The origin of Gorden Tallis’ feud with NRL master coach Wayne Bennett has been pinpointed.
But no end appears in sight, with Brisbane fullback Darius Boyd on Friday dismissing Tallis’ criticism of Bennett, amid calls from club great Steve Renouf for the pair to “kiss and make up”.
Renouf called for calm heads after confirming when the pair had fallen out.
Tallis was never the same after Bennett benched the former captain in his 160th and, as it turned out, final game for Brisbane in a 2004 finals loss to North Queensland in his hometown of Townsville.
“That’s where it started,” Renouf told Fox Sports TV.
It reignited after Tallis took aim at Bennett over Broncos enforcer Adam Blair’s appointment as Brisbane captain for Friday night’s home clash with the Wests Tigers.
The Kiwi prop was handpicked by Bennett in the absence of six State of Origin stars.
Tallis believed his selection was an attempt by Bennett to get under his skin after he had described Blair as “one of the dirtiest players” for his infamous trans-Tasman Test chicken wing tackle.
But Boyd had no problem with Blair’s appointment.
“Everyone loves Blairy at the club; he’s a great bloke on and off the field,” he said.
“You need those kind of players that have a bit of X-factor in them.
“I know other players don’t like playing against those guys.
“You need them in your team – that’s probably why Blairy is captain.”
Asked if Bennett would risk two competition points just to get back on Tallis, Boyd said: “I think that question has answered itself.
“It’s Gordie’s opinion but everyone who knows Wayne and Blairy probably won’t agree with it.”
Renouf also denied Blair’s appointment would be a ploy to rile Tallis.
“I don’t know about that, Gordie,” Renouf said.
“These two have had an ongoing feud since Gordie left the club – they probably need to kiss and make up.”
But Renouf didn’t agree with Blair being named captain, saying it should have gone to Andrew McCullough or Ben Hunt who had come through the under-20s system.
“It is a bit of a kick in the guts (to them),” he said.
Tallis’ major beef was that Blair’s tactics were at odds with Bennett’s fair-game philosophies during his 1997-2004 Broncos stint and was surprised he had allowed it.
“I voted against giving him the job at the Cowboys when I was on the board there,” Tallis told News Corp Australia on Friday.
“This Blair appointment is another way for him to have a crack at me.”
Tallis also took aim at Bennett’s complaints about golden point in finals and the scheduling through the Origin period.
“Why can’t he just let the game shine?” he said.
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