Wayne Bennett has delivered some stinging home truths to South Sydney’s underperforming roster challenging them to meet his standards or find a new club.
Bennett has wasted no time beginning his second tenure at Souths after flying to Sydney days after the Dolphins’ final game to give his new players a fiery reality check after they finished second last in 2024.
Paul Crawley and Dean Ritchie revealed what was said in Bennett’s address to the Souths players on NRL 360.
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“It was last Wednesday and I think he was pretty blunt with them,” Crawley said on NRL 360.
“I think he basically walked in and gave it to them in no uncertain terms. I think he said many things, including no one fears you anymore.”
“That was the one that stung them,” Ritchie added.
“He questioned their commitment, their speed, their fitness, their work ethic, but the one that stung the players was apparently Bennett saying no club fears you anymore.
“I think that is what really gave a boot up the backside to the players.”
Crawley believes Souths need to look in the mirror and accept where they are at if they want to get back to the top of the NRL mountain.
“They need some home truths,” Crawley said.
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Former Broncos captain under Bennett Gorden Tallis admitted he would have been stung by Bennett’s spray because of the truth in it.
“Yeah, well it’s the truth right,” Tallis said.
“Would anyone have feared Souths in the back half of the season? Did they look like the fittest team in the competition? Did they look they were going to make the top eight and challenge for the title?”
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Ritchie believes the timing of Bennett’s spray shows how dire the situation has become at Souths because he felt it couldn’t wait until pre-season starts.
“It is funny though because Sunday September 8 was the Dolphins’ last game up there in Newcastle and this was on the Wednesday, so it was only three days later,” Ritchie said.
“So Wayne obviously wanted to get in there nice and early. He didn’t mince his words and he didn’t muck around.”
Bennett is entering what is likely the last deal of his illustrious career and Crawley believes with his legacy on the line, he won’t be afraid to make tough calls on his underperforming players.
“I think he has to make some tough calls,” Crawley said.
“I think that the way South Sydney performed this year and going back to last year and the concerns that were made obvious going back to when Sam Burgess walked out the door.
“They need a good kick up the ass and he is the man to do it.
“Wayne Bennett comes here and he is 74 years of age and this is his last frontier. This is his legacy.
“The one thing Wayne doesn’t want to do is come down here in his last challenge and leave as a failure.
“So what can you do? You make tough decisions. If they don’t buy in then they will be out the door.”
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Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker have been the stars of the side since Adam Reynolds left for the Broncos and Crawley believes they are the first place Bennett will start.
“The tough calls are Latrell has to buy in doesn’t he?” Crawley said.
“I understand he has had a meeting with Latrell and Wayne is very confident he is going to get the best out of Latrell.
“But that starts in pre-season. That starts with an attitude adjustment.
“I think there is a few there. Cody Walker is at a stage of his career where he has moved on in years.
“From the time they played in the Grand Final until now three or four years has passed. I think Cody needs to go out and train incredibly hard. I think across the board they do.
“And Wayne is the man who can do that, but I will guarantee one thing, he proved it going right back to Wally Lewis, if he has to make tough decisions he will make tough decisions.”
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