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We all know what Wayne Bennett has accomplished as a coach, coaching Brisbane to all six their premierships and St George Illawarra their sole one.
Bennett has been coaching since 1987 (co-coached Canberra with Don Furner) and has a seven from nine record in grand finals – or a seven from eight if you only count head coaching gigs.
Canberra lost to Manly in the 1987 grand final, 18-8. His first grand final loss as a head coach came in 2015.
But is he really a super coach?
I can’t take away any credit for what he did in his first stint at Brisbane.
In 20 years they won six premierships from six grand final appearances and developed a lot of talent for Queensland and Australia, like Darren Lockyer, Alfie Langer and Corey Parker to name but a few.
Then he went to the St George Illawarra Dragons from 2009-2011, coaching them to their only premiership in 2010.
He coached Newcastle from 2012-2014 – where they made one preliminary final – then Brisbane again 2015-2018. Bennett is currently at South Sydney.
1. St George Illawarra Dragons
Wayne Bennett may have been given the credit for the premiership but most of the team he had was built by Nathan Brown plus he did bring his ‘son’ Darius with him.
After he left in 2011, he look a lot of these players away to Newcastle, including Darius Bennett (that joke never gets old), Adam Cuthbertson, Alex McKinnon (I think we can make an exemption as he is from Scone) and Beau Scott.
Should Wayne Bennett and the Rabbitohs be worried? (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
After he left, they struggled big time and failed the reach the finals until 2015 or win a finals match until 2018. Yep it took them eight years to win a finals match from the 2010 grand final to the 2018 qualifying finals.
2. Newcastle
This one is not exactly a secret. He came promising us success, he hired a lot of has beens and told a lot of Knights juniors to go.
Instead of trying to help rebuild the Knights, he just put them in far worse condition. Even Peter Weller from the opening scene of Robocop was in better condition than Newcastle after Wayne left.
The older players went on to retire, a fresh batch of juniors had to come in well before they were ready and he’s even claimed he regrets taking the role. We regret you too, Wayne.
3. Brisbane
He did a fair decent job with them. Got them to the grand final in his first year back but Ben Hunt dropped all hope for the Broncos.
He helped them become a force, even blooded up some new juniors and a fresh outlook on recruits. Then comes his exit for South Sydney.
Let’s see, he told Ben Hunt to leave, taking players like Jadyn Su’A and James Roberts with him and left them in a huge hole.
Kodi Nikorima, Jordan Kahu and Josh McGuire left. Anthony Milford isn’t a five-eighth.
I see a pattern here. Take note everyone! Do not be overhyped if Wayne Bennett comes to coach your team because every time he comes to take over, he brings the shovel and buries your team.
He’s done it to the Dragons, Knights and Broncos in that order. South Sydney may have bounced back brilliantly since he came but now after four straight losses, even if he turns their season around, they’ll end up suffering the same burial when his time is done.
Wayne Bennett is no longer the super coach, it’s Craig Bellamy. Roarers, what do you think about Wayne Bennett?
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