I’m not sure about you, but Wayne Bennett assured me the South Sydney Rabbitohs had not spoken to James Roberts in regards to a potential move to Redfern.
He was categorical in assuring the media that ‘Jimmy the Jet’ would not be joining the cardinal and myrtle in either 2019 or 2020.
With Roberts languishing in reserve grade for the Broncos, Bennett insisted that no discussions had taken place, yet late in the week, the worst kept secret in rugby league became a reality.
Roberts was indeed to become a rabbit, free to move thanks to the money freed up after the retirement of Greg Inglis.
Rather distastefully, Bennett explained his lies were necessary to ensure that the contractual process of Roberts’ move was not interrupted or derailed. His insulting and cheap barbs towards the journalists who he claimed fabricated the story, say a lot about the type of man he is.
If the entire saga left a foul taste in your mouth, you are probably not alone.
Inglis’ mental health issues are unfortunate and wished upon no one. Personally, I hope he uses the professional services available to him wisely and makes a full recovery. Becoming a better and healthier version of himself could be one of the greatest achievements in his life.
Yet there will be many who see the signing of Roberts as an opportunistic, clever and well managed move by the Rabbitohs. They followed the rules, played the game and ultimately acquired one of the most dynamic and explosive players in the NRL.
It appears no other club stood a chance, with the relationship between Bennett and Roberts strong enough to ensure the gifted centre would eventually find his way to South Sydney by hook or by crook.
However, Roberts would not take the field against the Eels at the astonishingly impressive Bankwest Stadium on Friday night.
Without State of Origin representatives Dane Gagai, Damien Cook, Cody Walker and Cameron Murray, the Rabbitohs could have undoubtedly used his services, yet the Knights will be the first NRL team to face Roberts in a Bunnies jersey.
Parramatta were fully aware of the cold hard fact that a loss would see them slip away from the coat tails of the top eight; leaving them much to do in the second half of the season.
Clint Gutherson and the Eels needed a win – and they got it. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
The early action was compelling. After 27 minutes, a duo of penalties had the team’s level at 2-2. The Rabbitohs looked most likely early on, yet it was tries to Clint Gutherson and Blake Ferguson late in the opening half that shocked them and gave the Eels the lead.
With both tries converted, Parramatta took a 14-2 lead into the half-time break.
When Maiko Sivo scored in the 48th minute and the Mitchell Moses conversion extended the Eels lead to 20-2, it looked like a done deal for the home side, however, South Sydney responded with a try to Thomas Burgess in the 56th minute that gave them hope for a late comeback.
At 20-8, Souths had a sniff.
Soon after, Josh Hoffman responded for the Eels with a try in the 61st minute. South Sydney continued to press and a Junior Tatola try brought them back within 12 after Adam Reynolds’ conversion in the 75th minute.
But the Rabbitohs were cooked and could muster nothing more on the score board.
Just a late Mitchell Moses penalty goal was to extend the lead for the Eels and complete the 26-14 Parramatta victory.
The win keeps the blue and yellow well and truly alive and moves them temporarily inside the top eight.
It was a night where Mitchell Moses finally found some form, Clint Gutherson looked assured after finally settling his NRL future and Blake Ferguson ran for 176 metres in a dominating display.
The Eels managed to repel the South Sydney machine on a cool and clear Friday night in Sydney. They did it honestly and with integrity.
Those traits cannot be attributed to Wayne Bennett over the past week.
He might have one of the best centres in the game at his disposal for the remainder of the season, but he cannot claim to have told the rugby league world the truth when it came to exactly how his newest signing came to pass.
mushi
Roar Guru
This article was a balanced view? Bennett lied about something to people that weren't relevant to the transaction. Is it perfect behavior? No. But "show me six lines written by an honest man and I'll find something to have them hanged." Asking for a no comment is a trite solution as it is never interpreted that way. How many articles are written post a CEO saying "the coach has our full support " So journalists are obviously trying to either elicit a self incrimination or a lie. If that's ethical then so is the response. The journalist doesn't want truth, they want defensible clicks, a practice rife on this site. If a writer honestly thought there was a story here and then put the pen down based on the incentivised response from a source then that is a sad indictment on their ability.
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
I suggest the club's respect for its 30,000 or so members surpases that of the media every day of the week. As a long time member I was curious all along what would result in the Roberts rumors and when it was finally announced and how it was handled made perfect sense. Well done Wayne, well done Souths, welcome Jimmy the Jet. Be 100% certain the Latrell Mitchell rumors about his future are being handled with the same approach and that Latrelle himself is playing the same game. Find 1 article where Latrelle has categorically stated he is staying at the rorters. NONE !!
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Played pretty good I thought.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Let’s see what happens Wednesday night. As for Cook, when he was needed last year he went missing
Chris Love
Roar Guru
You are joking insider aren’t you? You are way under valuing Cook and Murray.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
That’s Bennett’s problem with Journo’s though. And sometime’s I think he’s justified. If Bennett had just given a “No Comment”, what do you think the chances, every journo in the room would say to themselves “Oh he doesn’t want to talk about that, I won’t ask him another seriously annoying question on the same subject”. The answer is zero. He’s had enough crap written about him by journos over the last 50 years, that I’m not surprised he has little respect for them..
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
Not about the roosters for a welcomed change.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Stuart, with all due respect, I do understand your logic and the logic of writers in the media but, this happens all the time with articles and with any controversy or news, it’s always put under a microscope and innuendos etc etc are made! Bennett is a very experienced coach and personality, he has gone through these sorts of things many times (as he said) and that is why he is not particularly fond of the media! Now, Bennett and South Sydney have no obligation to tell the media anything! Bennett has said and been that way in virtually every 'post-match interview' that he has done (and I don’t blame him) as he considers questions that his answers might cause 'headlines' or be sensationalised, detrimental to his team or anyone or anything! Now and this reflects Bennett's stature, its commendable that Bennett came out and said anything and for him to even say, as you quoted "What we had to do was get everyone off the scent so we could conduct ourselves and the negotiations in a manner in which there wasn’t a lot of fanfare, Bennett told The Courier Mail" which is only common sense and the media just dosen't get it and never ever has! Now as far as ‘pants’d’ I know what ‘pants’d’ is and Parra didn’t do that at all, it was predicted (Parra were even favourites $1.65 to $2.25 odds) to beat the Bunnies as Parra had a full side while the Bunnies had 4 of their major players in SOO and another 4 to 5 players out (as Bennett said, post match interview) but, that is common with the media and that is what I’m trying to point out here, must be ‘part of the course’ for the media and/or twist and turn things (to suit a story or cause controversy) especially headlines to be irrelevant to what the article is or what the real content is!
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
"Jerry, just remember, it's not a lie.... if you believe it" (Costanza) :)
BennO
Roar Rookie
And what's that got to do with GI's personal issues and the fact we had to wait three days for the contract outcome so Roberts could make his decision in peace? I know I'd rather make my career decisions without Danny Weidler and Buzz Rothfield parked outside my house asking what I'm up to. And yeah I have read that book. I just thought it was boring.
sheek
Roar Guru
Chris Anderson said years ago that it isn't lying if you fib to anyone who doesn't need to know what is actually going on. I agree with Anderson. Bennett was under no obligation to be truthful with the public about what may have been a delicate situation, & which indeed appears to be a delicate situation. The public only need to know when they need to know.
Gaz
Roar Rookie
He might put players welfare before journalists feelings but he puts his own welfare before all else. He wrote a book called ‘Man in the Mirror’. You should read it sometime. In his own words he describes himself as one of the most selfish people to walk the earth. I wonder sometimes if he ever regrets writing that book where he states the only person that matters is the man in the Mirror. If anyone thinks he signed Roberts to help the player or his club forget it. It’s all about his own ego to prove he could it and in retribution for his former club writing ‘sacked by the Broncos’ on his resume.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I have no control over what anyone else posts, but I tried to keep mine focused on the coverage itself which was abysmal (even wrote an article about it) . Journos might have been on to something, but the entire off season was nothing but a feeding frenzy with reporters tripping over each other trying to break the next exclusive/prediction which would inevitably fall flat, week after week. Every other day there was a new deadline, only to be followed up by a smear piece on Bennett cos he was making people look bad. How many "now or never's" did we get through? And then when they all agreed it was off it actually happened. Even then the narrative was he was sacked for breaking contract and wouldn't get a cent, only for it to quietly come out a week or two on later that he got a decent payout after getting sacked. I don't see how the media came out on top through this no matter how much they might claim victory.
Ben Kerrison
Guest
Everybody lies get over it , the misdirection by Bennett was brillant , he did something he said wasn't going to , people need to stop pretending like they're completely dumbfounded or insulted by it.. please give me a break?
Ben Kerrison
Guest
Wow insider really has it in for South Sydney , six or seven wins on the trot before the other night , calm your farm mate , by the way the Broncos are no chance of getting Walker, I'm calling that right now.... Up The Bunnies.
mushi
Roar Guru
So journalists can repeatedly undermine the employment of coaches and players but those same two groups need to treat them with the unconditional respect? Would it be nice if Bennett were more open and honest. Sure. But it's a two way street and when journalists will happily turn on a coach, because their job isn't to protect the coach, they can hardly have a tanty when coaches mislead them because their job isn't to spoon feed the journalists. Perhaps over his coaching career he's learned that the costs of such transparency outweigh the benefits of a nice relationship.
Brett R
Guest
Not sure about being pants'd it was always going to be tough for Souths to win,Bennett was right about one thing he said Souths only had 14÷16 points in them,hopefully he can fix roberts like he said otherwise its a waist of dough for the rabbits.I like how journos a bit sensitive about being so called lied to when they constantly make up stories that effect peoples lifes and its ok,hows Danny Weilder(not sure if thats how you spelll his name)going hes good at that,actually i dont even know if he is a journo.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I don't know if he's lying or not but any real evidence would make interesting reading.
M
Guest
Bellamy is very effective but I can’t recall him lowering himself to the extent that Wayne has Craig still denies knowlege of rorting the system
M
Guest
' So far Bennett’s really been the only guy to be able to manage Roberts effectively.' Roberts played his best football at the Titans, IMO. As far as his consistent form goes, moving to the broncos was a move backwards.