NEWS Bennett: Broncos players will decide if they follow me to Souths

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Bennett: Broncos players will decide if they follow me to Souths


October 26, 2018

Wayne Bennett said he strongly considered a switch to the Wests Tigers before settling on South Sydney and also moved to reassure Broncos fans he would not be raiding Brisbane's roster to beef up the Rabbitohs' squad.

But he refused to rule out the prospect of players at Brisbane following him to South Sydney in 2020 after it was announced on Thursday he had signed a three-year contract with the Rabbitohs.

Bennett has a long history of bringing players to clubs when he has moved from Brisbane to St George Illawarra and Newcastle and back to the Broncos, most notably Darius Boyd.

Star trio Tevita Pangai jnr, Corey Oates and Matthew Lodge are yet to re-sign with the Broncos for 2019.

"I won't be looking to do that, no, but again you've got to understand the ramifications," Bennett said in Hull on Friday before England's final training session before Saturday's first Test against New Zealand.

"There's a number of players at the Broncos that specifically come to play because I'm the coach. And I'm not going to be the coach after '19. They're all big boys and have grown up, they'll have to make their own decisions with what they want to do."

Boyd has followed Bennett his entire career but his mentor expects the fullback to finish his career in Queensland. He joined Bennett at the Dragons in 2009, before moving to Newcastle in 2012 and back to the Broncos in 2015.

"Darius won't leave now, he's at the end of his career," Bennett said. "The other boys are there because I was there, it's up to them with what they want to do."

Souths stunned the NRL on Thursday afternoon when they announced they had signed the seven-time premiership-winning coach on a two-year deal starting in 2020. Wests Tigers were in the race for his signature but Bennett said they could not reach a deal.

"I did, I absolutely did, but they wanted a coach in '19 and I wasn't available. I'm committed to the Broncos, that hasn't changed. If they change their position at the Broncos, well, they'll have to come and have a talk to me about that," he said.

"I've said all along I've got a contract for 2019 and Souths recognise that and were happy to take me from 2020.

"It's my intention to fill that unless I'm told otherwise. It doesn't change anything for me but that's my position. If the Broncos have another position they'll have to address that - I know what my position is.

"It come about because Anthony [Seibold] was in discussion at the Broncos and I was told I wasn't required. Souths were feeling vulnerable that they were going to lose their coach and that's how it come about."

Bennett will be in his 70s by the time his three-year contract at the Rabbitohs expires but said it would not necessarily be his last in the Telstra Premiership.

"I'm not ruling that out, one thing I've always done is been responsible," Bennett said.

"I'm not going to go one more day than I should as coach if I lose enthusiasm and passion for it.

"Age is not my issue. I won't be defined by that, I'll be defined by my commitment and passion. When I realise that's not there anymore I'll be the first to let you know and I'll walk away. I don't want to let anyone down, especially a club who has taken a chance on me."

The opportunity to link with Rabbitohs skipper Greg Inglis for the first time in their respective careers was also a drawcard in luring Bennett to Redfern seven years after he was all but signed to.

"It's a great club, an icon club with wonderful players. I've worked with Sam, Tom and George in the English team.

"Greg Inglis is there, one of the all-time great players of our game. I had an opportunity to go there seven years ago and didn't take it. I didn't want to miss this one and grabbed it now."

Source: NRL.com
 
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I don't think Bennett would raid us, he has never done it in the past.
Broncos -> Dragons: Only brought Boyd
Dragons -> Knights: Boyd, and a couple of players who were already past it
Knights -> Broncos: Just Boyd again
 
I don't think Bennett would raid us, he has never done it in the past.
Broncos -> Dragons: Only brought Boyd
Dragons -> Knights: Boyd, and a couple of players who were already past it
Knights -> Broncos: Just Boyd again

He also brought Travis Wadell & Joe Boyce from the Knights, not that they were anything to write home about, but there's always players who follow him.
 
I don't think Bennett would raid us, he has never done it in the past.
Broncos -> Dragons: Only brought Boyd
Dragons -> Knights: Boyd, and a couple of players who were already past it
Knights -> Broncos: Just Boyd again

Lol. Wtf.

In 2009 he raided at least 5 internationals he had previously coached to the dragons.

WB is going to be cancer for the club if he stays in 2019.
 
In 2009 he raided at least 5 internationals he had previously coached to the dragons.

Not quite, he brought two. Darius Boyd in 2012 and Beau Scott in 2013. Alex McKinnon & Adam Cuthbertson weren't representative players, Neville Costigan signed with Newcastle in 2010 and Jeremy Smith came via Cronulla.

Canberra --> Brisbane was extensive as well. Backo, Jacko, Kev & Lazarus all came from the Raiders. Supposedly Bennett had little to do with the Lazarus signing, Porky Morgan took the initiative to sort that out.

Bennett also signed Jacob Gagai from the Knights in a shrewd ploy to lure Dane to the club.
 
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He needs to be out ASAP. Even if it costs $1m. He’s salty and will do his best to show it.
 
He needs to be out ASAP. Even if it costs $1m. He’s salty and will do his best to show it.
It's not your million to spend though. The Broncos didn't become a rich club by paying out massive contracts.
 
WB is a pretty savvy operator. You can say he didn't raid many of his previous clubs when he took a new path, but what talent was available at the time?

TPJ, Lodge and Oates are probably three of the most highly sought-after off-contract players in the game, or will be when the time comes. I have absolutely no doubt WB will make an effort to get them, because at the end of the day he wants his team to win, and that team will be Souths, not the Broncos.

I want WB to have his final season with us, but part of me also thinks it would be better to get Seibold in now so he has a year to show the players that WB isn't the be all and end all of coaches. I think if the players who are at risk of leaving spent the year with Seibold, they'd be suitably impressed (based on everything I've read about him and the way he carries himself).

With all that said though, I only want players who want to play for the club, not for one person in the club.
 
God, imagine if Oates had signed with Souths under the promise of a back row spot and then Benny turns up and said back on the wing son [emoji23]
 
It’s easy to see why non-Brisbane fans have it in for Wayne sometimes. When he’s playing coy to your advantage, it’s a lot fun. But when it (potentially) isn’t, it’s very easy to piss people off.

I feel the latter will happen, particularly more if we keep him this season. Regardless, now the entire season will be a game of ‘Who’s Wayne gonna take next?’
 
The fact that it’s even being brought up should justify releasing him ASAP.

Seriously doubt the club would want him here in 2019. We are arguably the most professional club in the comp, we don’t need another “Wayne vs club” circus in 2019.

Some of the boys on here are right,

1/ unfortunately he’s salty now
2/ lets not kid ourselves he’ll willbe focused on Souths
3/ we have a lot of talent off contract/coming off/short term deals this time round

I’m confident the club will put together a handsome compensation package for Wayne to leave soon.
 
This could have been dealt with so much better. Bennett is in a position of power where if he wanted to he could screw us, so why wasn’t there an effort to keep him happy? Paul White and the board have a lot to answer for
 
This could have been dealt with so much better. Bennett is in a position of power where if he wanted to he could screw us, so why wasn’t there an effort to keep him happy? Paul White and the board have a lot to answer for

How do we know they didn’t? Truth be told we don’t know what happens behind closed doors.

Its always been Wayne’s way or the highway. How many times has he tapped players on shoulder, without as much of a negative word from those players. Know he’s the one being tapped and what did he do? he made last season all about Wayne

For what it’s worth, the man has been great for the club. Lets not forget though without the club, it’s facilities, juniors, market share etc he wouldn’t be what he is today.
 
How do we know they didn’t? Truth be told we don’t know what happens behind closed doors.

Its always been Wayne’s way or the highway. How many times has he tapped players on shoulder, without as much of a negative word from those players. Know he’s the one being tapped and what did he do? he made last season all about Wayne

For what it’s worth, the man has been great for the club. Lets not forget though without the club, it’s facilities, juniors, market share etc he wouldn’t be what he is today.
Because of what’s been said, obviously. He wanted to stay at the club for one more season, then he probably would have retired and not taken our players anywhere. Seibold likes to learn apparently, so why wouldn’t he accept a one year assistant job to learn from the greatest? We didn’t need to be in a rush to sack Wayne. He’s still one of the best coaches in the game and he put this team together. He deserved the right to see what they could do as adults. He made the season about him to take the attention away from the group of 18 year olds debuting and then the media ran with it and our idiot board didn’t help at all. You’ll remember that Bennett barely said anything to the media like usual
 
To me it sounds like he’s pretty salty and from past experience it never ends well when you have salty people in a company. I’m expecting at least TPJ to follow him after 2019
 
While everyone is banging on about Wayne, not a peep about players and what they are up to, Wayne is winning.
 
Because of what’s been said, obviously. He wanted to stay at the club for one more season, then he probably would have retired and not taken our players anywhere. Seibold likes to learn apparently, so why wouldn’t he accept a one year assistant job to learn from the greatest? We didn’t need to be in a rush to sack Wayne. He’s still one of the best coaches in the game and he put this team together. He deserved the right to see what they could do as adults. He made the season about him to take the attention away from the group of 18 year olds debuting and then the media ran with it and our idiot board didn’t help at all. You’ll remember that Bennett barely said anything to the media like usual

It doesn't matter what Wayne wants... the board responsibility isn't to look after Wayne Bennett, their responsibility is to look after the Brisbane Broncos ...

The board clearly identified Seibold as the right man to succeed Bennett, not JD. we had to get Seibold now before the Rabbitohs locked him up.

besides, it's not like Bennett is a recent premiership winner ... he hasn't won anything in nearly a decade
 
I guess the players will have to weigh up freezing in winter, traffic, and playing for half-sized crowds for maybe a bit of coin and a coach at the end of his run.

I know what I’d be choosing.
 

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