No looking back, Wayne Bennett's focus is firmly on South Sydney's 2019 NRL title tilt after ending a whirlwind 48 hours with his first training session and a colourful press conference at Redfern.
Insisting he was "happy to be sacked" by Brisbane, the smiling super coach - proudly decked out in the famous myrtle and green - declared Souths ready to challenge for grand final glory in his first season at the helm.
"It always come down to premierships," said Bennett.
"There's a lot of work in front of us. You need a little bit of luck, a few things to go for you, but the quality of the players are here, the club's here for it.
"I've been really impressed today with the facilities and how it all works here. The staff are really good. I can feel a good comradeship amongst the players, a genuine mateship.
"Everything is in place."
Refusing to dwell on his sacking after 25 seasons and six premierships with the Broncos, Bennett said: "Do I look heartbroken?"
"I'm not here to talk about that again. I'm here to talk about South Sydney. That can wait for another day."
But the 68-year-old - who had been contracted to remain in Brisbane until the end of 2019 before being shown the door on Sunday afternoon - said he felt compelled to dig in and try to stay in Brisbane for another season.
"I've been a team member all of my life. I live team, I talk team and some of my team were being isolated and cut out.
"I couldn't walk out on them ... I was happy to be sacked.
"You don't get the chance to say goodbye to anybody when they sack you and they tell you not to come back to the building, but that's alright."
Bennett said his coach swap with Anthony Seibold, who began life as Brisbane coach on Monday, wouldn't extend to his support staff after discussions with Souths' general manager of football Shane Richardson.
"He got in first. He said they had a wonderful staff here. They were happy with them.
"I said 'That's fine, Shane. I don't want anyone losing their job because I'm turning up' and that's how it panned out."
Bennett is now with his fifth club after taking Canberra to the 1987 grand final as co-coach in his debut season.
He also won a title with St George Illawarra in 2010 before an unsuccessful three-year stint with Newcastle.
One of his off-field priorities is re-signing NSW State of Origin and Australian Test hooker Damien Cook.
Bennett denied his discussions with Cook in recent months had anything to do with 2019 amid talk he'd breached his contract with the Broncos by working behind the scenes with Rabbitohs players.
"I may well have referenced 2019 (in conversations) but it wasn't because I was coming here to coach straight away," he said.
"I didn't know that. At the end of the day, I made a decision to stay at the Broncos. I'm here under other circumstances.
"I'm pleased to be here and I'm pleased I came here on my terms in that I was asked to leave, sacked, whatever terminology you want to use.
"I've got a clear conscience."
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