PENRITH'S former Test hooker Luke Priddis is among a list of players linked to St George Illawarra as incoming coach Wayne Bennett begins work on his roster for next season.

Bennett is understood to have met Dragons recruitment manager Craig Young this week and has also contacted player agents to identify what talent is available to join the club.

A top-line hooker is believed to be a priority, with Simon Woolford expected to retire at the end of the season after being "rested" for the past two weekends. Back-up rake Ben Ellis is playing in the Illawarra competition after also being dropped.

Priddis, who played for Australia in 2005, is off contract at the end of the season and unlikely to remain at the Panthers after refusing a release last year.

He played under Bennett at the Broncos between 1999 and 2001, winning a premiership in 2000, and was the NSW hooker in all three State of Origins in 2001.

"'Benny' loves Luke Priddis," a source close to both told The Herald yesterday.

Priddis's Penrith teammate Luke Rooney is another Bennett favourite after playing six Tests for Australia with him as coach in 2004-05, and he has already been told not to sign anywhere for next season without speaking to the six-time premiership mentor.

Rooney's agent, Allan Gainey, said yesterday he would contact Bennett to see if he had a spot for Rooney next season, otherwise the 25-year-old winger may head to English Super League.

Another Gainey client, Peter Wallace, this season joined Brisbane from Penrith on a two-year deal to play under Bennett. Gainey refused to rule out the boom halfback following his mentor to the Dragons in 2010, similar to former club captain Trent Barrett.

The 30-year-old Barrett insists he will serve out the last year of his contract with Wigan before deciding whether to return home to finish his career, or retire.

Panthers general manager Michael Leary said the club wouldn't be rushed into re-signing Priddis, Rooney, Frank Puletua and Nathan Smith.

"Luke Priddis has been a great player for the club. He won the Clive Churchill medal [man of the match 2003 grand final] and helped lead the club to a premiership, but it's only round four and we'll be sorting those things out closer to round 13," Leary said.

But Leary confirmed Tony Puletua would likely be released at the end of the season to play in England.

Broncos hooker Michael Ennis, prop Ben Hannant and winger Reece Robinson are others linked to St George Illawarra next season, while North Queensland second-rower Steve Southern yesterday said he would be interested in returning to Wollongong to play under Bennett.

"I love the Cowboys, I love the boys, love the administration so I don't really want to leave," Southern told the Illawarra Mercury. "[But] with Wayne Bennett going to the Dragons c he's a great coach and he's coaching a side where I'm from so we'll see."

Cowboys enforcer Carl Webb, who is also off contract, has played under Bennett for Brisbane and Queensland. But his agent, Sam Ayoub, said the 27-year-old prop had not received an approach from the Dragons.

Meanwhile, Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah may miss the City-Country match in Wollongong on May 2 after yesterday announcing he would take a couple of weeks off to recover from a back injury.

Farah is hopeful the protruding L5 and S1 discs in his lower back won't require surgery but, after pulling up sore from training on Thursday, he saw a specialist and later ruled himself out of tomorrow's clash with Canberra and next Sunday's heritage round match against South Sydney.

"Although I obviously feel like I can play, risk doing further damage c at this stage we decided to take a week or two off and make sure I'm fully fit," Farah said.

"I have spoken about it with the doctor, and surgery is the last option that we can take. I'm not looking to do that in the near future."

Farah had been named at halfback for the Raiders clash. His spot is likely to be taken by former Dragon Mathew Head.

¡ Newcastle coach Brian Smith has taken a playful dig at Brisbane's depth of top-line talent as he plots an upset in their clash at EnergyAustralia Stadium tomorrow.

"What are they down to c seven or eight Origin players, or maybe more?" said Smith, referring to Broncos captain Darren Lockyer's injury absence.

"Darren's a great player, and he obviously has an effect even for his state and national teams, so it's handy [he's out] from our point of view. But they've still got a team with so many great individuals."

The Knights go into the match well aware they were on the losing end of a 71-6 scoreline - the fifth-highest total in 100 years - the last time the two teams met.

Brisbane have six players with Origin experience in Karmichael Hunt (4 games), Justin Hodges (8), David Stagg (1), Sam Thaiday (3), Tonie Carroll (18) and P.J. Marsh (3) while Greg Eastwood has played three Tests for New Zealand. Smith has three Origin-experienced players - Kurt Gidley (2), Adam MacDougall (11) and skipper Danny Buderus (18) while Richard Fa'aoso has played for Samoa.

Smith knows there's a huge opportunity to ambush Brisbane.

"I don't think anyone would deny, if we can beat Brisbane, we're a reasonable team," he said.

with AAP