- Wayne Bennett wants to see a Perth-based NRL team
- Mastercoach predicted a 20-team competition within a decade
- He remained coy about his future and is expected to return to the Rabbitohs.
Wayne Bennett has backed Perth’s bid in what he predicts will be a 20-team NRL competition within a decade, while insisting their impending homecoming deal with South Sydney will be resolved “sooner or later” .
The Dolphins coach was cautious when asked if he was holding off until Magic Round spoke to the Rabbitohs about joining them next season as head coach.
‘Who said it was the Magic Round? “I said it was this week,” Bennett said.
Next question: Next week?
“Yes, last week,” Bennett responded. That week?
Wayne Bennett has backed Perth’s bid in what he predicts will be a 20-team NRL competition within a decade.
Bennett also insisted his impending homecoming deal with South Sydney will be resolved “sooner or later”.
‘We’ll take care of it. You will find out sooner or later. There’s nothing to worry about,” responded the astute coach.
Bennett had been tipped by ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys as a possible coach of an expansion team, and the NRL was investigating expansion to a possible 20-team competition, with PNG, Perth and a second New Zealand team as candidates.
Bennett seems to be out of that equation now if he goes South, but he still left that door open.
—Don’t exclude me from anything, will you? Just let it all play out and see where it goes and we’ll see where the expansion team comes in and what year it comes in,” he said.
“I’ve never talked to Perth about doing anything with them, but I think Perth should be one of the expansion teams.
‘We will have 20 teams in the next decade in the competition. Australia is getting bigger every day. Is that how it works.’
The Dolphins played in a sold-out NRL double-header at Optus Stadium last year, and Bennett has spoken to the Perth bid about his plans.
“They are very aware of rugby league now and have had a lot of (NRL) teams there and Origin games,” Bennett said.
Bennett is believed to take over as Rabbitohs head coach next year.
“A lot of people move to Perth from all over the world, but there are certainly a lot of Australians, Englishmen and New Zealanders who know rugby league.
‘It’s a huge area of income. They have some of Australia’s largest businesses in Perth and Western Australia. It all makes sense and they have excellent facilities.’
Bennett and the Dolphins hierarchy support Perth’s bid being the first out of the expansion queue.
The coach is also in favor of the second team settling in New Zealand.
PNG’s bid is backed by the Australian government and V’landys, and a lot of work is already happening behind the scenes.
Bennett acknowledged the bid was high on the NRL’s agenda.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it,” Bennett said.
‘It is not a project that they are going to put together in six months. When they make the decision it will be a two or three year project.”