Supercoach Wayne Bennett has reportedly agreed to return to Souths and save the basement club in a huge win 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 season, which saw them reach the grand final.
Bennett has agreed to a three-year contract that will pay him as much as $1 million per season, according to the newspaper. Sydney Morning Herald.
Bennett (pictured during his previous stint as Souths coach) will reportedly earn as much as $1million per season to save the basement-dwelling Bunnies
His appointment is a huge win for co-owner Russell Crowe (pictured at a Souths match) after Hollywood star lobbied Bennett to return to Redfern
He has not yet signed the contract, but Rabbitoh representatives are in Queensland to finalize the deal with the current Dolphins coach, the publication reports.
Souths has declined to comment on the appointment.
The Bunnies sacked coach Jason Demetriou last month after he led the club to a shock run of results dating back to the middle of last season.
After round 11 of that campaign the Rabbitohs sat top of the table but then crashed out of the finals and have won just one match this year after 10 rounds.
Crowe is a big fan of Bennett after his last spell at the club and the Hollywood star reportedly had several phone conversations with him after Demetriou was shown the door.
Bennett’s assistant while at Souths, Jason Demetriou (pictured together) was suspended by the club last month after guiding 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, snapping back when asked about the matter at a recent press conference.
He had been identified by ARL committee chairman Peter V’landys as a possible expansion team coach, with the NRL investigating a possible 20-team competition, with PNG, Perth and a second New Zealand team all among candidates .