the blueprint over three years. That didn’t work.”

Rugby league legend James Graham echoed Hooper’s opinion of Bennett’s “aura” but believed it’s going to be a tougher job this time around.

“He has such an ability to get the best out of players,” Graham said.

“Sometimes it’s the right message with the wrong messenger when it comes to coaching. Every coach delivers strong messages to their playing group.

“But when Wayne delivers that message, you stand up to attention and you go and deliver.

“He’s a person that, because of his standing in the game, you cannot afford to let him down.

“That’s where Wayne’s magic is, going to South Sydney this time around it’s very different... he’s got a lot of work to do.”

Bennett is known for making changes to a squad when he arrives at the club and Hooper revealed Damien Cook, Jacob Host, Michael Chee Kam and Siliva Havili could be on the chopping block.

He also signalled a potential recruitment move he could make, taking one of the Dolphins’ best players back to Sydney.

“None of them are on big money. I find the Jeremy Marshall-King situation very interesting, the Dolphins have put a fresh offer to him and he’s signed until the end of 2025,” he said.

“I just wonder if Wayne would try and manufacture some sort of swap between Damien Cook and Marshall-King.”
Click to expand...
It's quite incredible how Hooper has tapped Russell or Wayne's phone. He must be a super spy or something finding that perfect opportunity to get that tap in with Rusty being in and out of the country and Wayne probably rarely using his. Baldy should audition for the next James Bond film. 😆
 
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