League legend Billy Slater believes Wayne Bennett is the right man to lead South Sydney out of the wilderness, praising the master coach's work at an injury ravaged Dolphins.
In just their second year in the NRL, the new Queensland team currently sits fourth on the ladder despite having a number of players on the sideline, including new signings Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler.
However, 2024 will be Bennett's last year at the helm with Kristian Woolf set to take over.
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Bennett will be a free agent once the season ends and is the short-priced favourite to replace Jason Demetriou and return to the Rabbitohs.
Demetriou's tenure ended after the Bunnies failed to make finals last year and they currently sit bottom of the ladder.
Slater agreed there has to be a shift at the club.
"When you're in a hole like this and the club hasn't performed for 12 months there needs to be some sort of change," he said on Nine's The Billy Slater podcast.
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Since Demetriou's departure, Bennett has expressed an interest in rejoining the Rabbitohs while the club is keen to work with the seven-time premiership winner again.
Slater believes Bennett's work at the Dolphins proves he's still in the upper echelon of coaches in the NRL.
"Obviously he's moving on from the Dolphins, I think he's done a great job," he said.
"The Dolphins are into their second year of the competition, they've got (Tom) Flegler, (Tom) Gilbert, (Felise) Kaufusi only just came back from injury, Herbie Farnworth, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on the sideline and they're sitting in fourth position.
"That's an incredible feat and at the age of 74 years old, Wayne Bennett has still got that something about his coaching, something about bringing people together, bringing players together so you can see why he is so sought after and South Sydney want their man."
The Dolphins came into their match against the Cowboys at the weekend needing a win to stay in the top four.
Up against one of the best attacking teams in the competition, Bennett's men held strong to claim a 28-26 victory.
The coach was captured in the sheds post-match, laughing and clapping with his players, much like he's done with previous teams.
Slater explained that's what the Rabbitohs may require to lift their spirits next year.
"I've never been coached by Wayne but I've had a little bit to do with him especially over the last couple of years and every time you talk to him, you walk away feeling confident in yourself and that's what he brings, he brings that confidence," he said.
"You saw him in the changerooms after that Dolphins win up there in Townsville on the weekend and he had the group together, they were laughing, they were enjoying each other's company, there were no mobile phones in their hands and that's what he brings, he was dancing and clapping and that's exactly what South Sydney need at the moment.
"… He left the club in a really good position so he's obviously got a rapport with a lot of the players and he's got the best out of a lot of those players in the past as well.
"So the thing you need to ask yourself 'is this man the right person for our club?'. And I think he is and Wayne has been very vocal that he's interested in the position so I'm sure they'll sit down and if that's the case, they'll get something done."
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