As hard as it is to write, and as out of my depth it may be to suggest it, is it possible to question the methods of Wayne Bennett at the Newcastle Knights?
Let me be clear: this is not an easy article to write and I take no pleasure at potentially besmirching the great record of a recognised great coach.
With every keystroke on the computer, I am anticipating one of either two things: a backlash of hatred towards myself, the Newcastle Knights and Wayne Bennett, or a groundswell of agreement with myself about the Newcastle Knights and Wayne Bennett.
The Knights are currently clinging to eighth spot on the ladder, with a win-loss record of six and seven. They will travel to a lightning red hot Melbourne this weekend, to face a Storm team that is so good it has forced this writer to mix metaphors.
So, by this time next week, the Knights will most likely be going into the bye round with a six and eight record on a four game losing streak.
That, quite frankly, is bad reading, and simply not good enough.
So the question needs to be asked: what is wrong with Newcastle? Is it the team? Is it the coach? The administration? Has Nathan Tinkler, as unlikely as it may seem for a man of his ample girth, bitten off more than he can chew?
I have concerns about recruitment. Apparently not happy at having the oldest playing roster in the NRL by a long margin, Bennett has decided to up the average playing age of the squad by a couple of years with the introduction of Craig Gower.
As cover for the oldest player in the comp (Danny Buderus) being injured, Bennett has brought in the newest oldest player in the NRL.
Meanwhile, there are a bucket load of young ‘uns running around – Alex McKinnon, Dane Gagai, Travis Waddell – a mix of youth and inexperience combined with the elderly and experienced.
Yet this team cannot hold the ball regularly and they cannot score points when it matters.
There is nothing diabolically wrong with the team, per se. You cannot sneeze at only losing by seven points to the table-topping Rabbitohs. We were unlucky to not hold out the Dragons, who historically like to win in Newcastle.
And the loss to the Warriors, in hindsight, probably is not so bad considering the way they slayed the Broncos and beat the Sea Eagles at home.
But that is still four losses out of their last five. Worse, it is currently three losses in a row, likely to be four, one less than the five in a row the Knights lost last year which effectively ended our season.
The team simply does not look like they can currently cut it.
Does the administration have a case to answer? We are all told the Newcastle Knights administration, under the new cash brought in by Nathan Tinkler, is considered one of the best in the NRL. So much money running through the coffers, the administration can do as it needs, without worrying about crippling debt.
Of course, considering Nathan Tinkler’s fortunes currently look about as solid as the Greek economy, even that cannot be taken for granted for too long.
Nevertheless, the cash is currently still available, and the Knights are not necessarily in as much financial despair as Knights fans are used to reading about.
Tinkler is paying his bills, the rent has been paid at Hunter Stadium so, for now, the backrooms of the club are in order and Tinkler is still coming to the occasional home game.
Let’s talk about Wayne Bennett. When does the performance of the team become so bad that even the venerable and legendary coach has to start answering questions?
Bennett needs to start producing, and fast. After all, he is purportedly the highest paid coach in the comp, and when Tinkler’s private jet isn’t grounded, Bennett gets to use it.
The seven time premiership coach was simply signing on to deliver one thing: a premiership to Newcastle.
So much fanfare met his arrival. It was supposed to be a matter of ‘how many premierships’, not ‘will he win a premiership’.
However, has anyone ever really questioned his record? Let’s just quickly look at those seven premierships.
Seven of mostly anything is a lot, so there is no doubt it is an amazing achievement. Astonishing even. Of course, Sir Alex Ferguson won 13 division titles in roughly the same time with Manchester United.
Also, I have often wondered how Bennett’s record with St George would have looked if Melbourne had been able to accrue points in 2010?
Remember Melbourne being relegated to the bottom of the table for breaching the salary cap? Yep, that was 2010, the year Bennett cemented his legacy.
And then, it’s six premierships with the Broncos in 20 years. It is also ‘only’ six premierships, when you consider pretty much every year, the Broncos had a team that should have won.
I have often heard whispers from up north that most people believed he should have won at least 10 premierships during his tenure.
Which leaves us one and a half seasons into his reign as Newcastle coach. Missed the finals last year, about to slip out of the top eight half way through this season. Injuries piling up, the team can’t score points.
No, it does not look good at all. Now, apparently, Craig Gower is the star player the Knights need to ‘turn it around’.
I hope so, and Gower may well prove he can still cut it. History suggests he probably won’t. Yet the decision on recruitment lies with Bennett and his ‘elderly policy’.
Further, it is simply not enough anymore for Bennett to tell the media he can’t understand why the Knights are so inconsistent. With all due respect Wayne, it’s your job to ensure they are consistent.
Of all the people who are copping the blame: the players, the administration, Nathan Tinkler, it is only Bennett who appears untouchable. The coach won seven premierships, so surely it must be the fault of others rather than the venerable Wayne Bennett.
Well, maybe it is time to ask whether the coach can still cut it. Maybe it is time to ask if the likes of Craig Bellamy, Des Hasler and Ivan Cleary have moved past Benny.
Of course I respect Bennett, and what he has achieved in the game. I respect Jack Gibson too, but even he knew when his time was up. Also, Gibson tried to win a premiership with Cronulla, and that ended with him likening waiting for a Sharks premiership like leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt.
Well, with every passing game, the Knights look like being Bennett’s porch light left on for Harold.
In the end, past glories should only carry you so far. Bennett would be the first to ask a long-serving player to admit that.
So whose job is it to tell a coach when their time is up?
I hope I’m wrong, I really do. I hope come this time next week, the Knights have turned their season around with an amazing first win in Melbourne in only god-knows-how-long.
With every ounce of the blue and red blood that runs through my veins, I pray come season’s end, when the Knights are contenders, I am forced to eat my words, with a fat side of humble pie.
But I challenge anyone right now to tell me I appear off base.
With a win-loss ratio of six and seven, the Knights look like they are at sixes and sevens. And the coach needs to be accountable eventually.
vince
Guest
Kazzie, well analysed and stated. Your prediction that if this team gets into the top 8 they wont be a push-over in the first week is proved to be correct. Guess what, they are playing next weekend for a chance to play in the GF.
vince
Guest
You have extra balls mate! It's not easy to win many premiership in the NRL. And the Knights are in a playoff for the grand final next week
lol
Guest
You were critical of his coaching methods at the Dragons? Odd, considering how well they went while he was there. He took a side full of average-to-good but not great players (excepting maybe Boyd who on his day is an absolute gun), and turned them into a super-disciplined, premiership-winning outfit. A true team, with no single standout player, who were quite frankly making do with what they had at hooker, but with every player playing for the bloke beside him, all of them dedicated to a particular style of play. You might not have liked the way they played but you can't argue with the results, and speaking as a supporterof another team, watching my side play the Dragons used to be absolutely excruciating, like watching them futilely smashing their heads against a brick wall.
Kazzie
Guest
II wish people would take a more realistic perspective on what is happening with the knights. For some reason people seemed to think that Wayne pretty much only had to click his fingers and the team would become a premiership force overnight. This was never going to happen. Wayne signed for 4 years for a reason. He admitted he had a lot of work to do to take the team from a middle of the road team to a powerhouse team. Basically he has had to tear the house down and rebuild. This has involved a change in personnel. Players have left that didn't fit into the structure and Wayne has brought in much needed experience. The forward pack not withstanding injuries is a lot tougher than previous years. We are still looking at developing a hooker for next year when Buderus retires. Our halves are developing as a pairing - Mullen has really progressed under Wayne's coaching, he is fast becoming one of the best 5/8's in the comp. Tyrone is still developing as an NRL halfback. The backs are progressing well. The only thing that is still developing in terms of the team as a whole is attitude and consistency. When the team is switched on and focussed they can match any team. When they are not they are middle of the pack. Wayne is still sorting out the team in terms of some positions but the basic structure is there. He has done what he can in terms of preparing the team - it is basically down to the players - they are the ones who now have to decide what they want to achieve, to develop the mindset and attitude for every game, to work on their focus and not take their foot off the pedal when they are dominating an opposition team. They may make the 8 this year but I believe next year is when everything will really click for the team. For the first time I have been a fan of the knights I believe that if this team makes the top 8 they are more capable of lasting more than one week, I believe that they can challenge other teams whereas in the past they were cannon fodder. This team has had to go through the agony of losing close matches to develop the fire in the belly, the desire to win and hopefully the killer instinct to become a top team. Manly, Souths etc didn't get where they are over night, they had to go through similar things.
Devout Saint
Guest
I was critical of the coaching methods that Bennett used when he coached Saints. He coached us to play a most negative style of footy, based on low mistake rate, getting to Soward's kick and strong defence and taking the 2 points when ever they were on offer. Bennett had Hornby and Soward as our halves for the whole 3 years he was at the club. Saints should have got rid of Soward at the end of 08. I think Bennett is a very over rated coach. If I coached Brisbane for the 18 years that he did with his side filled with origin players like it always was, then I would have coached Brissy to at least 5 grand final wins too. I even said that my mum could have coached Brissy and she doesn't even know the rules to footy. Just look at his 18 years at Brissy. The only 2 decent halves worth mentioning were Langer, I thought was over rated too and Lockyer, who was going to be a top player with or without Bennett. Lockyer was a 5/8 in his juniors, so Bennett didn't turn him into a 5/8, he turned him into a fullback though.
mike from tari
Guest
You should be a Souths supporter, then you would know all about suffering.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I feel for Bennett a bit here...the Knights have had a shocking run with injuries this year. The injury woes of the Tigers and the Panthers get air time every week but little has been made of the Knights injuries. They've lost Gidley and Buderus for big chunks of the season. Take the 9 and 7 out of any team and see what happens. I know everyone loves sledging Gidley but he's a bloody good NRL player and played for Australia this year. Bennett also bought in Beau Scott and Jeremy Smith to stiffen up their forward pack. Both of these guys have only been back a week. These are just their long term injuries - they've had a lot of others out for a week or two at a time. Take the 9 and 7 and the two best forwards out of any team and see how they travel.
Boatman of River Styx
Guest
It's a lot more difficult coaching a side that isn't fed by a Queensland wide nursery and paid for by rich businessmen that was the Thoroughbreds group. Tommy Smith was a great trainer because he had blue bloods and not clydesdales.
seven dollers worth
Guest
No real need to anaylize it. Fact is , The Knights just dont have the team this year to sit in the top 8. And we were never expecting Bennett to stay once his contract expires.
Stu
Guest
Haha, i wouldn't go that far. Let's see hwo the Knights line up in Melbourne against the Storm this weekend. The odds don't look good but who knows, Bennet and Bellamy, like Hasler and Bellamy have great contests between their teams
The eye
Guest
Benny has turned out to be Newcastles Adam Blair.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
THe Knights are like so many other teams, If you dont have decent halves you will struggle for consitency. Mullen is over rated and gidley is/should be just used as a utility player. Also they dont have a good hooker and Buderuss is not the answer. I honestly dont think it matters who coaches the Knights they would be in the same position, prob worse.
Sideline Commentator
Guest
Agreed with this and the article. To fall from 8th to 12th the next season with a better roster must fall on the coach, surely. Maybe he is just getting too old fashioned to cut it.
jamesb
Guest
Good article I think it's about time that the spotlight is on Bennett. The thing that concerns me with Newcastle is, alot of these signings such as Mason, Smith, Scott, Buderus are short term. It comes across as short term thinking from Bennett. One gets the feeling that as soon as his contract expires in 2015, he is outta of Newcastle. Beyond 2015, what sort of team will Newcastle have?
Matt
Guest
He plays them all - in the grandstand :) Any player injured so often is just a liability, you have to constantly change your lineup. It's hard to be consistent when your team isn't consistent. Rabbits, Melbourne, Roosters - what have the 3 top teams got in common this year? A pretty stable lineup. Compared to Tigers, Eels and co. He's not a bad player, I just wouldn't want him in my team.
Terry
Guest
Gidley is a real problem for them now. As people say about him..... plays all positions, just none of them that well.
Matt
Guest
Plus no salary cap. Plus their roster has always been top class. Is that 13 premier league, or 13 trophies in general? I don't know enough to understand what "won 13 divisons" means. I do know enough that they play the season, plus a variety of cups per year.
Matt
Guest
Get rid of Gidley for starters, seems he's always injured, the most expensive spectator in the comp.
Silvertail
Guest
Fergie doesn't have a cap to start with, and while we're at it the cap doesn't work ,,, just look at what Penrith and the Tges are going through due to injuries , and on the other hand you build up your team become SUCCSESFUL and the cap steps in , Newie has been n this position and havnt recovered that simple, there isn't enough "spines" in the NRL to go round so we have what's happening now, and if your "super paid superstar" isn't firing (and there's a couple of those ) it's the coaches fault ,,, a re think of home grown talent is required , maybe a transfer fee as well ???
The eye
Guest
Agree with the author.Bennetts done zip with this team,12 th last year and headed that way again this year.How long has Ivan Cleary been at the Panthers and how firm was his base ? Trent Robinson with the chooks ? Yet the Supercoach comes in and takes the team from 8th ,Rick Stones last year,brings in 1/2 of the dragons premiership winning side plus Snowden,big Willie,Tahu and Rochow and pfft ! Supporters should wait ?? For what ? 2 of our best players are injured,Gidley,you mean? What's different to any other year,he's ALWAYS injured,the other guys a winger for goodness sake.Which youngsters have improved under him ?If you watched the 1/2 backs 2nd half last week when they played against the weakest roster in the NRL you wouldn't blame the coach for looking elsewhere.Bottom line the coach isn't doing what he was contracted to do,the roster IMO is just as good as Manlys yet they're a 'benchmark'.