‘Can he fix it?’: Enormity of Bennett’s Bunnies task revealed as legend doubts success chances

Wayne Bennett’s return as South Sydney’s coach from next season has brought questions about whether or not the super coach can turn the club’s fortunes around.

For several reasons, 2024 has been a year from hell for the Rabbitohs, who currently sit 15th and are on the cusp of their lowest finish since 2006.

The brightest point in the club’s season came in May when the club agreed a three-year deal to bring Bennett back to coach the club beginning next season, with some expecting the 74-year-old to immediately return the club to the top of the ladder.

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However, speaking on Monday night’s NRL 360, host Braith Anasta questioned whether Bennett will have the immediate impact on the struggling club that many expect.

“When Wayne gets in and takes this job he’s got to deal with the Latrell issue, he’s got a number of players there that are underperforming at the moment,” Anasta said.

“They want a quick turnaround. They don’t want Wayne to come in and take two or three years.

“How does he fix this? Can he fix it?”

Veteran journalist Phil Rothfield agreed Bennett would face some significant headwinds upon his return to Redfern, pointing out the Rabbitohs “don’t have a middle” and that there’s a “gigantic question mark” around English halfback Lewis Dodd, who joins on a three-year deal beginning next year.

“Wayne is a great coach. The best we’ve seen. But can he lift Latrell and Lewis Dodd?” Rothfield added.

However The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read is of a different belief, noting the club’s roster isn’t as bad as their 2024 ladder position suggests.

“He just needs to get them all pulling in the one direction,” Read said.

“He needs to play with the roster a little bit but it doesn’t need a major overhaul.

“They’re not far off being a contender again. It’s not a huge job.”

Alongside Dodd, the Rabbitohs welcome young Manly half Jamie Humphreys – who impressed on NRL debut earlier this year – as well as edge forward Euan Aitken and prop Lachlan Hubner, who follow Bennett to Sydney from the Dolphins.

However, Wayne will have to deal with the significant losses of Thomas Burgess and Damien Cook, who depart at season’s end for Huddersfield and the Dragons respectively.

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Together the pair have played 450 times for the Rabbitohs, with their imminent departures creating a major leadership gap in Bennett’s roster next year.

Also on the super coach’s plate will be returning superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell to consistent form, something Read feels Bennett will have no trouble doing.

“The key is Wayne coming to the club next year. That’s huge for Latrell because Wayne’s generally got the best out of Latrell and got a great relationship with Latrell,” he said.

Bennett’s task when he returns to Redfern starkly contrasts the one he had during his first stint as the club’s coach back in 2019.

At that time the Rabbitohs were in a far stronger position, having finished second the previous season under Anthony Seibold and narrowly losing the preliminary final to bitter rivals the Roosters.

While Souths lost Angus Crichton prior to Bennett’s arrival, they acquired James Roberts, Jaydn Su’a and Ethan Lowe, bolstering the club’s already strong roster – that included Sam Burgess, Adam Reynolds, Greg Inglis, Dane Gagai, Cody Walker, Damien Cook and John Sutton.

Bennett’s debut year at Redfern was not without turbulence of its own. Inspirational leader Sam Burgess missed seven matches in the middle of the season through injury while Greg Inglis would play just two matches as he dealt with arthritis in his shoulder.

Despite this, he was able to lift Souths to third place on the NRL ladder and into another preliminary final, which they eventually lost to the Canberra Raiders.

This time around Bennett will inherit a squad low on confidence after 18 months of sub-par performances. But, to Read’s point, the Bunnies are not short on quality.

Cody Walker has been in great form at the end of 2024, playing in an unfamiliar position, while Cameron Murray and Latrell Mitchell had a hand in the Blues’ 2024 State of Origin series win.

Jack Wighton has proved an astute signing, and has arguably been South Sydney’s most consistent performer this season, while Keaon Koloamatangi has a newfound home in the middle of the park – where Bennett may deploy him next season.

Campbell Graham, Jai Arrow, Alex Johnston and Tevita Tatola will all be back to full fitness by the time 2025 kicks off, much to Bennett’s delight, while Davvy Moale, Tallis Duncan and Tyrone Munro are highly-rated youngsters.

All these factors point towards South Sydney’s story being the most intriguing of next season, as all eyes focus on Bennett and whether or not he can work his magic on the club once again.