Phil Rothfield has questioned a major recruitment blunder from Wayne Bennett and the South Sydney Rabbitohs amid revelations they could have had Jonah Pezet in the red and green this season. Pezet was phenomenal on Friday night as the Melbourne Storm beat the Bulldogs to advance to the preliminary final in two weeks’ time.
Stepping into the starting No.7 role for the injured Jahrome Hughes, Pezet showed he’s a superstar in the making as he led the Storm to within a game of the grand final. The 22-year-old had a try-assist, two line-break assists and a 40/20 kick as he vindicated Craig Bellamy’s call to start him over Tyran Wishart.
But questions are now being asked of Bennett and Souths officials after Rothfield reported on Sunday that Pezet was offered to the Rabbitohs on a loan deal at the start of the season. Just like the Storm did with Harry Grant when they loaned him to the Wests Tigers when he couldn’t get a start behind Cameron Smith, Melbourne offered Pezet to Souths to get him some regular first-grade.
But Bennett and the Bunnies reportedly rejected the offer. Souths started the season with Cody Walker and Jamie Humphreys in the halves, and Humphreys enjoyed a stellar start to the year before injuries struck. 
Bennett also had Lewis Dodd and Ashton Ward at his disposal, so probably saw Pezet as surplus to requirements. There’s also been suggestions Bennett wouldn’t have wanted to help Bellamy and the Storm as the lone deal would only benefit Melbourne in the long run.
But Rothfield wrote in the Daily Telegraph on Sunday: “What on earth is going on at the South Sydney Rabbitohs. How can the recruitment people at this club not understand how good this player (Pezet) is. I rate him up there alongside the best youngsters in the game including Isaiya Katoa and Ethan Strange. Seriously, CEO Blake Solly has to take a long hard look at their recruitment.”
NRL fans react to news about Jonah Pezet
Pezet is on a long-term deal at the Storm until the end of 2029. He reportedly has a handshake deal with Storm officials that he can leave the club and break his contract if Jahrome Hughes re-signs, which he did last month.
However he might be convinced to stay if Cameron Munster fails to sign an extension and leaves the club. Rothfield suggested a lone deal to Souths could have paved the way for the 22-year-old to sign long-term with the Rabbitohs if the Storm agree to release him.
One person wrote on social media: “A loan deal only helps Melbourne. The same way that Grant on loan to the Tigers only helped Melbourne. Their player gets first grade experience and leaves at the expense of one of your own.”
Another person wrote: “I’m sure if the offer was for three years it would have been taken. Why should Wayne develop a player for the Storm?” While a third added: “That’s nuts if true.”
Jahrome Hughes a chance to return for preliminary final
Pezet might be set for finals heartbreak if Hughes can make a miraculous recovery from a fractured arm. “I’m not putting any pressure on him, but I think there’s a rough chance that Hughesy might be back,” Bellamy said after the win over Canterbury.
“Hopefully we can make that decision as soon as possible and then just get it organised and then the team can train as a team, especially the week leading into our next game. If the medical people are not basically 100 per cent sure or close to that, we’ll probably leave him out but we’ll see what they think and then we’ll see how he’s feeling and then go from there.”
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