Wayne Bennett says he’s open to joining forces with Souths great Sam Burgess once the 2014 premiership winner finishes his Super League stint with Warrington.
Bennett agreed to a three-year deal worth around $3 million this week, in one of the worst kept secrets in the NRL.
But who Bennett enlists on his assistant coaching staff could have ripple affects at Redfern, with Burgess earmarked for a return.
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The Englishman left the club late last season after calling out perceived preferential treatment shown to Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.
Burgess is signed with Warrington as the club’s head coach until the end of 2025, but he’s reportedly seeking an extension that would keep him there until 2026.
Bennett’s contract runs to the end of 2027.
“Sam is doing a great job at Warrington, and he needs that time and space over there to do that. We’ll see what the future holds. He’s a damn good person,” Bennett told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Bennett told the publication he’s keen to keep Souths’ interim coach Ben Hornby at the club as one of his assistants.
“Absolutely, 100 per cent. We’re great friends,” Bennett said of the Dragons great.
“We won a premiership together [at St George Illawarra in 2010]. We’re on the same page about our thoughts on the game.
“He’s also strong enough to tell me when I’m out of order, and vice versa. I have a great relationship with him. He’s a very good coach.”
The master coach also shot down suggestions he will raid his current club, the Dolphins, once he lands at South Sydney. The Dolphins have improved dramatically this year, climbing to fourth position on the ladder after 10 games.
Bennett said it would defeat the purpose of being the club’s inaugural coach and he does not want to “destroy” the NRL’s newest franchise.