- Parra’s leaders tried to land Wayne Bennett
- The Eels have parted ways with Brad Arthur
- But they were rejected by the super coach
Parramatta leaders launched an audacious bid to tempt Wayne Bennett for a return to South Sydney, it has been revealed.
The Eels parted ways with coach Brad Arthur on Monday evening after 12 years at the club, with the 49-year-old overseeing a miserable start to the 2024 season.
The 2022 grand finalists are now looking for a new coach, but if they had their way they would have announced 74-year-old super coach Bennett.
Eels chairman Sean McElduff has revealed he has flown to Queensland with CEO Jim Sarantinos to hold talks with Bennett, who is widely rumored to have already agreed a three-year deal with Souths.
As a result, the pair were left disappointed when they met the veteran coach.
Parramatta leaders flew to Queensland to seduce South Sydney’s Wayne Bennett
“I called him on May 2 and he said, ‘I’m well on my way with the Rabbitohs,’” McElduff told the paper. Sydney Morning Herald.
“I know the club, I know the players and I feel like I have unfinished business there.” For the past 18 days I’ve been trying to turn it around. Ultimately, he wants to be with the Rabbitohs. You can understand why.
“I took a trip to Queensland with Jim to see him. We had countless other conversations. I tried my best, but we didn’t get there. To be completely honest, he always went to the Rabbitohs.
“He is successful, he is a seven-time premiership winner, he has experience and has proven he can get the best out of his team. All the qualities you would expect from an NRL coach. He’s a smart guy, he understands the player’s psyche.’
Bennett is set to replace Jason Demetriou at the Bunnies from 2025 but has vowed not to deprive his current club, the Dolphins, of their star players.
“I won’t take any of their children that they want to keep,” he said.
‘That will not happen. I didn’t build this club to try to destroy it.
“If there’s a guy they don’t offer a contract to or he wants to go somewhere else and I think he can play a bit, then that’s another thing, but I want all these players to stay.”
Bennett said he had not spoken to the Rabbitohs about the players he wanted them to re-sign or recruit.
“I haven’t done that because I haven’t signed the contract yet,” he said.
“I have to stay focused here and I think I’ve been pretty good at that.”
The Eels are looking for a new coach after sacking Brad Arthur but have failed to land Bennett
Bennett had 18 months to prepare the Dolphins to be NRL ready when he agreed to coach the side at the end of 2021.
In contrast, he will be at Rabbitoh’s pre-season training in six months’ time.
“I’ve moved from a few clubs in my life to the same situation, so it’s not new to me,” he said.
‘I have experience with it and know how to tackle it. The most important thing is that everyone knows what is going on. You just go on with life. They have staff there who will take care of everything until I get there.
‘Ben Hornby is doing a great job there now (as caretaker coach) and I will definitely want him on the coaching staff when I get there. It will be an easy transition.”
Bennett negotiates his own deal and does not involve a third party. He said he “now doesn’t have to worry about managers leaking things when you make your own deal.” It is well.’
His transition has been a saga over the past three weeks.
He told reporters on Sunday night that he would put the spectators out of their misery and have the deal signed this week “just for you.”