Bennett, England poised with perfect World Cup pilgrimage

Where in the world is Wayne Bennett?

England coach for the past two years in a testing and dubious work environment given the mother country’s hesitation around a non-nationalistic coach, Bennett now seems to have fallen off the face of the planet just a couple of weeks out from the start of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

England coach: Wayne Bennett. 

Indeed, so have his side, apart from the late unveiling of their squad over the internet.

Virtually zero promotional gigs, barely any media attention on them and all the focus firmly dispensed to the Pacific nations.  

A coach’s dream. Flying under the radar, as they say.

And wouldn’t he be loving it.

The prolific 67-year-old man-manager has undoubtedly seen it all in his near five-decade association with rugby league and he has drawn on all of his lessons to give England the ultimate preparation for the historic tournament.

After taking over from popular coach, Steve McNamara, as an almost loathed choice by many English fans, Bennett embarked on perhaps the toughest coaching assignment of his career.

Immediately, he demanded the Rugby Football League shorten the Super League season this year, pencilled in both pre-season and mid-year training camps, and ensured the side were able to play an additional game by becoming involved in the Pacific Tests in Australia.

Such is Bennett’s influence in the game, he managed to convince Broncos’ suits to take part in the World Club Series back in February, providing him with crucial time in England to work on his plans for the national side.

After a disappointing campaign in the 2016 Four Nations tournament, where the Poms won only one match - against Scotland, the additional time assessing players and making arrangements with staff in England was well needed.

For all of England’s growth in the last decade amongst their national side through players shifting to the NRL and the increasing professional development of the Super League competition, the key things they have lacked is the ability to overcome their own mistakes at crucial parts of games and the experience to close-out matches.

They’ve always had the ability, the competitiveness and have never been short of emotional determination or pride.

It’s why Bennett is the perfect coach for them. 

He will keep it simple, keep them focussed and give them the confidence they need.

Bennett addressing England players during his first camp in 2016.

He is a simple coach, with simple ideals. One of them mainly being about effort.

It’s why the overlooking of George Burgess for the side, speaks volumes.

Arguably one of the top-three best forwards in the game when South Sydney won the NRL title in 2014, Burgess’ form has drizzled down to a shadow of his former self. Put simply, when he plays it looks like he just isn’t having a crack.

Bennett knows it and he won’t have it in his squad. His omission would have sent a clear-as-daylight message to the England squad – mediocracy won’t be accepted here.

Their 30-10 win over Samoa in the mid-year Pacific Test was by no means an inspiring win for England’s World Cup journey under Bennett, but it was a real improvement on where they have come from and could prove to be a crucial experience.

While all the emphasis of the tournament thus far has been on the defection of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita to Tonga - from their respective nations of New Zealand and Australia - any talk of England’s preparations have seldom appeared in the Australian-based media.

Remember this? We all know who the real man coaching was.

A quick assessment on social media after the England squad was announced showed murmurings of discontent about both the list of players and Bennett’s ability to successfully guide the side through to the end. While it is unclear whether that discussion amongst the fans translated into the English media, it showed the first signs of the team’s chances being written-off before the tournament has even begun.

Again, such discourse would leave Bennett salivating about how to get the best out of his side through the five-week competition.

How many times has the coach been written-off in the past, only to later prove his detractors, haters and naysayers, blind wrong?

Even this season at the Brisbane Broncos it was suggested the mastercoach had finally lost his touch to engage with the younger generation of player.

Does anybody play the media better than Wayne?

Yet, despite not having a consistent line-up for the majority of the year, Bennett managed to lead Brisbane to a preliminary final, going out just one game short of the grand finale, to what has been said to be one of the best sides in modern rugby league history.

Bennett initially had all the ruthless rugby league media breathing down his neck when he first took on the England job. Now, whether by default or design, he has virtually no-one looking at him or his side.

Perfectly-positioned, written-off before it’s even begun, flying under-the-radar and with no-hope given of tournament honours, Coach Bennett has played everything right into his team’s hands.

It might look like his promiscuous approach to the England job has been a learn-on-the-run and do-the-best-we-can style, but Bennett has played his cards better than ever.

That wry smile.

If there’s a team to look out for at the World Cup, it’s the missing-in-action England.

There’s something intriguing about their preparation.

And there’s the man with that all-too-familiar wry smile at the helm; the one that usually appears after he has proved all of his doubters wrong. 

Brisbane's Weakness Exposed

Friday night’s loss to the Melbourne Storm exposed one of the key chinks in the Brisbane Broncos armour; their small outside backs.

The Broncos edges couldn't handle the explosive power of the Storm's Fijian wingers.

In an age when Fijian wingers are all the rage, Brisbane are one of the few teams fielding a smaller build of a player in their outside-back positions. The irony in this can be found when considering one of the Broncos most dominate eras came on the back of a two-winger combo of big, physical, and well-built athletes in Lote Tuqiri and Wendall Sailor. Both those players were virtually the only wingers running around at that time – of that build. Today, we see the likes of Radradra, Koriebete, Vatuvai, Taufua and Ato-Carr menacing the defence of smaller opponents. This type of athlete seems to have become the go-to for filling wing or centre positions, and it’s having incredible results. Friday night’s game is the perfect example. 

While the loss of Corey Oates early in the first half was a blow to Brisbane’s line-up and combinations, it’s hard to see the Queensland winger making much of a difference in stopping Storm wingers Suliasi Vunivalu and Marika Koroibete. Both of the Storm’s Fijian Flyers were at the peak of their powers; destroying their opposing edges and making a mockery of Brisbane’s defence. Their first forty minutes was outstanding; with Vunivalu bagging a double and Koroibete showing all the skills that led him to Melbourne in the first place. The power and brute force both players so explosively possess is couple with the speed that they somehow maintain despite the extra muscle. The second forty-minutes only ensured their nights’ got better. Vunivalu grabbed a third try, only after crippling Anthony Milford with a shot that folded the young playmaker. Koroibete got his name on the scoreboard with a try that had a steal which wouldn’t look out of place on an NBA court. 

While Melbourne are no-doubt in season-best form, Brisbane are on a losing streak which has seen them lose five out of their last six games. An amazing drop in form considering they led the competition early in the season. While State of Origin has surely played a part in their fall from consistent and impressive performances, their run of losses would now be beginning to become a concern for the great master, Wayne Bennett. Bennett’s teams of the past have typically been sluggish through Origin periods and usually have a mid-season lull, but recent memory cannot recall a drop in form as poor as this one. No doubt a reader of this will point one out, but it’s a worrying concern for a team looking to emulate and go one better than their 2015 result.

The game-plan for other clubs to take on the Broncos has now been written by the Storm, and it will involve attacking them on the edges. Alex Glenn played in the left-centre role on Friday night, but it’s hard to see him playing there again. A solid foundation a few years ago, Glenn is now accustomed to playing within the middle third. High valued off-season recruit James Roberts showed that while he has some of the best speed in the country – or more than Oxford Street according to the man himself – he is still to master the defensive role with his outside pairing in wingers; Lachlan Maranta, Greg Eden, and Jordan Kahu. While the continual turnover in the right wing position would not be helping his cause, it’s an area other clubs will now be looking to exploit. 

The fact Bennett does not have a bigger mould of a winger in today’s game is intriguing. Usually one to be ahead of the game or generally on-the-pulse, Bennett does not have the weapons that the Storm have in their arsenal. While Sailor and Tuqiri were two of Bennett’s most effective and useful tools in Brisbane’s long domination of top-level Rugby League during the early 2000’s, it’s interesting Bennett hasn’t been unable to un-earth a player of similar potential today. Much of the 2016 side can be similarly aligned to some of Bennett’s best sides. Milford and Hunt can almost mirror the Langer and Walters combination; while Josh McGuire and Adam Blair could fall into the roles of Gorden Tallis and Shane Webcke as enforcers. You could match these up across the park, but not for the wingers. No Sailor emulator, No Tuqiri new-age sensation. 

Has the Broncos weakness been found? Or is the winger of the future upon us?

New era of NRL coaches arrives

Fast-tracked or made for the big-time? Trent Barrett has moved quickly from player to coach.

A new era of NRL coaches has arrived with the appointment of Trent Barrett at Manly for 2016, and the instalment of Danny Buderus at Newcastle as interim coach for the rest of this season. Whilst Buderus’ tenure might be temporary, it signals a changing of the guard at the top-flight of Rugby League coaches’ and a transfer of priority and preference from experience, to a younger leader that can more easily relate to today’s player. But with coaches now coming from those who played in the 1990-2000’s, are they entering the role too early and without enough experience?

In recent seasons, coaches that had played the game but did not fulfil their destiny as a player, have excelled and had unprecedented success. Both Trent Robinson and Michael Maguire were respected players in the game, but barely made any in-roads in their first-grade careers. Seeking paths in the game, they turned to coaching and have both travelled far and wide in their committed pursuit to coach at the highest level. They didn’t have a big-name reputation as a player to rely on to earn their spot, but on the contrary, they didn’t have the experiences a big-name player may have had in a long playing career. The debate of if a great player can make a great coach reigns free.

No doubt whatever path a coach takes to the top level, they will be experienced. Robinson and Maguire worked hard as assistants, technical coaches and did whatever they had to, to build their knowledge. Maguire was known to have regularly mowed the grass of the Wigan training fields when he was their coach. Can you imagine Des Hasler cruising across Belmore Oval on a hot summer’s day? Robinson even become a fluent French speaker during his time at the Catalan Dragons in order to be able to liaise with his players, staff and the French community better.

What’s interesting is how players with limited experience as professional have become so successful as coaches. Like the Rabbitohs and Roosters pair, Wayne Bennett was one to have not had a decorated playing career. He, as it turns out, is the most successful coach of all-time. Craig Bellamy played 148 games for the Canberra Raiders during a decade-long career, but he was never the star of the team. He played off the bench in their 1990 premiership win over the Penrith Panthers. What Bellamy did best after his playing career, was go and undertake a long apprenticeship, and he had to as he didn’t have that big name.

The transition from player to coach can be a dangerous path. Some have gone in immediately following their playing career and have struggled. Others have bided their time, gone away from the game, experienced more and come back with great success. Brad Fittler was one who went in too early. After only a few years out of the game he was thrust into the full-time position of Head Coach with the Sydney Roosters. Whilst he has Phil Gould and others to lean on, Fittler hadn’t properly learnt the ropes as a coach. A wonderful player and on-fielder leader, but coaching as it seems, is a different gig all together. Some of the best players will just not make great coaches, it’s simple.

It could be said that Ricky Stuart jumped in too early, and it is only now that Stuart is finding his potential as a coach after working himself out over a number of years, at a number of clubs. Or maybe Stuart has always been the same coach and it’s simply clicking for him out of the Sydney spotlight at his old club. Nathan Brown went in too early, but he has gone to the Super League and had tremendous success, no doubt transforming himself as a coach. The roles that Fittler and Barrett have occupied as Country and City coaches seem like ideal positions for a person seeking a head coaching role to test themselves. Or are these positions more suitable for people like Fittler who enjoy chiming in and out of the sport while holding positions in the media.

What’s clear is next year Trent Barrett will be the Head Coach of a club currently undergoing a transition, and for him it will either be rocks or diamonds. Manly will need to give him time to build a successful first grade team, but they are a club that expects success and in the game today patience is limited, from fans and the power-holders. Danny Buderus, the ultimate clubman, looks like he will one day make a magnificent coach with an unquestionable level of integrity and fierce leadership. But to jump into the Newcastle Knights at a time when the whole club is being questioned, would be a disaster. For his sake, hopefully he sticks to his guns and stays as an assistant for the time being.

A trend appears to be evolving in the game and almost sport in general, that the best coaches are those who have had varied life experiences and had to learn things from the ground up. Des Hasler had a fantastic playing career at Manly, but after it he went and become a high school maths teacher. Wayne Bennet was in the Queensland Police Force, Maguire a physical education teacher before a coach, Craig Bellamy an electrician. Across the globe, Football’s best coach of today, Jose Mourinho, played in only the Portuguese lower leagues. He has held more assistant positions than probably any other coach in the world game, yet now, he is one of the most successful of all time.

Obviously there is more than just the coach, their personality, skills and philosophy involved in order to achieve success. A club has to be pulling in the same direction from top to bottom, resources have to be there and to use a Rugby League saying, you’ve got to have the cattle. But there is no doubting, and no missing the evolution of the successful coaches, they do their time, somewhere, somehow.

Five of the toughest, and five grubs

Josh Reynolds has to be at the top of the current list, 'Grub' is his nickname.

The sport of Rugby League has never been short of those willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to win. Such a physical game sees opponents engage in acts that have the intensive purposes of doing what is required to win a game. These acts can be viewed in a number of ways; as tough physical elements one of the most gruelling sports in the world, as pain inflictors on opponents aiming to bring them down and out of the contest, or acts of thuggery designed to reduce another’s mental state of mind. The common theme is that the players are doing what they believe at the time, will help them win the game.

In recent years the ‘one punch and your off’ rule has allowed certain players to have free reign with such acts, that is they are not afraid of retribution, as there will be none. Over the weekend a number of players were involved in incidents that have led to suspensions. Whether it is a cheap shot, high tackle, ‘dog’ act, verbal stoush or rough play, the grubs are well known in today’s game because of the extensive television coverage. Sport/Life/Australia decided to examine just who are the biggest grubs and toughest players in the NRL.

The Grubs

Josh Reynolds

Almost renowned now for his ‘Rottweiler’ attitude of just not going away, the pesky and tearaway five-eighth has risen to the top of the game through his energetic yet not-give-a-stuff attitude. No other young player in the game rips in more than Josh Reynolds and his early mentor in Michael Ennis certainly did rub off on the Canterbury-Bankstown junior.  Andrew Johns summarised Reynolds efforts as “like driving at 120km/h all the time”. He also went on to say that “whilst its gets you places in quicker, in the short term, in the long term it catches up with you”. The ‘grub’ as he has been nicknamed would have to close to being marked the number one grub.

Paul Gallen

Many commentators in the media often state that Paul Gallen polarises people’s opinion; that you either hate him, or you love him. While there’s no doubt his hated in Queensland, you’d have trouble finding many fans in New South Wales outside the Shire that would preach their love for their own State of Origin captain. While Gallen had seemed to have cleaned up his image off the field before the ASADA drugs scandal hit, his on-fields efforts at times often take his team two-steps forward but one-step back. Credited with more statistical achievements than any of the other forward in the game today, Gallen’s toughness and commitment can never be questioned, but the G-Train’s discipline often lets him down. A penalty given away for a cheap shot too often leads to a try against his team, which ultimately lets down more people than just himself.  Fines, suspensions and public apologies, Gal’s had them all.

Dubbed the 'Bash Brothers' when they line up together, Greg Bird and Paul Gallen are a formidable pair.
(Photo courtesy of The Daily Telegraph)

Greg Bird

Greg Bird’s tackle on the weekend has resulted in a six-week suspension due to carry over points from pervious charges of the same nature. The tackle was described by Matthew Johns as “the perfect tackle five years ago” and whilst bird believed the referee “saw something else”, Peter Sterling was strong in his opinion that Bird had no angle to try and avoid the charge deeming it simply “a dumb tackle in today’s game”. But Bird is one of the hardest players in today’s game who retains the instincts of the player of previous decades. His hard-nosed and take-no-prisoners approach has proven invaluable at representative level particularly for the NSW blues, but to have Bird’s approach is a risky style, he’s one of the most penalised players in the game.

Michael Ennis

Dubbed the ‘Minister for trouble’ or something of the like by legendary commentator Ray Warren, Michael Ennis has to be one of the all-time grub’s of the game. He even has the honour from the annual Rugby League Week Players Poll. Ennis’ sly use of sledging and the thuggery components to his game elevate him to the very top of the game’s foul. For Ennis, it’s business as usual and his tactics seem to un-nerve some of the game’s biggest stars. Labelled ‘a grub’ by the cool and collected Nathan Hindmarsh after a fist-fight in 2012, Ennis took it in his stride. He has had running battles with Billy Slater, Robbie Farah and Jarryd Hayne over his career. Ennis seems to avoid suspension by using tactics within the realms of the rules, while the others on this list have visited the judiciary on numerous occasions.

Nate Myles

Nate Myles has proven he has one of the hardest heads in the NRL, although James Graham might protest. Myles is Queensland’s current go-to man to put the Blues players off their game. His face rubs, neck bends, knee twists and head charges only serve to fire up the New South Wales side and make Myles look like a goose. The man has one infamous off-field records but has found his stability on the Gold Coast. Not to suggest that hasn’t changed his style of play which can range from just running hard to head-high tackles.

The Toughest

James Graham

Many will argue Graham should be well and truly on the Grub list, and there is plenty to argue for with his crazed bite of Billy Slater’s ear in the 2012 NRL Grand Final, but Graham has a steel to him. He work rate is huge and loves to be involved in the thick of it.

Steve Matai

If Steve Matai isn’t out this weekend with a shoulder injury, you can be sure he’d be close to being out via suspension. Matai’s shots are usually reckless rather than dirty, and when a centre looks at the opposition team sheet before a game, the last name you’d want to see is S.  Matai. Manly’s enforcer for the last decade, Matai has pulled off some of the biggest hits in that time.

Beau Scott

Scott rose through the ranks virtually unheard of at Cronulla, but his emergence in the Wayne Bennet led Dragons in 2009 saw him become a State of Origin first pick, and a player the Blues relied upon for a toughness and force against the sublime Maroons. He taken it to Johnathan Thurston at club and origin level and in recent times had the entire Cowboys side wanting retribution on him.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

The Kiwi-enforcer is a plain rough-nut who loves the battle in the middle of the park. When a challenge comes his way, Hargreaves takes it head on and nothing is better than seeing him engaged in a full-game clash with another prop. He takes as many cheap shots as he gives out, and you could never say he can’t take what he gives.

Isaac Luke

Isaac Luke once ran a cannonball tackle at his own cousin Rangi Chase who was playing for England while the fired-up Luke had the Kiwi-fern over his heart. The spiteful tackle almost broke Chase’s leg and Luke was suspended for weeks. Just last year Luke had to sit out the Grand Final due to suspension and missed playing a part in South Sydney’s long awaited victory. He sure gives it out but Luke puts his body on the line in every game and gets up and walks away even after the hardest of hits, the type that knock you out.

Wayne (Bennett) Enterprises

Is Wayne trying to save the world? His loyalty is holding him back

According to reports, Wayne Bennett’s decision to leave the Newcastle Knights at the end of this season came as a surprise to his players. Whilst they may shocked, much like myself, many fans of Rugby League wouldn’t be. To his credit, he came to the conclusion that his ‘results’ were not up to par, and if he was a coach at any other club he would most likely have been sacked by now. The disappointing thing about this notion is that Wayne leaves Newcastle high and dry, now stuck with the roster he brought in and little or no success from the Tinkler-funded Bennett era.

When he road into town, Bennett was the most prolific coach in the game and had achieved a dominate, and successful period holding the reins at St. George Illawarra. Tinkler wanted nothing but the best, and in reality, he got it. Many talked up the Knights' chances to win multiple premierships; success, it seemed, was on the doorstep. Wayne made some key signings in bringing Darius Boyd, Jeremy Smith and Beau Scott with him from the Dragons. Combined with the sound and solid performers already at the Knights of Mullen, Gidley & Uate, things were looking pretty. Eventually Dane Gagai, Willie Mason and Danny Buderus would join the fold. These, all major, and worthwhile signings.

But something went wrong along the lines with Wayne’s plans and ambitions for the team. Was it the overarching influence of Tinkler’s craved success? Or Wayne’s willingness to give players a second chance? Tinkler had shown he wouldn’t put up with mediocrity in his thoroughbred pursuits, and although Wayne would never reveal if the pressure was there, surely this impacted some of his decisions on team signings. Craig Gower, Michael Dobson, Travis Waddell and Joseph Leilua were all given opportunities at the Knights. Was this to have depth in the squad? We all know what happened with Russell Packer. He was a renowned bad boy and Wayne signed him with the idea of turning him around. Sometimes you can't help and save them all.

It appears from the outside looking in, Wayne tried to ‘buy’ his way to a premiership, rather than dig in and develop the squad from within. He took a short cut, whether subconsciously forced by the need for success, or it was his genuine mistake. In his first year, he rid the club of 15 players, but brought home Timana Tahu and Kade Snowden, along with many others. The club was cruelled by a Kurt Gidley shoulder injury and eventually ran 12^th with 10 wins from 24 starts. In 2013 the team began to reveal itself with some impressive displays throughout the season, but they flirted with those watching if they could become serious contenders. They had a mixed run into the finals and with wins over the Bulldogs in week one, and the Storm in Melbourne the week after, many started to wonder if Bennet had finally put it together. But the game in Melbourne was their grand final, it was a great achievement but they were never going to beat the Roosters, even if Buderus hadn’t gone done. Finishing in the final 4 almost felt like and overachievement, and hid the cracks in the squad and plan. Experienced heads can get you so far, but it’s raw, long developed and often youthful talents that will win you a premiership.

With much optimism after the high finish in 2013, the Knights turned up at the Auckland nines, with a fresh energy but were once again dealt a bad hand when Jarrod Mullen walked off with a hamstring injury. You can look at this as the first part of the Knight’s 2014 season derailing. The loss of Danny Buderus left a huge hole, both positional and in guiding the team. Further injuries to Gidley, the Alex McKinnon situation and the Tinkler demise would all prevent the team from starting any season momentum.

Whilst I believe Wayne’s time at St. George Illawarra was different, he still stuck to a plan of developing many players the club already had on board. He knew it was 2-3 year plan to achieve a premiership, and built towards that. He made players big names, rather than bringing in a list of stars. His time at the Knights has shown he was in a hurry to achieve success, and as this year has proven, things just didn’t fall into place. In many ways it’s easy to look at Wayne’s decision to leave the club as a ‘walk out’, but in retrospect, it’s probably the best thing for the club. After a tumultuous year, it’s time for the Knights to return to their former coach of Rick Stone, and build a team based on the club’s roots, being working class underdogs. Darius should be bought the first bus ticket out of town, and some players put on notice. One positive is the significant investment the Tinkler regime made in junior development, with both Johns’ brothers citing the talent that will eventually trickle into to first grade. Maybe Wayne knew this talent was coming, but wouldn’t be ready for a few years which led to the route of trying to buy success.

Wherever he goes next should be aware of his allegiance to Darius Boyd and giving players another crack, because it’s hindering him as a coach. He may be a father figure for Darius but everyone has to grow, and neither will do that if they don’t experience something different. There are now a number of coaches in the NRL who have worked hard, searching far and wide on their coaching journey to become more knowledge and better than those before them. Maybe Hasler, Robinson and Maguire have the new tricks that Bennet is now missing.

Have the rest really caught up to the supercoach? Where would South Sydney be if Bennett had accepted Rusty’s offer instead of Tinkler’s? Will Wayne head home to the Broncos or will the smoky of the Gold Coast Titans snare his services? Does Karmichael Hunt fit into the decision somehow?

God love Rugby League.