Wayne Bennett denies he is after Parramatta NRL coaching job as he moves to lock-in South Sydney deal

Wayne Bennett says he’s had nothing to do with the recruitment of St Helens’ playmaker Lewis Dodd to South Sydney as he confirmed his own contract talks with the Rabbitohs would ramp up next week and he denied he had approached Parramatta about taking Brad Arthur’s job.

Souths are on the cusp of signing 22-year-old Dodd from next season and speculation was rife that Bennett, one of the prime candidates to succeed sacked former coach Jason Demetriou, had his fingerprints all over the acquisition.

Bennett, the Dolphins coach, scuppered those suggestions and any innuendo that he was working in the background already at the Bunnies.

“I don’t know anything about Dodd so how could I think anything about him? I have never seen him play,” Bennett said.

“I had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t my decision. I also heard the CEO (Blake Solly) say it was the retention committee’s decision, which included the head coach at the time which was Jason. That’s fine.

“I have got no problems with what they have done. I just don’t know anything about the bloke.”

Solly, on Wednesday, said the club was close to inking a deal with Dodd but added that “the coach has an influence in recruitment and retention, but they don’t have the final say.

“The head coach will be signed after we’ve signed Lewis and if they’re not comfortable with Lewis, if we do get him, they probably shouldn’t be the head coach,” Solly added.

Solly and Bennett, off contract at the Dolphins at the end of 2024, have spoken this week about furthering talks about bringing the 74-year-old back to the club that he coached from 2019-2021 to two preliminary finals and a grand final.

“I have spoken to them. I am going to be unemployed at the end of the year so I need a job,” Bennett said.

“(Solly) rang me up and they spoke about an opportunity there in the future. We said we’d get our weekend of football away and talk next week.

“I like their brand (at the Rabbitohs). I like them. I have got a good relationship with everybody there. It is an iconic club and I just like the vibe there, but we are not talking until next week.”

In the past Bennett has been courted by multiple clubs when off-contract. That is not the case at this point with Souths the only current vacancy in 2025 for a head coach.

While he said he was “not in a rush” he does not want his coaching future to be a distraction for his players in their finals quest.

“I told the players what was going on because I knew it doesn’t work, not talking,” he said.

“They have all come from other clubs here so they all understand. I want to get it out of the road as quick as I can so we can all move on and there no distractions.

“We will see where it goes. It could happen tomorrow. I just have to make sure I am comfortable with what I am doing and (Souths) are comfortable with me. We need to talk.”

It has been reported that Bennett reached out via a third party to Parramatta, where head coach Brad Arthur is under pressure after an underwhelming start to the season.

“I don’t know anything about Parramatta. I don’t know where that is coming from,” Bennett said.

Bennett said his desire to stay coaching in the NRL was still strong.

“If I didn’t think I had something to offer ... I wouldn’t do it. That’s not the case with me,” he said.

“I would rather be doing something and making a contribution. I care about the game enormously and its people. If I can go and help a club and make them better then that is what motivates me and drives me.

“(Coaching) gives me something to do. I don’t want to sit at home and twiddle my thumbs and bore myself to death.”