Andrew Webster
Chief Sports Writer
SMH
September 23, 2021 — 3.45pm
Whether it’s this weekend or next, the so-called “premiership window” for South Sydney is about to be snapped shut as coach Wayne Bennett and captain Adam Reynolds edge closer to their departures.
Clubs usually shuffle along ageing players when they’re not performing and offer short contracts to coaches when they have little faith in them.
The Rabbitohs are pushing Reynolds out while still one of the game’s premier halfbacks and gave Bennett a three-year deadline to win the competition when he signed with them in late 2018.
If a premiership doesn’t materialise over the next 10 days, starting with Friday night’s preliminary final against Manly at Suncorp Stadium, fans have every right to ask: “Why the rush?”
It’s still fresh in everyone’s memory how Souths refused Reynolds’ request for a two-year extension. After almost every Rabbitohs match this year, a former player sitting on a panel has questioned the decision to move him on.
Behind the scenes, certain powerbrokers continue to spin the line that his body is breaking down.
Reynolds has played 23 matches, is second behind Manly’s Reuben Garrick for points scored (256) and goals kicked (116) and made 324 tackles with an efficiency rate of 89 per cent.
Not bad for a broken-down old footballer. I know some young footballers who’d like to be that broken down.
Publicly, Souths claimed they were adhering to their new contracting policy of signing players 30 years or older on one-year deals.
Reynolds, who turned 31 in July, wanted two more seasons, but Souths weren’t budging on their one-year offer.
Then you learn 31-year-old forward Mark Nicholls is about to sign a two-year extension.
Sure, it’s for a fraction of the $650,000 a season Reynolds had wanted, but a policy is a policy, especially when you use that policy to justify getting rid of a favourite son like Reynolds, who chairman Nick Pappas unfairly painted as money-hungry during ugly contract negotiations a few months ago.
“It’s confusing,” Reynolds’s long-time manager, Steve Gillis, who is rarely confused, said.
What isn’t commonly known is how Souths also boxed themselves into a corner with Bennett, locking him into a three-year deal with no wiggle room when he joined them in late 2018.
Former head of football Shane Richardson told News Corp earlier this week that co-owner Russell Crowe and Pappas were reluctant to sign Bennett as a replacement for Anthony Seibold, who was Broncos-bound.
Bennett had left Souths floundering in late 2011 when he gave every indication he’d be joining them, only to sign an enormous deal with mining magnate Nathan Tinkler’s Newcastle Knights at the 11th hour.
Understandably, many at Souths were wary about being left without a prom date for a second time.
Richardson convinced Crowe and Pappas to sign the veteran coach, although there was debate about the terms. It’s been suggested to this column that Pappas wanted a short-term deal with a successor also appointed. A two-year deal was put forward before it was pushed out to three.
Several candidates were interviewed to be Bennett’s successor before his right-hand man at Brisbane, Jason Demetriou, was identified as the man to replace him 2022.
Pappas would not speak on the record when contacted on Thursday while Crowe didn’t respond to requests for comment. In true rugby league style, there are several versions of the truth getting tossed about.
What’s certain is, for the past 18 months, Crowe has desperately tried to change the deal. He has faith in Demetriou as the long-term coaching option but simply doesn’t want Bennett to leave.
Instead, Bennett will go home to Brisbane for family reasons before taking control of the second Brisbane team, Reynolds will join the Broncos on megabucks and Demetriou will be left plugging holes with youngsters Blake Taaffe and Lachlan Ilias and – maybe– Anthony Milford.
Souths also lose Queensland Origin stars Dane Gagai (Knights) and Jaydn Su’A (Dragons) next season.
Nothing lasts forever. Because of the salary cap, clubs have a tricky job of keeping one eye on the present as well as the future.
Maybe Souths will remain a premiership force next year without Bennett and Reynolds. Maybe they can get it done in the next 10 days.
They are one of the best run clubs in the NRL, having reached the preliminary finals in four consecutive seasons under two coaches.
But when experienced halfbacks are so hard to find, and the greatest coach in history only darkens so many doors, why shuffle them along?
The window’s about to shut, premiership or not.
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