At the end of 2021 the Rabbitohs will part ways with Wayne Bennett. His replacement will be current assistant coach Jason Demetriou.
Wayne will be 72 come 2021 and could still have enough fuel to coach for another three or so years. In this article I will label the five clubs that need him.
1. Sharks
The Sharks in 2019 were labelled by some as the premiership dark horses but were far from that, only just making the eight with 12 wins and 13 losses.
The Sharks do have a rookie coach in John Morris. The Sharks are looking at a rough year in front of them with players wanting to leave, injuries to a few key players and losing a couple players to other clubs pre season.
If the Sharks fail in 2020 and 2021 then the team may be on the lookout for a new coach and Wayne could be an option.
2. Broncos
This would spark a lot of controversy with Wayne leaving to coach Souths and ex-Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold now coaching the Broncos. However, Wayne could easily end up back at the Bronx if season 2020-21 ends up like it did in 2019.
The Broncos could release Seibold early from his contract and ask Wayne to come back. The Broncos barely made the eight after an 11-1-13 finish to the season, with one of those losses being a 58-0 defeat to the Eels in week 1 in the finals.
3. Warriors
The Warriors ended up finishing 13th with a 9-1-14 record in 2019 with current coach Stephan Kearney under a lot of pressure in season 2020.
You think with stars like Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo, Adam Blair and Peta Hiku the Warriors would challenge the eight.
People have called for the Warriors team to be discontinued and make another team in Perth, Sydney or Queensland but if a few successful seasons under a coach like Wayne could change people’s minds.
4. Dragons
Wayne did coach the Dragons and ended up leaving to coach the Broncos but I don’t think anyone would stop Bennett coming back.
Last year, the Dragons finished 15th with a record of 8-0-16. The season was full of controversy with Widdop being injured for most of the season and Jack De Belin not being able to play because of court cases.
Paul McGregor is under a lot of pressure in season 2020 and if the Dragons do half decent then fail in 2021 then Wayne could end up back at the Red V.
5. Cowboys
Jason Taumalolo, Michael Morgan and Kyle Feldt are only some of the players the Cowboys have in 2020. They had a failed season which you don’t usually say when Taumalolo is in the side.
The Cowboys finished with a 9-0-15 record coming 14th on the ladder – a definite F. Paul Green finally has a few more superstars to play around with in the form of Scott Drinkwater and Valentine Holmes.
Green will have probably have season 2020 and 2021 to turn this side around and if he doesn’t then the Cowboys could reach out to Wayne which could bring out the Cowboys’ true potential.
mick steel
Guest
I was just asked by a mate who is not computer literate if anything has been said about Wayne Bennett on THE ROAR. So I found this. Anyway . he last won a premiership in 2010. i will assume that he is the only coach in the competition still coaching that has not won a premiership in ten years. He is 70. The great Jack Gibson retired at a much younger age.
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
I can't see him back at the Broncos and a second Brisbane team is now off the NRL agenda.
Ray
Guest
Has everybody forgotten Bennett's Broncos got smashed by a near reserve grade dragons team in the first week of the finals 2018
matth
Roar Guru
Fair enough if you think that, but one try away from last years grand final with no GI for the season, no off season and a crocked Burgess indicates he’s still doing ok. If not having the impact then there’s 13 other coaches in real trouble.
matth
Roar Guru
Would that be the 2019 prelim or the 2015 grand final or the last World Cup runners up that indicate the lost mojo?
Nico
Roar Rookie
Which results Cyril? Which of Bennett's results show that he's 'lost his mojo'?
mushi
Roar Guru
Well you can't wonder about that narrative after throwing out the "forgotten more than others know" line. Is he terrible. No but he's not having the impact he seemingly used to.
Cyril Snodgrass
Guest
Or Golden Ponds Nursing Home
Cyril Snodgrass
Guest
Hard Cheese...check the record book
Cyril Snodgrass
Guest
Any club that signed Grumpy Bennett for 2022 would be crazy the bloke has lost his mojo..just look at his results..he's living on past glories
Nico
Roar Rookie
Yeah it's a bit sad, even if he hasn't been winning premierships his record over the last five years is far from poor: 1 runner up (2 if you count the world cup), 2 prelim finals, 2 top 8 finishes, only Bellamy and Robinson would surpass this, and despite the acrimony from his years at the Knights he's still the only coach to get them to the prelim finals since '01. Personally I'd like to see him at the Warriors in some sort of role, there's so much potential there but the attitude always seems to be lacking, Bennett is the master at getting the best out of his players and has already tasted success with NZ rugby league dating back to the 08 world cup
matth
Roar Guru
I find the lack of respect for Bennett a little odd to be honest. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea but he’s done the business over and over again, more than any other coach ever in fact, and still made a prelim last year after arriving late and losing his star player before a ball was kicked in anger. I agree that by the end of his Souths contract his time will likely be up, but he’s still one of the game’s most successful and knowledgeable people.
matth
Roar Guru
I wonder about this narrative. Last year Bennett arrived at Souths to a shortened preseason, to find GI was completed done which removed his main strike player and still made a preliminary final. There are 12 other coaches last year who didn’t achieve that. Of the four that did, one had Cameron Smith and one had Cooper Cronk. So I think he may still remember how to actually coach.
matth
Roar Guru
Yep reaching a prelim last year on no preseason time and losing GI before the season started was a terrible effort by Bennett.
Walter White
Guest
Possibly, but I definitely think that time has caught up with him.
mushi
Roar Guru
The problem with that is a) how much has he actually forgotten and b) it assumes we're playing like it's 1988 He's a coach for the ages and think of his later years like Jordan at the wizards or an old Jerry Rice. It doesn't undo what he did before
mushi
Roar Guru
what not because he kicked them in the groin on the last stint?
mushi
Roar Guru
I think it was Linnett that also dropped the ball being put into a hole at the try line. But it was Wayne's decision to put away the cue that made Ben Hunt's catch so critical.
mushi
Roar Guru
Petersham Bowls Club
Adam
Roar Guru
Yeah why they shelved the game plan from about 50 mins still baffles me