Wayne Bennett: Gagai shouldn’t have been sacked

[Jason Simmons]

still not our worst coach ever

He presided over our worst ever season...

And then players openly said this about him...

Asked during a press conference this week what was the key reason for the Broncos missing the finals, Prince said "I don't know you will have to ask the coach".

 

[broncos4life]

I say it like I see it, and I know this is a place where Bennett's turds are regarded as precious gems by many.
God forbid anyone criticised anything he says or does!

I just didn’t realise you were such a big fan of Hook, obviously took a swipe from Bennett to reignite your fire for SuperCoach Griffin.

 

[Morkel]

Would be interesting the reaction from people if the roles were reversed and it was Bennett that had the players on the weight-gain-3000.

Then why am I questioning it? You know I'm a Bennett fan and hate to see him get bashed by agenda-driven journos, but his comments here don't fly. Not only that, I can't see a clear motive. Praising his career improvement is one thing, but he didn't need to unfairly bash Griffin in the process. And it is unfair. I fucking hate people rewriting history and that's what's happening here.

There we have it.
You’re more stupid than I first thought.

Like @Foordy said, we literally have two different accounts of the events, from the same person. How can one of those accounts not be a lie?

Straight from Gagai’s mouth.
As I expected reason why he was late for training he was up late trying to get fat.
He would wake up early in the morning to get fat.

You're going to sit there and base your argument on your belief that the only thing Gagai did wrong was be late to training once, and the only reason that occurred is because he had stayed up too late trying to get "fat", and then had to get up early again to get "fat", and then went late to training because, after all of these late night and early morning attempts to get fat he still couldn't get fat enough so he skipped the weigh-in.

 

[Foordy]

He presided over our worst ever season...

And then players openly said this about him...

Does the name Ivan Henjak ring a bell ... we were on the wrong end of more thrashings under him than any other coach... reportedly also cost us Inglis

 

[BroncsFan]

I feel like he wouldn't have complained about it. Maybe one of the Sims brothers?

It was tariq from memory

 

[Accept]

still not our worst coach ever

He was because he was there 2x longer than Ivan the Terrible. Personally, I can't split the two, they are both as bad each other. But in fairness to both of them, taking the reigns of the most high profile RL club in the world was never going to be an easy task and a task that should have never been handed to them. A rookie coach should never be given the duty to oversee a franchise whose record was unblemished before that horrid six year period especially following in the footsteps of one of the famous coaches of all time. The same mistake won't be made the next time WB departs.

 

[broncos4life]

Then why am I questioning it? You know I'm a Bennett fan and hate to see him get bashed by agenda-driven journos, but his comments here don't fly. Not only that, I can't see a clear motive. Praising his career improvement is one thing, but he didn't need to unfairly bash Griffin in the process. And it is unfair. I fucking hate people rewriting history and that's what's happening here.



Like @Foordy said, we literally have two different accounts of the events, from the same person. How can one of those accounts not be a lie?



You're going to sit there and base your argument on your belief that the only thing Gagai did wrong was be late to training once, and the only reason that occurred is because he had stayed up too late trying to get "fat", and then had to get up early again to get "fat", and then went late to training because, after all of these late night and early morning attempts to get fat he still couldn't get fat enough so he skipped the weigh-in.

I don’t know why Bennett said it, you would have to think he is as if not more passionate about the club than the fans, maybe like many he hated what Griffin did to the club and Gagai and couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a stab.

Maybe I am blinded by my hate of Griffin but I cannot understand how he is defendable. I know we want people to dig
up old articles to prove it but the weight gain program is clearly a thing, do we all think that almanacs of venting on this very forum about it was done through 100’s of people fabricating the very same thing at the very same time?

 

[Accept]

He was because he was there 2x longer than Ivan the Terrible. Personally, I can't split the two, they are both as bad each other. But in fairness to both of them, taking the reigns of the most high profile RL club in the world was never going to be an easy task and a task that should have never been handed to them. A rookie coach should never be given the duty to oversee a franchise whose record was unblemished before that horrid six year period especially following in the footsteps of one of the most famous coaches of all time. The same mistake won't be made the next time WB departs.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Why must they hate me?

I got to get out of here before I end up like him.

So was it really that bad Hodges? Oh have I got stories to tell you.

Now remember Griffin the only reason your here is to give the impression I'm not coaching the side. Give the camera that Griffin trademark face and let me do all the talking.

We tried to lure Barba to the Panthers with all the free Oak Milk he can drink but he declined.

 

[Super Freak]

Here is one of the articles about players eating junk food to make weight. Until Corvo stepped in.

https://broncoshq.com/threads/lachlan-maranta.22499/

They gave him a weight target and didn't care about how he got there.

There are others, as well.

 

[Morkel]

Here is one of the articles about players eating junk food to make weight. Until Corvo stepped in.

https://broncoshq.com/threads/lachlan-maranta.22499/

They gave him a weight target and didn't care about how he got there.

There are others, as well.

No, he was told to eat every two hours. Not what.

"...despite constantly eating pretty much whatever he wanted", "This year I have laid off the food. I’m not eating as much fast food" doesn't mean that they were told to eat shit. Later in that thread you'll see that Glenn was eating shit too and decided to clean up his diet after hanging around SBW. Sounds like the players took it upon themselves to make those stupid choices.

 

[Super Freak]

No, he was told to eat every two hours. Not what.

"...despite constantly eating pretty much whatever he wanted", "This year I have laid off the food. I’m not eating as much fast food" doesn't mean that they were told to eat shit. Later in that thread you'll see that Glenn was eating shit too and decided to clean up his diet after hanging around SBW. Sounds like the players took it upon themselves to make those stupid choices.

It seems you're completely missing the point.

 

[Morkel]

I don’t know why Bennett said it, you would have to think he is as if not more passionate about the club than the fans, maybe like many he hated what Griffin did to the club and Gagai and couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a stab.

Maybe I am blinded by my hate of Griffin but I cannot understand how he is defendable. I know we want people to dig
up old articles to prove it but the weight gain program is clearly a thing, do we all think that almanacs of venting on this very forum about it was done through 100’s of people fabricating the very same thing at the very same time?

The gaining weight thing was most certainly a thing. No one is disputing that. For such beloved fans, some of you have short memories as to the context and game plan of the time.

With no Lockyer, an inexperienced half partnering Wallace, and a distinct lack of fast players, wrestling was still choking the game, so Griffin did what coaches should do - he played to the team's strengths. You can't make slow players faster, at least not much, so he built the game plan on power. Short, flat, lateral play at the line, with players like Glenn and McGuire using their power and footwork to get through. And not allowing the defence time to put 3-4 players in to the ruck to slow it down.

 

[QLD JANE]

So people still calling Gagai a liar?

 

[Morkel]

So people still calling Gagai a liar?

Um... yes?

 

[Porthoz]

You are putting words in my mouth... Is Paul White a hyporcrite for supporting a coach until it’s decided he is no longer up to the job? Of course not, but does that automatically mean he agrees with every single decision Hook ever made as it seems it has to be according to your opinion? Of course not. Why do you think he sacked him?

The difference with Wayne and the Milford situation is that Milford’s weight gain was on him. It was not a directed approach to training and conditioning such as that Hook introduced to many player’s detriment, as far as I am aware...

Of course a CEO will back his coach, but they had just re-signed a highly promising player and were now asked to release him within weeks by the coach. Do you think an operator of White's calibre wouldn't cross his t's and dot his i's before agreeing with it?
White actually confirmed Gagai's release was due to multiple disciplinary issues. He didn't have to do that at all.

As others have said it is as plain as day your only real interest in this thread is to criticise Bennett for stating what he believes...

The corollary to Bennett’s position is that Gagai has gone from strength to strength since being removed from the Hook led system to the point he has become a regular Origin player and starting Kangaroo and the obvious implication, that we would be a stronger club with him than we are without him and players have not been sacked for far worse indiscretions than Gagai ever managed.

You don't like being put words in your mouth, and yet there you are trying to put thoughts in my mind. Please don't parrot what one or two posters with a chip on their shoulder say, and argue the topic and opinions on their merit.

I criticise Bennett where I think he fails, which is mainly tactically in my opinion (and totally irrelevant to this thread), but definitely not in his human management system, where I think he is at the very top, likewise in terms of strategic views.
Let me make that clearer... in terms of player management, Wayne Bennett is second to none!

It is quite possible, even likely, that Gagai might have been a success at the Broncos under Wayne.
But Wayne was not at the Broncos, and despite all efforts from the club at the time, he was out of control, and not because he was being forced to eat too much in the morning and/or at night. This was admitted by many in the know, including Dane himself.

Something smells bad about this whole Griffin/Bennett affair, all the way from Wayne's first approach to the club while Griffin was still on the job. This Gagai situation is just an extension of it, and a low blow from the current Broncos coach to his previous colleague, regardless of the veracity of the statements.

Even? There was little doubt it was happening in that period. You could see players had put on size, yet this didn’t improve their performances...

As to hyperbole or otherwise only those directly involved will know, but there is only one way to put on bulk quickly and that is to eat a ton of food, usually high in carbohydrates and protein as boxers do with pizza, pasta, meat, poultry, dairy and so forth. That doesn’t build lean muscle however, only extensive resistance training does and that takes time to develop real gains. The sort of gains 1910 has referred to, 5 years down the track...

Yes, and no one has denied that. But how else do you put bulk on players quickly if that is what you think is needed (rightly or wrongly)?
Lean fat is not exactly in abundance in the NRL to start with, and for some players, quick bulk may well add to their value on the field, which doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed up by said extensive resistance as well as aerobic training.

I am not denying in any way that there may well have been a bulking program, nor am I trying to imply I agree with it.
It's the hyperbole I have an issue with, backed with zero evidence of the alleged abuse.

Regardless, in this thread, I am disagreeing with Gagai's excuse and Wayne's recounting of it (possibly for trusting Gagai's version), because I know it to be false.

 

[QLD JANE]

Porthoz still dribbling crap he knows nothing about pretending he was in the know.

WB and his sources has backed up Gagai.
You have no sources, and stop like acting you do.

 

[Morkel]

Porthoz still dribbling crap he knows nothing about pretending he was in the know.

WB and his sources has backed up Gagai.
You have no sources, and stop like acting you do.

Our sources are from the player in question at the time. And from the relevant club (the Broncos) at the time. Stop pretending you know anything more than we do.