‘Confident in his abilities’: Souths coach Wayne Bennett praises Jamie Humphreys following pivotal field goal

Wayne Bennett is known for being somewhat reserved when it comes to his strategies, but his enthusiasm was unmistakable following Jamie Humphreys’ remarkable performance that saved the Rabbitohs on Saturday afternoon.

The promising young halfback, who transitioned to South Sydney from Manly with only one first-grade appearance prior, has made his mark during the season’s initial rounds.

Wearing the historic No.7 jersey, which many expected would go to English recruit Lewis Dodd following his lucrative transfer from the Super League, Humphreys has truly found his rhythm.

However, with Humphreys’ clutch performance in the close 25-24 triumph over the Dragons, Dodd’s chances of securing that role appear diminished.

The 23-year-old successfully converted a field goal to clinch the victory against St George Illawarra on their home ground, and also nailed all four conversions in the tightly contested match at WIN Stadium.

In the post-match interview, Bennett—who is now just two games into his second term as Rabbitohs head coach—was quizzed about the pivotal moment created by Humphreys.

“I doubt Cody [Walker] wanted to get involved,” chuckled the iconic coach.

“The best part was that there wasn’t much deliberation; he simply trusted himself, and fortune favoured us. He just smashed it over the bar, and that’s a fantastic way to execute it.”

Sitting alongside Bennett during the press conference, Walker expressed his admiration for Humphreys’ composed demeanor during high-pressure scenarios so far this season.

“If I recall correctly, the ball slipped out of my hands,” reflected the Souths captain.

He continued, “I asked him afterwards if he was even considering a field goal, and he confidently replied ‘yeah’ … it was the last thing on my mind at that moment. That’s not typically my strong point regarding game plans, but he executed it perfectly.

“He’s quite composed and doesn’t say much away from the field; he’s rather reserved and just focuses on his role. But on the field, he turns into a fierce competitor, directing us and rallying the team, which has been evident over the last couple of weeks.

“He puts in a lot of work off the field to condition himself and prepare, reminiscent of how Cam [Murray] approaches his training… it’s been a pleasure having him at our club.”

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A remarkable statistic for Humphreys: three games in the NRL, three wins, with his debut in 2024 for the Sea Eagles showcasing his talent for other clubs.

The choice to join the Rabbitohs, despite the absence of a guaranteed starting position, has proven rewarding, much to the delight of the supercoach.

“He possesses a high level of self-assurance,” Bennett noted.

“He views challenges as opportunities—he’s responsible for our goal-kicking and handling all of our longer kicks, and today he successfully executed that field goal. We haven’t placed any undue pressure on him; he’s simply risen to the occasion and taken charge.

“There’s no shortage of confidence in his contributions—from last week’s victory, thanks to his goal-kicking, to this week’s win, again down to his kicking prowess.”

While Bennett was eager to shower Humphreys with praise for his performance, he also made sure to acknowledge the influence of a former Socceroos coach.

“Graham Arnold deserves some credit for that,” Bennett remarked.

“Apologies, Graham, I momentarily forgot you—you’re currently out of a job.”

Arnold was recruited by Souths during the pre-season to focus on the club’s kickers, and it seems this initiative has borne fruit in the opening rounds.

Bennett’s side will face off against Cronulla next weekend.