Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold’s NRL swap between Brisbane and South Sydney may not happen until 2020, with the veteran coach insisting he’ll remain at the Broncos next year.

Bennett inked a two-year deal with Souths on Thursday afternoon, after the Rabbitohs’ management lost patience waiting for Seibold to agree to an extension that has sat on the table for four months.

Seibold is expected to be officially unveiled as the next Broncos coach next week, with the Brisbane board likely to rubber stamp his appointment at Tuesday’s scheduled meeting after an impressive rookie season at the Rabbitohs.

Round 20

It had been expected that the pair would take up their new roles with immediate effect, but Bennett said he had no intention of leaving Red Hill until 2020. However, the 68-year-old conceded that the Broncos powerbrokers may have other ideas and want him out of the door immediately.

“I’m staying at the Broncos (for 2019),” Bennett told the Courier Mail from the UK, where he is coaching the England rugby league team.

“I’m not interested in a straight swap.

“At no stage have I discussed a swap with Anthony Seibold with South Sydney. “They knew I wasn’t available for 2019, so that’s why I have signed with Souths for 2020 and beyond.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m at the Broncos in 2019 and Seibold will be at South Sydney.

“Whether the Broncos make any moves, I don’t know.

South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL coach Anthony Seibold is set to sign on with the Broncos. Source: AAP

“But I have always been committed to Brisbane for 2019. Until I’m told differently I will continue coaching the Broncos.”

Bennett said he wished things had panned out differently with the Broncos.

“This is not the way I wanted it to end with the Broncos but my hands were forced,” he said.

“At the end of the day South Sydney are a wonderful rugby league club.

“I had an offer previously to go to Souths (back in 2012) and I knocked it back at the time.”

The master coach then had a slight dig at the Knights who he joined instead of linking up with Souths.

“I always regretted that decision,” Bennett added of his decision to join Newcastle instead of Souths.

“I never thought I’d get this chance again.

“But now I have I feel honoured.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Rabbitohs were still indicating Bennett wouldn’t arrive for another 12 months.

“We’re looking forward to Wayne becoming a Rabbitoh in 12 months’ time and we wish him the best of luck with the England team in their current Test series with the Kiwis,” Rabbitohs head of football Shane Richardson said in a club statement.

“Now we can look forward to season 2019 with the aim of improving our performance on the 2018 season.” The NRL is a competition that requires such forward planning that seldom has it worked when a coach has signed with another club more than a year in advance. Des Hasler is proof of that - a club legend who won four premierships as a player and coach at Manly - whose fractured relationship with the Sea Eagles was only healed this week seven years after he signed for Canterbury. Bennett has long been aware he would not be retained by the Broncos beyond the end of 2019, and believed to have messaged players earlier this month to inform them he’d still be there next year regardless.

“Souths is one of the iconic clubs in the game,” Bennett said in Thursday’s statement.

“I didn’t think I would get this opportunity, but that opportunity has now come for 2020 and 2021.

“I’m really grateful for the chance to be part of the club and I’m looking forward to being part of the Rabbitoh way.”