Wayne Bennett says “don’t die with the music in you” and Julie Andrews sings the Disney classic from Mary Poppins, “the hills are alive with the sound of music.”
Bennett and Mary Poppin’s author, Helen Lyndon Goff, known as PL Travers, both grew up in the same country town, Allora, located in southeastern Queensland, on the Darling Downs, population 889.
Music has been an inspiration.
While PL Travers moved to England and lived to age 96, Bennett is fighting for his professional life as one of rugby league’s greatest ever coaches.
The hills are alive that the Brisbane Broncos will not renew Bennett’s contract after 2019, despite leading them to a record six Premierships and being a top-four contender this year.
Bennett, 68, can be likened to President Donald Trump – you may not like his demeanour and his rapport with the media, but you cannot ignore his long record of success.
When it comes to my analysis of what makes a team a winner, coaches are weighted higher than the team’s key playmaker and with the exception of the Storm’s Craig Bellamy, no NRL head coach rates higher than Wayne Bennett.
Bennett has shown in recent weeks when his team encountered the predictable injury challenges that he had the answers. He moved key players into new positions and talked others into taking the field when they had reservations, but still managed to put 50 points on the revered Penrith Panthers.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Most rugby league clubs would “kill” to have Wayne Bennett as their head coach, but the rumblings at Red Hill are singing loud that at age 70 in 2020 the music may have died.
Mick Jagger turned 75 last Thursday and he runs ten kilos during every gig, while Donald Trump is 72 and has surged the US economy to the highest in 18 years, along with record low unemployment and Dow Jones figures.
There are no signs that Wayne Bennett is slowing down and his rating as an NRL coach are as high as ever.
My system is based on factual performance data and does not discriminate on age; if it did, Cameron Smith at age 35 would not be the game’s highest rated player.
According to the Brisbane media, Wayne Bennett’s pitch to the Broncos board to be re-signed has been rejected and he looked a lonely man as he faced a press conference this week.
If Wayne wants some inspiration he should visit his old hometown in Allora and read the words from PL Travers when he visits the “House of Mary Poppins”:
“I go to the hills
When my heart is lonely
I know I will hear
What I’ve heard before
My heart will be blessed,
With the sound of music
And I’ll sing once more.”
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Max I backed the Donald at 20s, because people like you discounted him because of personal issues without judging him on his business skills and negotiation talents. Rule #1, never let emotion get in the way when analyzing.
Max Danger
Guest
Stick to sport Scott, your trump comparisons are way off the mark.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I can't find the actual paper online but I seem to remember that he was also marked down for a poor record at suncorp (at the time) and because Nathan Brown had a decent record against him while Brown was still coaching the Dragons. There were a lot of points that seemed needlessly picky and only served to justify the authors rating of Bennett
Gray-Hand
Guest
He also drew the conclusion that Bennett was an ‘under average’ international coach, which has since been proven to be somewhat less than correct. The analysis of Bennett’s performance at representative level also failed to take into account the relative strength of the players available to different coaches of different eras, which basically invalidates it.
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
A great way for Bennett to cap off his legacy would be to move on and rebuild a club like Parra or the Titans
Emcie
Roar Guru
There were a fair few contentious arguements used as qualifiers and the timing of it (around when he took over the Knights job) made it seem like it was more about being controversial then anything else. It's hard to believe that a proffessor of ecconomics would present an uncommisioned study to the media for purely altruistic reasons. I'm not saying that everything he raised was pointless, I'm just saying that I wouldn't treat it any more seriously then anyone elses opinion
Forty Twenty
Guest
It's the 4n20 pie in the sky here again Scott, you would enjoy reading his study for sure . It's easy to google.
Forty Twenty
Guest
In what way Emcie?
Forty Twenty
Guest
In what way Emcie?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
PNG, Did u miss last years Grand Final mate? btw, if the Storm make the GF this year it will be 8 from 16, thats 50% Grand Finals. Give yourself an uppercut!
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Emcie, My study is.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
4n20 I dont know who professor John Managan is but I do a study on coaches every day and have done for 25 years and i have only seen one better than Bennett.
Emcie
Roar Guru
That wasn't exactly the most objective "study" in the world
PNG Broncos fan88
Roar Guru
...the exception of the Storm’s Craig Bellamy, no NRL head coach rates higher.. Is this because of the salary cap scandal? Yeah surely asterisks(*) beside all those 'winning' records.
Nat
Roar Guru
True and poor form by the club and Bennett for some of his reactionary comments. You see his frustration that someone is leaking info to the press where this has never happened before but he has to front the media about it. He holds plenty of sway but the board would not be doing it's job just to accept his proposal at the expense of a top line coach should they become available. The club has to look for someone for the next 5yrs+ but not until 2020 so It's a big decision that definitely won't be Wayne but could be Demetriou or...?
Forty Twenty
Guest
There was an interesting study a fair while ago by professor John Managan highlighted in a newspaper article titled 'Is Wayne Bennett worthy of the title Super Coach' I found it very interesting Like the author I thought the conclusion might have been a bit different especially because it's timing was very much in Benetts favor
Peter
Guest
An unwarranted ageism would be the only reason not to re-sign Bennett.
Nat
Roar Guru
They would have to be. It failed (not miserably) with those two but you could argue Jason has better qualifications coaching men, not u20s, then Hook. But as Scott said above, if Cleary/Flannagan/Seibold become available they would be silly not too. It's too big of club to 'train' a coach. They/we have the largest brand in the NRL and shareholders to please so success is excepted and that's a heavy load for a rookie coach.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
souvalis, All good questions mate. I hope Bellamy is still coaching the Storm when he is 68 and if he is he would likely get a brass statue and an extension offer.
Nat
Roar Guru
Take the human element out of it and any share price is largely based on success. Hook and Henjak (a retiring Lockyer didn't help) couldn't get a young team up or bring together for that matter and the results are on the board. Bennet's greatest asset is having his teams peak toward the end of the year/tournament.