If Wayne Bennett had trusted his gut, retiring North Queensland great Johnathan Thurston may never have made it further north than Brisbane.
That’s what the Broncos coach admitted on Friday, the morning of Thurston’s Townsville NRL farewell against Parramatta.
Describing it as a “mistake”, Bennett revealed he had scouted a young Thurston and liked what he saw, only to follow the advice of his peers and not chase the champion playmaker’s signature.
“I went and saw him play once and thought he was pretty good, but everyone else around me told me he wasn’t the halfback we needed so I kind of listened to them,” Bennett said.
“It would’ve made a difference here, but it didn’t happen and probably our fault more than anyone else’s.
“At the time … we obviously made a mistake.”
Bennett said the chicken had flown the coop by the time he was back coaching at the Broncos, with Thurston an established figure at the Cowboys and not a realistic recruitment option.
He said he would’ve loved to coach Thurston at club level, adding that the Cowboys’ battle to avoid the wooden spoon had come as a surprise.
“Weird to think he’s playing up there tonight, down the bottom of the competition … that’s the weirdest thing that’s happened this season,” he said.
“He still plays his heart out every week, it just hasn’t been their year.”
The Barry
Roar Guru
I could be wrong about this but I recall a qld residents v qld nsw based players trial in 1987. Laurie Spina who was playing for the Roosters played and was man of the match. I think he was favourite to be named 7 for Queensland but Bennett picked Alfie. Does that ring any bells for you blokes?
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
Just as bad as the Bulldogs choosing Shirwin and Anasta over him. The very next year he wins a Dally M and guides the Cows to a grand final.
Adz Sportz
Roar Guru
That's quite a perspective lol
Emcie
Roar Guru
By "picked him from nowhere" I was referring to where he sat amongst the other potential selections, not where he played.
Matt
Guest
He has two actually, hot one at the dogs too
PNG Broncos fan88
Guest
He has only won one premiership? Played every game of the year and still almost got the spoon. Take Langer over Thurston any day of the week.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Since when do we let facts get in the way of a good story, though?
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Ipswich was hardly no where at the time with Raudonikis as coach, coming 6th that year I believe. I’ve always found it a bit disrespectful how people treat him as if he was playing out of a mud pit in someone’s backyard before the grand Messiah picked him out. He was a bolter at worst. Not saying Bennett never took a chance on him for QLD but after his showing i can’t imagine it being a surprise he’d get a run for the Broncos.
Emcie
Roar Guru
When Bennett picked him out of no where while coaching QLD?
Emcie
Roar Guru
Geez, people are acting like Bennett's making out that he predicted JT would be a future immortal. All he said was that he thought he was "pretty good" and didn't end up chasing him, if he thought JT was gonna be a once in a generation player I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have mattered what others said. Calm down people...
Haz
Guest
What a croc. Slow news day???
RM
Guest
Ouch.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
To be fairer. Alfie was already a QLD rep before going to the broncos.
Rob
Guest
Wayne Bennett is a very self absorbed individual. He suggests he could have anyone he wanted which is probably true because of his profile and deep pockets. To now suggest he wanted JT but others changed his mind? Come on Wayne you grabbed Seymour from NQ. you then wanted and got Prince you really liked Bowen. I'm sure you see and hears about every young player playing junior Rep. You continually got everyone you wanted from the Queensland talent pool like a bully that stood over every on the block. The day the Cowboys got a share of the secondhand talent to stand up and slapped your might Broncos in the face you ran for the bigger money South of the border. Sorry but MR. Bennett is a smarter man manger and BS talker than football genius IMO.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Wayne would recall a time when just about all the good QLD players just floated into Broncoland from the clouds. Then the Cows and Storm came along and it's been a bit wobbly ever since. Manly just pick up the odd leftovers these days like DCE and Matt Ballin.
Emcie
Roar Guru
To be fair TB, not many coaches would have given Alfie a chance either
Emcie
Roar Guru
I didn't need to know this thing...
Mondo
Roar Rookie
So the Broncos let Thurston, Smith, Slater and Cronk slip through the net? LOL.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I like how he really blames everyone else.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Right-o Wayne-o No club (including the Broncos and Cowboys) would give JT a chance except the Bulldogs who gave a skinny kid with a plucky spirit a go. No doubt with hindsight it was a poor retention decision to let him go but without the Dogs JT wouldn’t have had an opportunity. Now skeletor wants to take credit that he saw what no one else did...