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Sport Nation
Will the Wayne Bennett factor lift South Sydney to finals?
Charles Goodsir • February 11th, 2025 2:07 pm
SEN’s Corey Parker believes the South Sydney Rabbitohs are a lock to play finals in 2025 primarily due to the return of coach Wayne Bennett.
After a two year stint with the Dolphins, Bennett has returned back to South Sydney where he coached between the 2019 and 2021 seasons and led the Rabbitohs to the 2021 Grand Final.
Despite not tasting the ultimate success since 2010, Parker is certain that Bennett’s unrelenting commitment to high standards and unique relationships with individual players will fire South Sydney back up the NRL ladder.
“The old gunslinger in Wayne Bennett has been spearheaded by the senior leaders of this group to come back and nurture them and put his arm around them,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.
“And that’s what Wayne does best. There is no doubt that he has the ability to get the team to respond in a way only he knows how.
“The Wayne Bennett factor is a big one. He will get some self-belief back into the individuals.
“The best thing that Wayne has as a coach is his non-negotiables. They worked 100 years ago in rugby league and they will continue to work in 100 years’ time.
“What Wayne won’t cop is someone just turning up and going through the motions.
“Wayne will be able to get the best out of individuals who were overlooked.
“Everyone has had their say on the South Sydney Rabbitohs and who is the one man that can bind the whole team together? Wayne Bennett can.
“I have South Sydney in my top eight.”
South Sydney begin their season with a trip to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane to take on Bennett’s former side, the Dolphins on March 7.
