Bennett predicted a shocking Souths reunion in Burgess’ ideal team, saying, “Come with Wayne.”

There is a prevailing debate around the possibility of Wayne Bennett and his former captain and assistant Sam Burgess getting back together at South Sydney to make a coaching dream team.

Bennett has demonstrated his ability to manage succession plans by having Jason Demetriou succeed him at the Souths and the Broncos, and by having Kristian Woolf take over at the Dolphins the following season.

Dean Ritchie questions Bennett’s desire to return to Sydney, even if the Souths are at the bottom of the table three years after Bennett led them to the Grand Final.

Ritchie remarked, “I believe that the Souths are currently hearing a lot about Wayne’s desire to return to Sydney.”

“They understand that Wayne Bennett won’t pick up and move back to Sydney again, even though they are interested.”

Nonetheless, Kent thinks supply and demand will play a role in Bennett’s choice.

“Should it be the sole job opening, Wayne will return to Sydney,” Kent stated.

“And right now, it appears that it will be.”

Before returning to Souths, Ritchie thinks Burgess needs more time as a head coach in England.

“The powerbrokers at Souths are saying that no, Sam, you stay in England,” Ritchie added in reference to Burgess.

“You must complete your apprenticeship, or he must. It’s only his seventh game in the league. Right now, he needs a good two years.

Kent warned Souths would need to change some of the club’s powerbrokers before Burgess agreed to return.

“I don’t think Sam will come back,” Kent said.

“I don’t think Sam will come and coach for the powerbrokers at the club at the moment. I think that’s the issue.

“I think that some of those people, the way they treated Sam last year, would need to be moved on for Sam to really entertain it. And that would be then a conversation probably between Sam and Russell Crowe.”

Brent Read agreed now is not the time for Burgess to return, but he could by the end of Bennett’s next deal.

“Sam doesn’t need to come back now, though,” Read said.

“If they get Wayne, Wayne can do it for three years and Sam comes back in the last year.”

Braith Anasta challenged Read on his belief that Souths were right to sack Burgess last year, which sparked a fiery debate.

“Every time we brought up Sam, you would say to me, oh, is that all you’ve heard? Is that the only information you’ve got?” Anasta said.

“You were right behind the Bunnies and the trajectory that they were on there for a long period of time.

“And every time I’d bring up Sam and what he’d said and the dramas that were there, you’d kind of go, oh, well, mate, is that all I’m hearing different?”

“I don’t know if I said that exactly, Braith,” Read countered.

“OK, what’d you say?” Anasta shot back.

“I don’t know if I said that exactly. Can we get the video out of there? I always miss, I mean, get the video out of there. That was a long time ago Braith.”

“So do you admit that probably he was on the right track?” Anasta said.

“Well, I think he had obviously some valid issues when you look back with the benefit of history,” Read said.

“He clearly had some valid issues that didn’t get ironed out in the off-season and they should have.