Wayne Bennett’s Timeless Take on Halves Selection Debate as New Signing Shines

When Lewis Dodd joined the Rabbitohs on a lucrative contract ahead of the 2024 season, it seemed inevitable that he would be securing the halfback position for South Sydney.

With Dodd already on the roster alongside Jamie Humphreys, Lachlan Ilias found himself heading to the Dragons as a consequence.

A suspension during the trials allowed Humphreys to take the opportunity to wear the number seven jersey, and he delivered an impressive performance against the Dolphins.

Humphreys ended the match with an astounding 18 kicks for a total of 714 metres, expertly complementing Cody Walker and Jye Gray in the 16-14 victory on Friday night.

Dodd is set to return for the Rabbitohs’ upcoming match against the Dragons next week; however, coach Wayne Bennett was his typical enigmatic self when asked about who will be filling the halfback role.

“You’ll find out in the papers on Tuesday,” he quipped during his post-match media conference.

Before the match, the Rabbitohs coach was all praise for his new recruit.

“I thought he performed exceptionally well, particularly setting up a try late in the game. He had to put in some effort, but when the moment came, he delivered a brilliant pass,” he noted.

“He’s a player who will only improve. We’ve got half of our team that’s still on their learning curve and will get better with experience.”

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