Bennett pulls off first Souths win as Cook re-signs

Wayne Bennett has already pulled off a win for South Sydney, with NSW hooker Damien Cook agreeing to stay at the Rabbitohs until the end of the 2023 NRL season. Already under contract for 2019, Cook, 27, has re-signed for another four seasons in a deal reportedly worth $4.5 million. Former Brisbane mentor Bennett said re-signing Cook was a priority when he arrived to start his three-year Rabbitohs stint on Tuesday.

And Bennett didn't waste time getting his man, with the Rabbitohs securing Cook on a lucrative long-term deal that is believed to include an upgraded 2019 contract. "I'm very excited to be extending my contract with the Rabbitohs and I'm happy to have my future sorted," Cook said in a statement. "Souths has been my home for the past three years and I didn't think it would be possible to be able to secure things for the next five years, but I'm so happy that that will be the case. "I've loved every moment of my time here, even the tough times, and I think we're building to something nicely."