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Chris Barrett
February 7, 2011
PREMIERS St George Illawarra refuse to give up hope of extending the tenure of Wayne Bennett in Wollongong despite mounting speculation that the master coach will soon make public a decision to move elsewhere next year.
Chief executive Peter Doust last night issued a statement to fans on the club's website following a Sun-Herald report saying Bennett had already indicated to Dragons officials that he would not be staying beyond this season, his third at the club.
"We are obviously very keen for Wayne to stay at the club and are presently in discussion with him about extending his contract," Doust said. "Wayne has not advised us that he will be leaving at the end of this season but has advised that he is undecided about his coaching future beyond the 2011 season. Any further updates on these discussions will be provided in due course."
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Doust's comments came amid more backroom talk that Bennett had already made up his mind, with sources saying he could announce his intention to leave after the Dragons' visit to England for the World Club Challenge against Wigan on February 27.
Such timing would allow the Dragons to begin the defence of their NRL title a fortnight later without the cloud of doubt hanging over Bennett's future.
Speculation has been rife for weeks that Bennett's primary suitors, South Sydney, have already locked in the seven-time premiership winning coach to take over from the departing John Lang next year.
Among the Dragons faithful some are resigned to the fact he is on the way out, with St George legend Johnny Raper yesterday discussing a successor. ''The players themselves with their ability would enable another coach to be reasonably successful,'' Raper told AAP.
''I'd hate to see him [Bennett] go, but other coaches shouldn't be frightened of accepting any approach made by St George.''
A switch to the Rabbitohs would give Bennett the opportunity to make history by winning premierships with three different clubs, and in the process end the long droughts of the competition's two most famous clubs.
Having steered the Dragons to their first title in 31 years, overseeing a first win since 1971 for South Sydney would leave Bennett with effectively nothing more to achieve in a game on which he has stamped an indelible mark for two decades.
The Rabbitohs are believed to have courted Bennett for months, having known since before the close of last year's campaign that Lang would not continue in the top job beyond this year.
The matter clearly remains a delicate one at Redfern, though, evidenced by owner Russell Crowe's responses to questioning on the subject during a news conference at Star City late last month. Asked by the Herald whether he wanted Bennett to take over at Souths, Crowe said: ''What I think we need to do with this is not worry about that question.
''Currently, the thing you've got to be sensitive to and aware of is John Lang is the coach of South Sydney. He is the only man who has the opportunity to win South Sydney their 21st premiership right now, and the club's energy and the players' energy is focused on putting in place for John everything he needs to help that happen.''
Crowe also deflected the question of whether he had held discussions with Bennett about the job. ''I don't want to talk about any of the possibilities that are out there: Mal Reilly, Brian Noble, whoever it might be because it's a pointless conversation,'' he said. ''Right now the energy of our club is focused on supporting our coach, who is John Lang.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...o-hope-of-bennett-staying-20110206-1aigh.html
