What is the point in Wayne Bennett remaining coach of Newcastle for the rest of the season? The Knights should part company with him now and let Rick Stone take over for the last seven rounds.
It wouldn’t be a case of the club sacking Bennett or being disrespectful to him by suggesting the two parties end the association now. He’s going at the end of the season anyway, and it is being reported in today’s newspapers that his original club, Brisbane, will be his destination.
It would just be a case for the Knights of facing the facts and moving on a bit earlier than planned.
Stone coached the Knights previously and is one of Bennett’s assistants. If, as has been reported, he is a genuine contender to coach Newcastle next season, it would give the club the chance to consider him more closely by seeing what he can do at a time when the club is down.
It isn’t as if Newcastle are a chance of making the finals and they shouldn’t even think of changing anything.
They are in 14th place on 14 points, eight points outside of the top eight. If they won all of their remaining games they would finish on 28, which is seen as the minimum amount likely to get you there. But it’s not worth worrying about, because the Knights simply aren’t good enough to do that.
If they won more games than they lost over the last seven rounds it would be a great result.
Some might regard it as heresy to suggest a club should choose to part ways with a coach like Bennett ahead of time. After all, he has won seven premierships and is widely regarded as the greatest coach ever.
But one reason the Knights should neither be embarrassed nor afraid to do it is because Bennett has already chosen to do that himself with his recent announcement that he won’t be coaching Newcastle next year.
As great a coach as Bennett has proven himself over a long career, he’s effectively a lame-duck coach at Newcastle between now and the end of the season.
If Bennett was finishing up at the club because he was retiring from coaching or he had publicly declared at the time he announced he was leaving that he wanted to go back to Brisbane to be closer to home for personal reasons, it would be different. But he said neither.
When he announced he wouldn’t be coaching Newcastle next year, Bennett said: “The NRL and those that are running the club at the moment were keen for me to stay, but I’ve been here three years and I don’t think our performances, particularly this year, have been satisfactory.
“So in view of that, I take a bit of responsibility and ownership of that – I always have.
“If I was in my first year here, it might have been different, but it’s my third year now and I’m most disappointed with what we’ve done and it gives someone else an opportunity to come and see what they can do.
“The overall performance was the catalyst for me. I’m extremely disappointed. I’m embarrassed by it and it’s time to move on.”
Yesterday, after the Knights had lost 22-8 at home on Rise for Alex day, Bennett said: “We just rained on our own parade. It has just been such a crazy season. I’ve given up as to trying to work out why [we lost]. There is no reason for that type of performance here from us. I just can’t get my head around it.”
I don’t see anything in any of those quotes from Bennett that suggests a lot is going to change under him at the Knights over the last seven weeks of the season. It may not change with someone else in charge either, but the club may as well have a look.
Alex deLarge
Guest
Psst...The Roar is here for people to debate issues. If admission to The Roar was only for those who have coached premiership wins, there'd be silence. Not even you could get in Mr Ward.
Mr Sportsbet
Roar Rookie
100% agree
b ward
Guest
Bennet has how many titles? Alot of comments on here make me wonder what have you arm chair critics ever won?
Louis
Guest
I can't believe it took this long for people to say he needs to go. They should have got rid of him the day he announced he was leaving. I can't see the benefit in him staying! !!
kenno
Guest
What a circus, completely unprofessional by all parties. ....Schoolyard stuff !!
Alex deLarge
Guest
Thanks Mark. I'd forgotten about that. I like your news reading on Channel 7, by the way.
Jason Cave
Guest
Having Wayne Bennett being recalled to the Broncos is the equal to Essendon asking Kevin Sheedy to make a comeback as Bomber coach for 2015.
BCH
Guest
It's obvious Bennett has given up on this season. That being the case, he will be looking forward to next season and so the Knights are no longer his priority. The thing is with the NRL managing the Club they are not going to be looking top spend anymore $$$ than is necessary for the rest of the season to pay a new coach and so the Knights may be stuck with him. A rather unfortunate state of affairs for Knights fans.
Mark Ferguson
Roar Rookie
Alex, He reportedly had a handshake deal to go to the Roosters for the 2007 season and waited for the Roosters to sack Stuart before he reneged on the deal as a get back and then went with the Saint's this alone shows you the character of the man.
Mark Ferguson
Roar Rookie
Never had it to begin with for me as he can only coach superstar laden teams.
Scrubbit
Guest
Hasn't said anything but I imagine he'll be asked to resume his role in the under 20s. Say what you want about Griffin and his game planning, at least he can develop players. (See yow yeh, hunt, Copley)
Emcie
Roar Guru
Or at least given till the end of the season to get his KPI's. any word on what Griffins role will be next year(if any)?
Scrubbit
Guest
Korbin Sims, Mamo, and Boyd are the only players worth taking atm. And other than Sims none of them are needed at Brisbane.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Might be a conflict of interest though
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Well given Bennett's endorsements haven't fared to well, it's probably the stamp of approval you require to lock 'em in.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I'd be interesting to hear why he won't endorse Stone, given that supposedly he was a big supporter of Griffins
Alex deLarge
Guest
Bennett is running away from the Knights after leaving the club in a shambles. Just like he did to the Dragons, he'll take players away with him to the Broncos. Bennett has Griffin's blood on his hands and has left the Dragons in a pickle after all but agreeing to return there. I believe that Bennett has acted disgracefully. His media stooges will write fluffy pieces trying to get the public to overlook what Bennett has done.
Scrubbit
Guest
Doesn't matter anyway because the boards voted for Bennett's return. Can't help but think that maybe Lockyer was right to give Griffin one more year though. Oh well.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I agree, no point moving him on unless there's a definite replacement. It would just serve to upset the players and probably Stone if he was given the reigns now just to be replaced in the off season, which would put the next coach on the back foot from the start
Emcie
Roar Guru
It doesn't work like that though, the majority shareholder gets final say regardless of what the rest of the board thinks.