Cody Walker will captain South Sydney to start the 2025 season, coach Wayne Bennett has confirmed.

After consecutive disappointing years following their preliminary final exit in 2022, the Rabbitohs' injury woes have extended into the recent preseason, rubbing out both Latrell Mitchell and first-choice skipper Cameron Murray ahead of their opener next weekend.

Walker will carry the mantle to begin the year in Murray's absence, Bennett confirmed on Friday, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The returning coach put his faith in the 35-year-old, saying Walker is "an important part of what we do", backing him to be fit and ready for their round one match against the Dolphins, Bennett's former club, on March 7.

He's also backing Walker to continue on past the end of his current contract at season's end.

"Cody Walker will be our captain," Bennett said.

"I don't see why he won't go on next year.

"We'll see what this year brings. He is at the stage of his career where it's a year-by-year thing, but he is still a wonderful player."

Walker captained the side for patches of the 2024 season due to injuries.

The extent of Murray's involvement in the upcoming campaign remains up in the air after rupturing his achilles at training on February 19, while Mitchell - who had been cleared to feature in round one after serving a one match ban through missing the recent Indigenous All Stars fixture, is expected to have been ruled out for eight weeks with a hamstring strain suffered the same week.

Bennett admitted "It wasn't a great week," but added "I'm moving on, I can't dwell on losing Cam and Latrell.

"It's next man up now."

"I've spoken to Cam, he feels disappointed and so I am, but we have to get on with it now.

"It's disappointing for Latrell because he was training well and I was really happy with how he was going.

"We have a lot of other players here who are going to get an opportunity in life. I'm not worried about our season."

Bennett arrived back at the Bunnies after previously coaching the club from 2019-2021.

His final match at the helm was Souths' grand final loss delivering Penrith their first of four consecutive premierships.

After falling short in the following year's prelim, they crashed out finals after sitting on top of the ladder mid-way through the 2023 season.

A disastrous start to 2024 saw the end of Jason Demetriou's tenure as coach, before finishing 16th with seven wins.