Souths boss Russell Crowe gets his man as Wayne Bennett ‘agrees to coach the Bunnies’ – and he’ll get HUGE payday
Supercoach Wayne Bennett has reportedly agreed to return to the Souths and save the club from the cellar in a huge victory for co-owner Russell Crowe.
The 74-year-old will return to the team next season after ending his previous three-year spell in charge of the Bunnies at the end of their 2021 campaign, which saw them reach the grand final.
Bennett has agreed to terms on a three-year contract that will pay him a whopping $1 million per season, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Bennett (pictured during his previous stint as Souths coach) reportedly earns an incredible $1 million a season for saving the Bunnies who live in the cellar.
His appointment is a huge win for co-owner Russell Crowe (pictured at a Souths match) after the Hollywood star lobbied Bennett to return to Redfern.
He has not signed the contract but Rabbitohs representatives are in Queensland to finalize the deal with the current Dolphins coach, the publication reported.
The Souths declined to comment on the appointment.
The Bunnies sacked coach Jason Demetriou last month after leading the club to a series of shocking results dating back to the middle of last season.
After round 11 of this campaign, the Rabbitohs were sitting at the top of the table – but they then crashed out of the finals and have only won one game after 10 rounds this year.
Crowe is a big fan of Bennett following his last spell at the club and the Hollywood star is said to have had several phone conversations with him after Demetriou was shown the door.
Bennett’s assistant while at Souths, Jason Demetriou (pictured together) was fired by the club last month after leading the Bunnies to the bottom of the table.
The team is currently coached by Demetriou’s former assistant, Dragons great Ben Hornby.
Bennett has remained tight-lipped about his chances of returning to the Bunnies, reacting when asked about it during a recent press conference.
He had been earmarked by ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys as a possible coach of an expansion team, with the NRL investigating expansion to a possible 20-team competition, with PNG, Perth and a New Zealand second team all candidates.
