The Wayne Bennett Super thread!

[Kimlo]

It means that for many players on the Broncos roster they will be given their chance at some stage in 2015 so the coach can know in his own mind whether they can handle the pressure that comes with being a Bronco.
“We didn’t build this club on just being another football club. It was always going to be different and something we would always be proud about. A special place to be part of,” Bennett said.
“Every decision I’ve ever made at the Broncos has always been in the Broncos’ best interests, never in mine.
“I’ve got a lot of young players at the Broncos and we don’t really know what they can do and what they can’t do.
“As a young coach I made a difficult decision to be patient and not sit in condemnation of someone’s performances until I was really satisfied they couldn’t do the job.
“I didn’t want them going to another club and becoming a superstar and all of is sitting around with tears in our eyes.
“We have a lot of young players at the club who haven’t been given a great deal of opportunities.

​

“If I’ve got an older player and a younger player I’d rather give the younger player the opportunity so by the end of the year I will know who can get the job done and who can’t.”
It is clear that tonight represents the new era of the Broncos, one where excellence is not an aspiration but rather an expectation.
Broncos CEO Paul White said the changes to the coaching staff, structural changes within the football department and playing roster upheaval was a once in a generation type event that was needed to put the club back on the path to greatness.
“It’s fair to say we went through major structural change with our playing roster and also our staff,” White said.
“You pay a short-term price for that in terms of the financial cost, but we were comfortable to make those hard decisions in 2014 to really give us the best opportunity to sort of really kick start the next phase in the club’s history.”

Another +1 to Bennett in my books. I don't know what it was with Griffin, but he just never really seemed to have any faith in giving new players a go.

 

[Super Freak]

I was going to post this in the pre-game thread but since it's about Bennett, I'll post it here.

I feel for Bennett tonight.

If he wins, it will be seen as nothing but a fluke.

If he loses, it will just give the Bennett haters in Australia more of a reason to dribble their shit..

No matter what happens tonight, Bennett loses.

 

[4evaBroncs]

Edit: Off Topic

 

[Foordy]

I hope Bennett does ... But until he does it is all just words. Lets wait and see if he follows through.

I still have grave concerns that he is not able to be objective when it comes to Boyd ... And he won't be able to make the tough call and shift Boyd to the wing if he isnot performing at the back.

Actions are greater than words ...

 

[CLYDESDALE]

Very happy Waynes back for his coaching swansong with us, never write off a champion, he's still got plenty of magic up his sleeve and more coaching wisdom than any coach in Oz, in Wayne we trust.

 

[Dee]

A lot of people ask if Wayne has lost his touch coaching elite first grade footballers.

IMO, I don't think he has. He still has the respect of his players & he'll always have an aura about him.

He is right, what won games in the 1980's still wins games today.

Ball control. Great defense. Good line speed. Great shape in attack. Good kick chase. Team work. Playing for one another.

But, I think he may need to update his attacking play book. Look at Souths, look at how beautifully they attack, there are so many decoy runners running at speed, it baffles the defense and they don't know who to tackle or they make ineffective tackles because they second guess who's going to get the ball. It makes sense.

Our slide left hand attack will score tries, but it's our only real weapon in attack. This must change. We need more decoy runners running great lines, putting their hands out acting as if they'll catch the ball, this will confuse the defensive line etc. We need to do this at pace, high speed, intensity. Our plays most of the time are too slow, it's easily readable and defendable. It doesn't strike fear into the hearts of the opposition, nor does it confuse them, they just shut us down everytime. We aren't lethal and deadly with ball in hand.

Also, Andrew McCullough. I think we underestimate how important his position is. It ALL starts with him, how he serves up that first pass from dummy half is crucial to how our attacking set will go. He's too slow. His passes aren't crisp enough, nor fast enough. Watch Cam Smith, Isaac Luke, Farah etc. How they dish up the ball from dummy half, or their runs from dummy half, they are effective, they leave the opposition guessing etc. I'm not saying McCullough is terrible, he's not, he's good, but we need GREAT. We require GREAT service from dummy half to be effective in our attacking plays, it's crucial, it's that simple.

 

[Alec]

Also, Andrew McCullough. I think we underestimate how important his position is. It ALL starts with him, how he serves up that first pass from dummy half is crucial to how our attacking set will go. He's too slow. His passes aren't crisp enough, nor fast enough. Watch Cam Smith, Isaac Luke, Farah etc. How they dish up the ball from dummy half, or their runs from dummy half, they are effective, they leave the opposition guessing etc. I'm not saying McCullough is terrible, he's not, he's good, but we need GREAT. We require GREAT service from dummy half to be effective in our attacking plays, it's crucial, it's that simple.

Hooker is definitely the most underrated position in the NRL. Front row was close, but teams like Souffs and Roosters showed the value of it already. The problem is Bennet underrates hookers too, so we are likely stuck with Macca until he retires.

 

[Dee]

Hooker is definitely the most underrated position in the NRL. Front row was close, but teams like Souffs and Roosters showed the value of it already. The problem is Bennet underrates hookers too, so we are likely stuck with Macca until he retires.

Maccas is great defensively, no doubt about that, but in attack he just needs work, it's very crucial to our attack how this man offers that first pass from dummy half.

 

[Nashy]

Maccas is great defensively, no doubt about that, but in attack he just needs work, it's very crucial to our attack how this man offers that first pass from dummy half.

How many years has he been in the team? How much work does he need to do?

 

[Dee]

How many years has he been in the team? How much work does he need to do?

Well, that's right. I don't think he's up to our standard but who else is going to replace Macca and give us what we need?

 

[Alec]

Well, that's right. I don't think he's up to our standard but who else is going to replace Macca and give us what we need?

We just have to wait it out until he retires.

 

[Unbreakable]

I think McCullough is on his last straw, this shit can't go on, unless he improves to at the very least someone like Jake Friend standard by the end of this year, we've gotta look elsewhere.

 

[Anonymous person]

Re: Bennett explains why he axed Vidot

If Bennett plays him at prop it's just another in the long line of stupid selections that Bennett has made. Picking straight back up where he left off in 2008.

 

[Morkel]

Re: Bennett explains why he axed Vidot

Fantastic idea. Bennett is showing that he knows exactly how to extract positives out of players that other coaches would never think of or have the balls to do. Like he's been doing for years. Bravo to the supercoach.

 

[Big Pete]

Interesting selections so far by Wayne.

I'll give him credit for coming up with two selections that I don't think would have happened if Hook was in charge.

The first is demoting Sam Thaiday to the bench. Ever since Sam was made captain, it seemed like his form dropped off a cliff and he's been using his senior position as a club to hold onto his jersey. While he managed to show some good signs in 2014, there were games where he'd make silly mistakes that would put his side under pressure and he simply didn't get involved enough to justify his spot. It's only taken one game for Bennett to react and now Thaiday is under pressure to perform. Will he rise to the challenge?

Nikorima in the utility position is the other. Purely speculation on my part but the inclination I get is that he would have been used as a back-up at fullback or five eighth for either Milford or Barba. Ideally he wouldn't get a chance and he'd be looking to leave but Wayne has made it clear that he's trying to give him a shot at the top level which is good to see. Strangely, I think if Hook was to stay on, it would have been Jayden Nikorima who would have been on the bench. Hook had huge wraps on Jayden and there was word he was looking to play him as early as last year but couldn't due to age restrictions, 18 years and over.

A couple of good decisions, but I won't go over the top either. The fact of the matter is, changes had to be made after the Broncos were utterly humbled 36-6 and two of them were seemingly forced on Wayne. Outside of Gillett being promoted in favour of Thaiday, Whitchurch's omission was a no-brainer and most would argue it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Wayne really stuck his neck out for Whitchurch who was average against the Cowboys in Mackay, worse against the Warriors in Wigan and just as bad on Thursday against Souths. Not the best decision, but at least Wayne moved swiftly.

So I've got to say, so far so good from Bennett. Happy to see Thaiday demoted and honestly I really hope he answers the challenge.

Thoughts?

 

[gordjw]

Re: Bennett explains why he axed Vidot

If Bennett plays him at prop it's just another in the long line of stupid selections that Bennett has made. Picking straight back up where he left off in 2008.

So, who's going to win at the races this weekend? Does your copy of the Sports Almanac show you that?

 

[Anonymous person]

Re: Bennett explains why he axed Vidot

So, who's going to win at the races this weekend? Does your copy of the Sports Almanac show you that?

I don't follow?

 

[gordjw]

Re: Bennett explains why he axed Vidot

I don't follow?

Just that it hasn't happened yet, but you're giving it to Bennett as though it has.

When Marty goes back to the future, he loses his Sports Almanac.