Wayne Bennett confirmed as 2015 coach of Brisbane Broncos

[teampjta]

As for a succession plan, once bitten, twice shy

We will have learnt from the first time WB left, therefore you would have to be naive to think we wont have a proper succession plan in place.

 

[Huge]

Can I have the story of Bennett's departure in 2008 as I can't remember the full details, from memory he was offered a contract by the Dragons and he wanted a new challenge and took it.

From where I saw it I guessed that the board considered that Bennett was setting the standard for the Broncos and some of them considered he was too powerful and was doing their job. They may have even considered he was undermining their authority. I don't believe he ever wanted to leave but knew that he was on the outer even though still the heart and soul of the organisation.

As he knew he was going to be pushed out he sounded out a few prospective employers but by doing that some in the background decided he was now being disloyal. I think that suited them to believe that. Unfortunately his efforts to look around were discovered somehow and so they began a concerted effort to dislodge him. They were ultimately successful. Some of the reasons put forward were plainly ridiculous , things like looking to improve, move forward, evolve etc. We were already the most successful sporting team in Australia yet that apparently was not enough.

At the time I was livid and it still rankles me to this day. The notion that by dropping the at the time ' rugby Leagues Worlds Best Coach ' and replacing him with a total novice in pursuit of better performance was insane. What the back room boys wanted was an amelioration of the coaches role and to put in place a coach whose sole job was to coach. While that seems reasonable on the face of it , it was not what our unique club was. The coach at our club set the standard for the business as a whole, rightly or wrongly. The club was largely successful due to the coach and not the back room boys whose job was the administration of the club. In no way is that role unimportant but it was not what made the Broncos what they were. It was the coach, his influence and the wonderful players he had in his team.

WB demanded an incredibly high standard of all around him including and especially his players. As proof that the way he did business, coaches at other clubs knew they had to have sole responsibility, sole ownership of the decisions and consequently a new breed of coach emerged who were more than just a coach of the team. They knew they had to be the face of the club and set the standard. You only have to see Craig Bellamy to have an example of the modern coach. Set the tone, set the standard, be the man responsible.

 

[Morkel]

Yeah, he didn't necessarily "leave us to coach the dragons". As has been done this time, he resigned first, then weighed up his options, chose the Dragons. Or I'm far too naive.

 

[Foordy]

From memory the board wanted him to stay until the end of his contract (end of 2009 season). But he decided to leave early and got Henna as a result.

We wanted Bellamy, and probably would have got him if Cullen didn't publicly have a go at him.

 

[Bull Shark]

Bennett will have a succession plan.

He had one when he was with us before, but that was completely fucked up when he was forced out. I don't think Henjak and Griffin were ever supposed to be coach.

He'll have one again this time. Now it's time to do what should have been done in the first place.

Foordy, don't worry. The same mistake won't be made twice. Have a bit of faith..

Going by Bennett's book, Henjak appeared to be the intended successor .. in some snippets Bennett mentions how even early in the 08' season Henjak was on the verge of spontaneous human combustion due to the prospect of taking over the following year.

 

[Kaz]

This how I remember WB leaving.

It all started to go down hill with WB, because he lied to Cullen's face about the Chooks job. (WB said he wasn't talking to them) WB also lied to the players.

After that Cullen got WB to sign an actual contract, before that WB always had a handshake agreement.

Cullen was made out to be the bad guy.

 

[Super Freak]

Going by Bennett's book, Henjak appeared to be the intended successor .. in some snippets Bennett mentions how even early in the 08' season Henjak was on the verge of spontaneous human combustion due to the prospect of taking over the following year.

I was always under the impression Bennett intended to stay on until Lockyer retired and groom him to take over.

 

[Huge]

This how I remember WB leaving.

It all started to go down hill with WB, because he lied to Cullen's face about the Chooks job. (WB said he wasn't talking to them) WB also lied to the players.

After that Cullen got WB to sign an actual contract, before that WB always had a handshake agreement.

Cullen was made out to be the bad guy.

Naturally that's how you'd remember it, overlooking why he was talking to the Chooks. As I said and most unbiased people know ,he was talking to them because he had already become aware he was to be pushed out. He was not pushed because he lied ( not that I claim he did) whatever he was doing was not anyone's business, he was sounding out job prospects.

I suppose your happy with how things went after his departure ? We were once great.......been six years since we were. Now we are also rans, is that what you wanted Kaz ? It's what you got when we lost WB.

 

[Foordy]

Actually it's what we got when we lost Lockyer.

 

[Huge]

Well, whatever we lost we are now on the road to regaining it. Once upon a time WB used to get letters from aspiring players and perhaps he will again. What I think is certain is that we will again be able to attract players who want to play for us and will be prepared to do so at cheaper rates. Generally speaking, being coached by WB is a sort after thing. Not every player feels that way and quite a few would say the same about Bellamy. Sad thing is even if WB delivers us another GF win, the KAZs and the APs of this world will attribute it to Griffin and his legacy. In part they'd be right but only in part. Should we win again in WBs final stint I will be a happy old man.

 

[Big Pete]

No one is writing Benny anymore.

Somebody set him up a Facebook page.

 

[1910]

Walters was assistant to Meninga last year as well and is reportedly the Meninga origin succession plan

Just this year, he wasn't involved previously for a few years because he was in France.

 

[1910]

Bad feeling about Walters. I've been trying to find out who the assistant coaches to the Origin team are are have been in recent years. Because I think this was Walters' first year in that role. I know there were way more deciding factors in the series than one assistant coach, but still. Also, has anyone been overly impressed with Newcastle's halves this year? Because he's their halves coach.

Time for a Walters thread methinks.

Hetherington, Alf, Kevvie, Hagan, Henry. Have all been on coaching staff.
Allen and S.Walters managers.

 

[vertigo]

Oh yeah, someone needs to own up to the [MENTION=8300]FaithinHook[/MENTION] novelty account now.

 

[Porthoz]

Naturally that's how you'd remember it, overlooking why he was talking to the Chooks. As I said and most unbiased people know ,he was talking to them because he had already become aware he was to be pushed out. He was not pushed because he lied ( not that I claim he did) whatever he was doing was not anyone's business, he was sounding out job prospects.

I suppose your happy with how things went after his departure ? We were once great.......been six years since we were. Now we are also rans, is that what you wanted Kaz ? It's what you got when we lost WB.

How do you know this, and how is that an unbiased view?

I'm not arguing either way ftr, because I have heard contradictory information on this... but your admiration for WB makes anything but unbiased and obfuscates your view.

Your second paragraph is a falacy, as while we were pretty crap under Henjak, Hook got the job to transition the club into a post Locky era, but managed a preliminary final in his first year after a dismal 2010 (the worst Broncos ever imo, despite last season's finish).

2012 was always going to be tough with Locky, and 2013 was marred by the worst injury crisis the club has ever had (in the backline), although I won't deny mistakes were made in the retention and recruitment departments, especially the hope in Corey Norman, which I honestly shared at one point as well.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe Griffin lacks in certain facets of the job, and I do think Bennett will correct those, but he will certainly inherit a young talented team to attempt a premiership, and I am afraid Griffin's due credit will be forgotten.
The fact we have already been installed as premiership favourites next season is not only due to Wayne's credentials and pretty eyes, it's because of the roster quality he will have at his disposition.

As to the future and what shape Wayne will leave us in, I am not optimistic at all, and really hope to be wrong!

P.S. I changed your original post's font size, because that pretty much equals yelling, and there is no need for it to bring you point across.

 

[Huge]

How do you know this, and how is that an unbiased view?

I'm not arguing either way ftr, because I have heard contradictory information on this... but your admiration for WB makes anything but unbiased and obfuscates your view.

Your second paragraph is a falacy, as while we were pretty crap under Henjak, Hook got the job to transition the club into a post Locky era, but managed a preliminary final in his first year after a dismal 2010 (the worst Broncos ever imo, despite last season's finish).

2012 was always going to be tough with Locky, and 2013 was marred by the worst injury crisis the club has ever had (in the backline), although I won't deny mistakes were made in the retention and recruitment departments, especially the hope in Corey Norman, which I honestly shared at one point as well.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe Griffin lacks in certain facets of the job, and I do think Bennett will correct those, but he will certainly inherit a young talented team to attempt a premiership, and I am afraid Griffin's due credit will be forgotten.
The fact we have already been installed as premiership favourites next season is not only due to Wayne's credentials and pretty eyes, it's because of the roster quality he will have at his disposition.

As to the future and what shape Wayne will leave us in, I am not optimistic at all, and really hope to be wrong!

P.S. I changed your original post's font size, because that pretty much equals yelling, and there is no need for it to bring you point across.

Last things first, two parts. The feature is provided, why ,if not to use ? Secondly, I didn't have my glasses so to write and as you know I'm nearly 60,a bigger font helps. It enables me to read what I have written so please don't help in future and stop trying to overstep your responsibilities.

I have previously acknowledged Griffin and also highlighted that WB will be inheriting a great side. Easily seen if you re- read my posts.

Like the great majority I do admire WB and that's not a secret. However I have always felt that due to my long years on this earth I have grown to understand that all people see things through some sort of bias. What I don't have though is rose coloured glasses and I see quite clearly the situation we have now. As I wrote WB will inherit a good side, a side largely built through Griffin and his team and doubtless WB will be glad to be given such a side. I ,like a lot of others think Griffins dismissal was painful but I also cannot see how it could have been handled much differently.

Griffin had shortcomings as a coach, well discussed here already and his removal was expected. In fact many on here would have liked us to start 2014 with a new coach. What I cannot stand is WB being painted as a villain when taking the job, in fact I believe just about any coach would have been seen as a villain in similar circumstance. Among Griffins successes were some obvious failures yet although I wanted him gone I did not denigrate him. If I had a heavy bias doubtless I would not acknowledge the good he did. I try to be even handed about all people. Mind you, some rapists and murderers, kid fiddlers and the like I probably couldn't be unbiased about.

 

[Porthoz]

Sorry mate, you don't get to determine where my responsibilities start or end. You know where to discuss moderation if you want to do so. In the meanwhile, please keep the font normal, as the different sizes purpose is certainly not for people to type whole posts with massive font.

If your eye sight requires a need to increase your font size, I suggest you use your computer's OS and/or your screen resolution for that purpose.

Back to the topic... interestingly, you did not answer my question about the "unbiased" view that WB was in the process of being pushed, but please keep thinking that your glasses aren't coloured.

Regarding Griffin, your acknowledgement of him doesn't exactly rhyme with the "We were once great.......been six years since we were. Now we are also rans..." quote. WB may, and probably would have done slightly better than him under the same circumstances I mentioned above, but I very much doubt we would have been a powerhouse in 2012/2013, like you seem to imply.

 

[Cult]

We probably would have got Inglis with Bennett in charge.