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Bennett happy in 'mild' Sydney's south

3 minute read

South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett was in a wry mood ahead of Saturday's NRL match against the Warriors on the Sunshine Coast.

Coach WAYNE BENNETT talks to his players during the Brisbane Broncos NRL training session in Brisbane, Australia.
Coach WAYNE BENNETT talks to his players during the Brisbane Broncos NRL training session in Brisbane, Australia. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Wayne Bennett didn't take long to answer when asked about Brisbane's early-season NRL woes on Friday morning.

"Look, the CEO, the chairman and the board, I'm sure they've got it all under control so I wish them all the best," Bennett said.

The South Sydney coach can afford to be a little wry.

His Rabbitohs have lost just one game over the opening month, and their one blemish was a golden-point defeat to Manly last-start.

And while the seven-time premiership-winning coach waits with baited breath on Greg Inglis' future, his successor at the Broncos is feeling the heat.

But if Bennett felt any sympathy for Anthony Seibold, he didn't want to voice it.

"I've said what I wanted to say there about it. I've got my own club here. I'm fairly happy at Souths. There's a lot of work to do here yet," he said.

"So I'm not going to put my nose in someone else's business."

In contrast to Seibold, Bennett is content to be sharing the spotlight in Sydney.

Having previously coached at St George Illawarra and Newcastle, it's the first time Bennett is in charge of an NRL team based in the harbour city.

"This is mild compared to Brisbane, generally," he said.

"I'm not saying that facetiously, I'm saying that honestly. There's a lot more teams here in Sydney. While we get our attention, it's not like Brisbane."

Inglis' injury, as well as that of centre partner Braidon Burns, has forced Bennett to turn to Kyle Turner to spot their centre crisis.

Turner will start in the three-quarter line for the first time in his career when the Rabbitohs host the Warriors on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

It will be the first NRL match played at the roughly 12,000-capacity Sunshine Coast Stadium, which has already been declared sold out.

However the locals won't get to see the Queensland State of Origin captain, who is weighing up his future as he battles a chronic shoulder issue.

Burns is two weeks into an eight-week recovery from a hamstring injury but Bennett is confident Turner can do the job.

"I wouldn't put him in there if I didn't think he was confident. He'll do a good job for us, he's done it a couple of times this year already," he said.

The 2-2 Warriors, who got back in the winner's circle by thumping Gold Coast last week, have lost Karl Lawton but could get Issac Luke back from injury.

STATS THAT MATTER

* The Warriors have managed one win from their past eight games against the Rabbitohs, in Perth in the opening round of last season.

* The winner in the past seven games between these two sides has scored at least 30 points, while the past 10 have seen the winner score at least 24 points.

* The Rabbitohs are aiming to score at least 20 points against an opponent in a tenth straight game for the first time in club history.

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