Broncos await but Bennett won't be getting ahead of himself

If Wayne Bennett's blunt but entertaining post-match press conference on Friday night was anything to go by, the build-up to next week’s Rabbitohs' clash against the Broncos will be one for the ages.

After answering a few questions on the Rabbitohs' gritty 22-18 victory over the Panthers, attention quickly turned to Bennett's next mission, hosting his former club at ANZ Stadium in round eight.

It shapes as an intriguing clash on so many levels but Bennett wasn't prepared to stoke the fire - yet.

"Who are we playing next week? I don't know," Bennett said.

"I'll go home and look at the draw and see who we've got next week."

Bennett was then reminded he was playing his former club, the club he was ultimately shown the door at last season in acrimonious circumstances.

"What does that have to do with tonight?" Bennett responded.

"You can look ahead but I'm looking at tonight. I'll spend the next 24 hours looking at tonight.

"Somewhere early in the week I'll look ahead."

Bennett was a bit more vocal talking about the side's ability to hold out a strong Penrith side, who put in their best performance of the year with the help of a 56 percent possession rate.

The Bunnies looked to have wrapped things up when Cody Walker put Dane Gagai away with seven minutes remaining but a quick try to Viliame Kikau made for a tense finish for the visitors.

"It wasn't too bad, we haven't always got it right but we were better tonight under a lot of pressure," Bennett said.

"It was a pretty fast game, particularly the first 20 minutes it was flat out and the second period after we kicked the ball dead was intense.

"It's a bit weird, we did give up three tries but they had an unbelievable amount of ball and repeat sets.

"We either knocked it on or gave it straight back so it was pretty gutsy in the end.  We're not playing bad. We're getting the job done."

Walker's dazzling form in the No.6 jersey continued as he bagged a four-pointer of his own and set up Gagai but any talk of the Bunnies playmaker gaining an Origin start for NSW had Bennett on edge.

The Souths mentor said he "detests" the Origin speculation.

"Cody Walker, the fourth five-eighth for NSW?" Bennett said when asked about his No.6's claims to for a Blues jersey.

"They all can't play for NSW... not four of them at five-eighth."