NEWS Wayne Bennett hits Brisbane Broncos with $400k claim

[Harry Sack]

I wish I could claim it. Someone made a similar post around the time he was first signed.

 

[Porthoz]

I realise I am aiming that at 3 of the most opinionated, text wall writing posters on the forum but hey......worth a shot. Quite frankly I'm also starting to become slightly unnerved at the frequency of Huge and Morkel agreeing with each other. That shit will keep us long time members up at night.

I think we can all agree, as has been said numerous times now, that neither party is squeaky clean here so what's the point? Whether it's 50/50 or 70/30 it doesn't make a shits worth of difference now. Wayne's gone, Seibs is here. It's time to move on, get excited about the changes to the club and the difference a fresh approach will have on this team. It's time to be bold...time to be...Seibold.

I'm jumping on this boat.

And whether it's yours or someone else's, that bold bit is absolute bold... I mean, gold.

 

[Harry Sack]

I'm jumping on this boat.

And whether it's yours or someone else's, that bold bit is absolute bold... I mean, gold.

 

[winslow_wong]

Are we still discussing Wayne’s departure? Yikes

 

[john1420]

Those so hell bent on standing up for Bennetts honor and bad mouthing the club should **** off to souths with him.

Grow up

 

[Gaz]

Love the off season.

And I'll respect you in the morning. hah hah.

 

[Old Mate]

I wish I could claim it. Someone made a similar post around the time he was first signed.

Yeah it was me, don’t you dare claim my proudest moment on here.

 

[Huge]

Why are you still falsely claiming that I believe Bennett did nothing wrong? I have admitted all along that there are actions that Bennett took that he could and should have done differently. My point is that his reasons behind those actions are not as selfish or nefarious as some people are claiming, and as the media have enjoyed portraying.

His "loyalty" to the players is not a fluffy story designed to hoodwink fans. There are numerous players in the squad that owe a lot of their careers to Bennett. And, specifically, two of our most important and impressionable players that, almost unarguably, are in Broncos colours only because of him. TPJ is one, Lodge being the other. Lodge in particular doesn't so much as owe his career, but his life to Bennett. Who knows where he would have ended up, but before Bennett took him in it seemed inevitable he'd be back in Sydney, labouring, while still under the influences and vices that got him in to trouble in the first place. So really, I am not exaggerating when I say that loyalty was a critical factor in Bennett's decision making.

It would have been exceedingly hypocritical for him to be agreeing to terms that would separate him from the players that he himself promised to oversee. Hence why he steadfastly refused to stand down. My theory, which I have no proof of, but perfectly fits the resulting events, is that any agreement that Bennett was asked to made in order to facilitate an immediate swap, revolved around him stepping down. Why, I can only presume, but I suspect it would have something to do with the club avoiding any potential backlash that would arise from publicly firing Bennett, and with his standing at the Broncos, those concerns would be warranted. However, if it was a choice the Broncos were willing to make, they should have had the balls to do it immediately. That's what I don't like about the Broncos' choice of actions. The swap was inevitable, everyone including Bennett knew, but instead of agreeing to Bennett's terms, or simply firing him, they courted the media until the perception was that Bennett was playing both sides and could warrant terminating him due to breaches.

The press conference was a bad call, that I will freely admit. However, it followed the Broncos offering him one final opportunity to take up a deal that they knew Bennett would not agree to, and Bennett used the situation to affirm that he would not step down and intended to honour his commitments. Yes, it turned the situation in to a circus, and it is entirely possible Bennett did this deliberately, to force the Broncos to do that which they were previously too cowardly to do, namely get it over with and fire him. So while I will criticise him for his actions, I hold the Broncos' bullshit leading up to it as at least equally as farcical.

I read it all, every word and I find I agree with it all except the bit about the press conference. That is what I would have done and forced the weak gutted board to act. I believe the board has been working for months on end (in fact as soon as they unofficially got Siebold on board) to remove WB for the 2019 season. They wanted him to go quietly into that good night but he refused instead choosing to rage against the dying of the light. More power to him. The board wanted it easy and never publicly gave a reason to remove WB, the why he needed to go.

I don't need any of you on here to tell me the reason, I wanted the board to come right out and say exactly why WB couldn't take them into the future. Bullshit about coaching Souths is pure crap. The season was over, who fucking cares if WB said I'll play you here or I will be letting you go or you should stand your ground when negotiating your next contract IF I'M coaching Souths in 2019. I mean who fucking cares?

I'm right behind AS and the Bronco's and just lately I've come around to seeing reasons why the change might have been needed but I think the Bronco's were cowards for not simply announcing (way back when they actually decided) they were going in a new direction and their reasons why.

 

[Gaz]

The season was over, who **** cares if WB said I'll play you here or I will be letting you go or you should stand your ground when negotiating your next contract IF I'M coaching Souths in 2019. I mean who **** cares?

Clearly the board cares and acted accordingly.
Would have have been easier for them to ignore and continue with the status quo.

After watching a training session (loud music and all), was very impressed with AS and his assistants. Made me excited for what lays ahead.

I'm glad they cared.

 

[Scorchie]

Honestly? Who cares. It’ll be in Wayne’s next book and we can debate morality and who did what when that arrives

 

[Huge]

Clearly the board cares and acted accordingly.
Would have have been easier for them to ignore and continue with the status quo.

After watching a training session (loud music and all), was very impressed with AS and his assistants. Made me excited for what lays ahead.

I'm glad they cared.

I think you missed my point. It's not that I don't think the board choosing AS or any other successor was to be something not cared about rather the supposed breach, it's alleged seriousness. More honoured in the breach than the observance. With the season over the accusations of coaching are plainly ridiculous, planning a future, sure. Most particularly when WB knew the knives were out and the board wanted him to just go quietly. I'm glad they sacked him insomuch as I agree with his probable reasons for it.

 

[winslow_wong]

It’s 2019! **** Wayne Bennett and go the broncos!!!

Happy new year gentsss

 

[Eta Carinae]

I was among the loudest voices calling for him to be shown the door and was slammed for it. Everything that has happened on and off the field since leads me to believe I was right. The head office could have handled it better but I believe most of it is on Bennett for the way it has turned out.

Looking forward to seeing if he has still got it as far as coaching RL goes because everything else he has done leads me to believe his mind isn't working perfectly.

 

[Kimlo]

I was among the loudest voices calling for him to be shown the door and was slammed for it. Everything that has happened on and off the field since leads me to believe I was right. The head office could have handled it better but I believe most of it is on Bennett for the way it has turned out.

Looking forward to seeing if he has still got it as far as coaching RL goes because everything else he has done leads me to believe his mind isn't working perfectly.

Lol, you signed up on the day Seibold was announced as coach. Please drop the crap. Slammed for it, by who? Certainly wasn't here, if so why are you telling us?

 

[Eta Carinae]

Lol, you signed up on the day Seibold was announced as coach. Please drop the crap. Slammed for it, by who? Certainly wasn't here, if so why are you telling us?

Sure. Maybe 'Rover' for example remembers me.

 

[lynx000]

Sure. Maybe 'Rover' for example remembers me.

Oh good, Wolfie's bitch is back. Hi Reyter.

 

[CaptainHook]

I think @john1420 was getting to the heart of the matter a few pages back. No one is entirely blameless in this debacle.

Personally, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.

It's ok to not be a fan of Wayne Bennett leaving but also be genuinely excited about Anthony Seibold's arrival (this is my position).

It's totally fine also to think that Wayne Bennett may not be all that innocent but also think the media's take on it is mostly garbage.

The Courier Mail are a Platinum Sponsor of the Brisbane Broncos... whatever that means.

Do they have a vested interest in portraying Wayne Bennett as the guilty party and make the club look totally above board and competent? Do they also have a vested interest in pumping up the new coach with all these puff pieces?

I think that's a fair question.

You look at some of the reporting around this whole situation and Bennett in particular... I dunno - is propaganda too strong of a word?

Seriously - some of those stories were two steps away from Bennett announcing to every child in the world that there is no Santa Claus.

If people want to be a lemming and nod and swallow all of it because it backs up their take on events, go for it.

If people want to take half-truths and accept it fully as fact then go for that too...

Shifting gears and in the spirit of trying to get some perspective back into the discussion, I was going through my old files and dug up an article about Bennett when he first signed with St George - Illawarra. Here are some quotes:

-

"I must admit I was a little taken aback when I went and spoke to the team at the end of 2006; Wayne invited me in to have a chat with the boys about a few things. I was surprised how even back then Wayne had less input in that team meeting. Ivan did most of the talking that day. The last time I was in that room I was playing. Wayne was coach, and he was the only one who spoke." - Steve Renouf

"I'm very excited about the future of Wayne. We've known each other for a while. He's been a closet Dragons supporter for years. This is a major venture. He'll entice investment in the club as well. It was difficult to make the decision in advance, especially for Nathan. We owe [Brown] respect. We need to honour his efforts. But we're going forward." - Peter Doust

"He's proven a lot of people wrong time and time again. He always seems to have the last laugh. He'll fully turn them around and they'll probably win the premiership next year. I know that's drawing a long bow, but you just never know with him. Why not?" - The Pearl, again

-

Shane Webcke also gave a lot of credit to Ivan Henjak for our premiership success in one of his books. It's a bit of a shame that he's pretty much dead now in the eyes of the fanbase these days. We're an unforgiving bunch.

Is a coach really that instrumental to a team's success? It's not like he's out there on the field. The weather and crowd probably decide more games than the coach, the refs, the media or any other stupid shit fans like to hang on for their team's ineptitude.

Back to WB, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he wins the comp at Souths. Personally, I hope he snags the World Cup with England. He's building a quality team with England (kinda like with the Broncos but hey) while Australia are going through a rebuilding phase. Can the old fox do it? Would that trump his seven premierships?

It would be an amazing achievement.

 

[Gaz]

I think @john1420 was getting to the heart of the matter a few pages back. No one is entirely blameless in this debacle.

Personally, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.

It's ok to not be a fan of Wayne Bennett leaving but also be genuinely excited about Anthony Seibold's arrival (this is my position).

It's totally fine also to think that Wayne Bennett may not be all that innocent but also think the media's take on it is mostly garbage.

The Courier Mail are a Platinum Sponsor of the Brisbane Broncos... whatever that means.

Do they have a vested interest in portraying Wayne Bennett as the guilty party and make the club look totally above board and competent? Do they also have a vested interest in pumping up the new coach with all these puff pieces?

I think that's a fair question.

You look at some of the reporting around this whole situation and Bennett in particular... I dunno - is propaganda too strong of a word?

Seriously - some of those stories were two steps away from Bennett announcing to every child in the world that there is no Santa Claus.

If people want to be a lemming and nod and swallow all of it because it backs up their take on events, go for it.

If people want to take half-truths and accept it fully as fact then go for that too...

Shifting gears and in the spirit of trying to get some perspective back into the discussion, I was going through my old files and dug up an article about Bennett when he first signed with St George - Illawarra. Here are some quotes:

-

"I must admit I was a little taken aback when I went and spoke to the team at the end of 2006; Wayne invited me in to have a chat with the boys about a few things. I was surprised how even back then Wayne had less input in that team meeting. Ivan did most of the talking that day. The last time I was in that room I was playing. Wayne was coach, and he was the only one who spoke." - Steve Renouf

"I'm very excited about the future of Wayne. We've known each other for a while. He's been a closet Dragons supporter for years. This is a major venture. He'll entice investment in the club as well. It was difficult to make the decision in advance, especially for Nathan. We owe [Brown] respect. We need to honour his efforts. But we're going forward." - Peter Doust

"He's proven a lot of people wrong time and time again. He always seems to have the last laugh. He'll fully turn them around and they'll probably win the premiership next year. I know that's drawing a long bow, but you just never know with him. Why not?" - The Pearl, again

-

Shane Webcke also gave a lot of credit to Ivan Henjak for our premiership success in one of his books. It's a bit of a shame that he's pretty much dead now in the eyes of the fanbase these days. We're an unforgiving bunch.

Is a coach really that instrumental to a team's success? It's not like he's out there on the field. The weather and crowd probably decide more games than the coach, the refs, the media or any other stupid shit fans like to hang on for their team's ineptitude.

Back to WB, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he wins the comp at Souths. Personally, I hope he snags the World Cup with England. He's building a quality team with England (kinda like with the Broncos but hey) while Australia are going through a rebuilding phase. Can the old fox do it? Would that trump his seven premierships?

It would be an amazing achievement.

Sorry Hook you left it a bit late to reminisce it’s not 2018 anymore and Bennett ball is finished here forever. It’s 2019 and we’re going full forward with Seibs. Perhaps you need to post this stuff on the Warren - it’ll give Richo and Pablo a lift.