Bennett won't guarantee Dodd will see out Souths deal

The Advertiser

5 days ago

Wayne Bennett will not guarantee Lewis Dodd remains at South Sydney for the remainder of his three-year deal, even as the beleaguered Englishman retains a spot in the halves.
Dodd will partner halfback Jamie Humphreys as last-placed Souths face Brisbane on Friday, with five-eighth Jack Wighton dropping out after receiving a four-game ban for a shoulder charge.
The 23-year-old was brought over from England on big money to become the Rabbitohs' halfback this year, but has started only twice before despite Souths' season of injury carnage.
Bennett signed his own Souths deal after Dodd's was confirmed, and the coach has preferred Wighton, Humphreys, Cody Walker, Jayden Sullivan, Latrell Mitchell and Jye Gray as starting halves options throughout the season.
Asked if Dodd would see out his deal, reportedly worth $2 million across three seasons, Bennett was unsure.
"That's a good question. I can't answer that for you right now," he said.
"Lewis has got an opportunity tomorrow night to play again and show us what he can do and what he can't do. Let's wait and see how that goes."
Dodd had a solid game playing halfback in last week's tight loss to top-eight side Cronulla, notably making a try-saving tackle on Nicho Hynes as Souths defended their goal-line.
Bennett intimated the next few weeks would be telling.
"We'll all have a better opinion each time (Dodd) plays, we'll see where it finishes in the next four or five weeks," he said.
"He's got an opportunity to play, and he hasn't had that all year. He started last week and he's starting again this week. We'll all be smarter in a couple of weeks' time."
Bennett was frustrated to lose Wighton after he failed to have his grade-two charge overturned at the judiciary on Tuesday night.
Souths' legal counsel had insisted Sharks prop Toby Rudolf suffered a concussion because of a head clash with Wighton, rather than from illegal shoulder contact.
"In my mind it still isn't a shoulder charge," Bennett said.
"I've been in football as long as probably anyone at the moment that's in the game. It was never a shoulder charge."
Wighton's absence is another blow to Souths' hopes of avoiding the first wooden spoon in Bennett's premiership career, though the coach did claim the award during his tenure in the Brisbane Rugby League before that.
Bennett was unfazed by the prospects of claiming the prize, and similarly unperturbed that a loss to the Broncos would mean his first nine-game losing streak in 38 seasons.
"What's worrying going to do? It's like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do and takes you nowhere," he quipped.
"We need to remain stable and not listen to all the noise that's outside the club, and we're doing that really well. I've got a group of men here doing their best, and I can't ask for more than that from them."
Wayne Bennett will not guarantee Lewis Dodd remains at South Sydney for the remainder of his three-year deal, even as the beleaguered Englishman retains a spot in the halves.
Dodd will partner halfback Jamie Humphreys as last-placed Souths face Brisbane on Friday, with five-eighth Jack Wighton dropping out after receiving a four-game ban for a shoulder charge.
The 23-year-old was brought over from England on big money to become the Rabbitohs' halfback this year, but has started only twice before despite Souths' season of injury carnage.
Bennett signed his own Souths deal after Dodd's was confirmed, and the coach has preferred Wighton, Humphreys, Cody Walker, Jayden Sullivan, Latrell Mitchell and Jye Gray as starting halves options throughout the season.
Asked if Dodd would see out his deal, reportedly worth $2 million across three seasons, Bennett was unsure.
"That's a good question. I can't answer that for you right now," he said.
"Lewis has got an opportunity tomorrow night to play again and show us what he can do and what he can't do. Let's wait and see how that goes."
Dodd had a solid game playing halfback in last week's tight loss to top-eight side Cronulla, notably making a try-saving tackle on Nicho Hynes as Souths defended their goal-line.
Bennett intimated the next few weeks would be telling.
"We'll all have a better opinion each time (Dodd) plays, we'll see where it finishes in the next four or five weeks," he said.
"He's got an opportunity to play, and he hasn't had that all year. He started last week and he's starting again this week. We'll all be smarter in a couple of weeks' time."
Bennett was frustrated to lose Wighton after he failed to have his grade-two charge overturned at the judiciary on Tuesday night.
Souths' legal counsel had insisted Sharks prop Toby Rudolf suffered a concussion because of a head clash with Wighton, rather than from illegal shoulder contact.
"In my mind it still isn't a shoulder charge," Bennett said.
"I've been in football as long as probably anyone at the moment that's in the game. It was never a shoulder charge."
Wighton's absence is another blow to Souths' hopes of avoiding the first wooden spoon in Bennett's premiership career, though the coach did claim the award during his tenure in the Brisbane Rugby League before that.
Bennett was unfazed by the prospects of claiming the prize, and similarly unperturbed that a loss to the Broncos would mean his first nine-game losing streak in 38 seasons.
"What's worrying going to do? It's like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do and takes you nowhere," he quipped.
"We need to remain stable and not listen to all the noise that's outside the club, and we're doing that really well. I've got a group of men here doing their best, and I can't ask for more than that from them."
Wayne Bennett will not guarantee Lewis Dodd remains at South Sydney for the remainder of his three-year deal, even as the beleaguered Englishman retains a spot in the halves.
Dodd will partner halfback Jamie Humphreys as last-placed Souths face Brisbane on Friday, with five-eighth Jack Wighton dropping out after receiving a four-game ban for a shoulder charge.
The 23-year-old was brought over from England on big money to become the Rabbitohs' halfback this year, but has started only twice before despite Souths' season of injury carnage.
Bennett signed his own Souths deal after Dodd's was confirmed, and the coach has preferred Wighton, Humphreys, Cody Walker, Jayden Sullivan, Latrell Mitchell and Jye Gray as starting halves options throughout the season.
Asked if Dodd would see out his deal, reportedly worth $2 million across three seasons, Bennett was unsure.
"That's a good question. I can't answer that for you right now," he said.
"Lewis has got an opportunity tomorrow night to play again and show us what he can do and what he can't do. Let's wait and see how that goes."
Dodd had a solid game playing halfback in last week's tight loss to top-eight side Cronulla, notably making a try-saving tackle on Nicho Hynes as Souths defended their goal-line.
Bennett intimated the next few weeks would be telling.
"We'll all have a better opinion each time (Dodd) plays, we'll see where it finishes in the next four or five weeks," he said.
"He's got an opportunity to play, and he hasn't had that all year. He started last week and he's starting again this week. We'll all be smarter in a couple of weeks' time."
Bennett was frustrated to lose Wighton after he failed to have his grade-two charge overturned at the judiciary on Tuesday night.
Souths' legal counsel had insisted Sharks prop Toby Rudolf suffered a concussion because of a head clash with Wighton, rather than from illegal shoulder contact.
"In my mind it still isn't a shoulder charge," Bennett said.
"I've been in football as long as probably anyone at the moment that's in the game. It was never a shoulder charge."
Wighton's absence is another blow to Souths' hopes of avoiding the first wooden spoon in Bennett's premiership career, though the coach did claim the award during his tenure in the Brisbane Rugby League before that.
Bennett was unfazed by the prospects of claiming the prize, and similarly unperturbed that a loss to the Broncos would mean his first nine-game losing streak in 38 seasons.
"What's worrying going to do? It's like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do and takes you nowhere," he quipped.
"We need to remain stable and not listen to all the noise that's outside the club, and we're doing that really well. I've got a group of men here doing their best, and I can't ask for more than that from them."