Wayne Bennett blasts speculation regarding Rabbitohs recruitment
November 02, 2018
A FURIOUS Wayne Bennett has slammed suggestions he is acting as a double agent by attempting to recruit Trent Merrin for South Sydney while still working for the Broncos.
The super coach was on Friday buffeted by explosive allegations he was in secret talks with Merrin to deliver the Penrith forward to the Rabbitohs, whom Bennett will join on a two-year deal from 2020.
But Bennett has set the record straight, vehemently denying he is attempting to actively recruit players for his future employer Souths while still being paid a $900,000 salary by the Broncos.
The Redfern-bound Bennett said Merrin, whom he coached in the Dragons’ premiership season in 2010, rang him pleading for help after being told he was unwanted by the Panthers.
“It is ridiculous. I am not recruiting for Souths or anybody else,” Bennett said from England, where he is preparing the British team for their second Test against New Zealand at Anfield on Sunday.
“No-one else has bothered to contact me to find out the truth.
“Trent Merrin contacted me last Sunday and said he was being pushed out of Penrith and they had a deal for him to play in England for the next few years.
“I’ve got a good relationship with Trent. I’ve known him since he was a young kid at the Dragons and we’ve always kept in touch.
“Trent rang me. I didn’t go chasing him.
“Trent said he would prefer not to go to England and he rang me looking for advice and asked if there was anything I could do.
“I rate Trent as a player and if the Broncos needed a forward, I would have signed him, but we have plenty of good forwards at the club already.
“I said in regards to Souths, I have no idea what their salary cap situation is and how they are placed with middle forwards.
“I didn’t even know Trent had a problem at Penrith, so to be accused of trying to recruit players for my next club is simply wrong.”
Even if Bennett was acting in good faith, the Merrin saga can be viewed as compelling evidence as to why his and Anthony Seibold’s respective tenures at Brisbane and Souths next season are untenable.
It is understood the Broncos face an estimated $400,000 compensation payout should they broker a straight swap and release Bennett immediately to the Rabbitohs in 2019.
Bennett has told Broncos players he will honour his 2019 contract and assured Brisbane bosses he is not interested in recruiting for Souths.
“Stuff like this (Merrin ringing him) happens all the time,” Bennett said.
“Ask any coach in the game. As a coaches we always get calls from guys at different clubs looking for advice or a possible spot if they are struggling ... this is not a one-off situation.
“Penrith should be answering questions about Trent, not me.”
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