The Wayne Bennett Super thread!

[broncos4life]

I'm very curious to know why Bennett said what he did about Joe. Maybe it was just mind games but part of me hopes he was serious about not playing him and he just changed his mind:

Why do you hope that? What's wrong with motivating players?

 

[Ari Gold]

Why do you hope that? What's wrong with motivating players?

There is nothing wrong with motivating players. Having said that, I have no doubt Bennett is good at motivating players.

However, I feel Bennett is too set in his ways at times. If this selection is based on a change of mind based on what's best for the team, I have more optimism for his time here.

It's probably not something that would bother a pro Bennett person but as someone who leans anti Wayne these things are positive to me.

 

[Socnorb]

Fact: Henjak/Griffin is a better coach than any one of us.
Fact: Henjak/Griffin knows more about the players than us.
Forgive us for not berating him, and actually discussing what the motivations are behind each move. Because, strangely enough, there is most likely a reasonable explanation behind every move that you or I don't entirely agree with on face value.

See the problem? You guys were berating our last 2 coaches for some of the same things you're now applauding Bennett for doing.

The first part of this post is true.

 

[Nashy]

The first part of this post is true.

I assure you, the second is even more accurate.

 

[Socnorb]

I assure you, the second is even more accurate.

Maybe for some.

 

[Morkel]

What was wrong with Maranta? He was one of the better on the field for round 1.



I'm not Bennett hater. But experiments? This is a professional sport, we are in our season. The time for experimenting is over. It's down to business now, you pick your best side, not your favourite.

Nothing about favourites. In fact at this point it's not about your best side, if doing that now compromises the strength of your side later in the season. Every side experiments, even during the season. Unless you know everything there possibly is to know about your players. Like blooding a young player. Or dropping an out of form one and replacing them with one that's impressed at training and deserves to be rewarded. It's all experimental, real game minutes are different to training or even trials - otherwise the best teams during trials would be the best during the year. That rookie could suck it big time, or play out of his skin, who knows.

 

[Foordy]

I have no problem with him experimenting with his side ... I'm happy that guys like Nikorima and Joe Ofehengue are getting a shot in the top grade ...

then there's experimenting with a guy like Whitchurch ... who even blind freddy could see isn't NRL material.

 

[broncos4life]

I have no problem with him experimenting with his side ... I'm happy that guys like Nikorima and Joe Ofehengue are getting a shot in the top grade ...

then there's experimenting with a guy like Whitchurch ... who even blind freddy could see isn't NRL material.

Whitchurch got one round in which his shitness had didn't cost us a game, why are you so fixated on him?

 

[Nashy]

Whitchurch got one round in which his shitness had didn't cost us a game, why are you so fixated on him?

Because he's the only player who Bennett picked who simply wasn't fit for it. The rest of the team you could argue and say they had good games here and there, or played well in Q Cup. He didn't. He's never been a good player, and the fact he was dumped in to first grade when he's flat out making an impression in the lower grades is questionable.

 

[broncos4life]

Because he's the only player who Bennett picked who simply wasn't fit for it. The rest of the team you could argue and say they had good games here and there, or played well in Q Cup. He didn't. He's never been a good player, and the fact he was dumped in to first grade when he's flat out making an impression in the lower grades is questionable.

I get that, but it is done know, why keep going on about it. Bennett obviously saw there may be some potential there (personally I don't understand at all what he saw) but he proved him wrong and he dropped him.

If whitchurch cost us the game I could understand why this would still be a discussion topic, but why we are still going on about it nearly a week later baffles me... each to their own though

 

[Nashy]

I get that, but it is done know, why keep going on about it. Bennett obviously saw there may be some potential there (personally I don't understand at all what he saw) but he proved him wrong and he dropped him.

If whitchurch cost us the game I could understand why this would still be a discussion topic, but why we are still going on about it nearly a week later baffles me... each to their own though

Heh, this is the first thing I've said about him since the game. We've certainly had worse players.

 

[broncos4life]

Heh, this is the first thing I've said about him since the game. We've certainly had worse players.

My original post wasn't directed at you, but you got in the middle of it :) my comment was directed to people that have mentioned it several times, sorry for the confusion

 

[rnabokov]

A couple of things about Bennett and the Broncos.. and if I am saying what is common knowledge, then I apologise.

My point has 2 parts: what players do individually, and secondly, what the team does tactically on the field: the game plan for instance - and just one example was where and how Milford was positioned on Friday night and accordingly, what he could and couldn't do, did and didn't do. Was that Bennett's tactical decision or not?

Watching Friday night's game, as well as watching a lot of other Broncos games where Bennett has coached since I have been a member of this Forum for well over 7 years, something struck me that I hadn't really paid that much attention to. So I did a bit of reading about Bennett's coaching style, as well as watching games and his interviews. The most recent one was the on the current teams's selection for the Shark's game, especially the bit where he expects Gillett to live up to his status as a key starting player.

So, first, I have usually been very critical of Bennett's game plans, until I realized tonight that from what I had read and seen and heard, Bennett is not really into game plans and tactics on the field. He leaves that up to his coaching staff, and Kevvie Walters I suppose is the key tactical coach for this year.

Second, Bennett is by general consensus, a player manager, motivator, selector, and focuses on the age-old basics of rugby league which don't really change much: Tackle, pass, run hard and complete your sets and get the basics right, before he then brings out the special talents of individual players.

So, what I expect this season is that Wayne will work on the players and his coaching staff will deal with the on-field tactics.

My point is therefore, based on Friday night, our tactics SUCKED and it wasn't Wayne's fault, while I take my hat off to Wayne then and now for trying to get the best players on the paddock (even Whitchurch) and the best out of the players he picks, and that he is prepared to chop and change according to how players respond to the challenge of doing justice to the Bronco's colours.

And now for the way the team plays as a team: the game plan, the tactics, stuff that it would seem are not really what Wayne's main priority is.

I'll watch both elements of our play starting this week with the greatest interest - and it is BOTH elements of the teams's performances which will determine where we end up at the end of this season.

 

[Anonymous person]

So basically, nothing bad about the broncos can be waynes fault?

 

[Morkel]

So basically, nothing bad about the broncos can be waynes fault?

Of course not. It's his fault we hired Walters.

 

[Kimlo]

So basically, nothing bad about the broncos can be waynes fault?

Well he's just about quadrupled my BHQ workload, so I'll bag him out for that.

 

[rnabokov]

So basically, nothing bad about the broncos can be waynes fault?

No, not all AP.

What I said was: "I'll watch both elements of our play starting this week with the greatest interest - and it is BOTH elements of the teams's performances which will determine where we end up at the end of this season."

Wayne's responsible for player management: team selections and getting the best out of players. That is a seriously important role and responsibility, and ideal for a head coach. His reputation rests on doing well in this regard.

At this, Hook sucked. Sucked big time.


As for the Broncos tactical play, the game plans ... e.g. getting Milford positioned correctly and working on combining with Hunt, Macca and our FB, developing an expansive passing game and so forth, that seems to me to be something largely for the coaching staff. Mind you, As I understand it, Bennett picked the coaching staff too so he also has some responsibility in that regard as well.


I might also say that it looked to me like Hook took on both roles in his years with the Broncos and (gulp) .... as far as game plans go, he had some good ideas - like the forward passing game which when it worked, worked really well (even though it came from Henjak from memory).

In any case, for mine, as I posted, It's not just WB who is responsible how we perform, and it will be interesting to see if he can extract the best from the superb talent we have in this squad, like Gillett, Milford, Hunt, Oates and a few others, all of whom can be, at the best, game breakers.

But .... PLEASE no more Griffinball (except for the forward passing plays).

 

[Anonymous person]

Re: Round 3 - Broncos vs Cowboys

So either Bennetts game plan is shit, Blair is shit, or both are shit. Gotcha.

I bet you would be unable to find another starting prop in any game of NRL in the last 5 seasons who has only made a single hitup in even 20 minutes of game time.

Blair is nor a prop, and only a bad coach would play him at prop.