Titans coach Garth Brennan says he has no ill-feelings towards Wayne Bennett

TITANS mentor Garth Brennan says he harbours no ill-feeling towards Broncos rival Wayne Bennett over the decision that could have destroyed his NRL coaching ambitions.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett.

TITANS mentor Garth Brennan says he harbours no ill-feeling towards Broncos rival Wayne Bennett over the decision that could have destroyed his NRL coaching ambitions.

Brennan will match tactical wits with Bennett for the first time at NRL level in the Easter Sunday derby between the Titans and Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

The coaching showdown has a fascinating narrative — for it was Bennett who, six years ago, delivered the honest assessment that saw a young Brennan squeezed out of a coaching role at Newcastle.

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Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett during training.

Brennan was coaching the Knights’ under-20s when Bennett arrived in Newcastle to take over from head coach Rick Stone for the 2012 season.

The Knights had to honour a deal with Stone, who agreed to be Bennett’s right-hand man, while the supercoach brought Mick Crawley in to preside over Newcastle’s under-20s team.

That left Brennan in limbo. Bennett offered to keep Brennan in a junior development role but the former policeman had dreams of coaching in the NRL and left the Knights to further his career under Phil Gould at Penrith.

Now, as he prepares for his maiden Broncos derby, Brennan confronts Bennett, his coaching idol, insisting there is no lingering bad blood over his departure from the Knights.

“I have no resentment towards Wayne Bennett one little bit,” Brennan said.

“I met with Wayne when he first got the Newcastle job.

“He indicated to me that he wanted me around and to stay involved but Wayne couldn’t offer me a coaching position as such at Newcastle.

“At least he was honest with me. Matty Johns (former Knights pivot) was working at Newcastle at the time, he was a consultant to the halves and when he heard I wasn’t going to stay in Newcastle, he said I will try to find you something.

Coach Garth Brennan during Titans training.

“The next thing I get a call from Phil Gould (Panthers general manager of football) and I decided to follow my coaching dream at the Panthers.”

While Brennan’s decision to leave Newcastle has ultimately paid off, he laments not having the opportunity to work with Bennett.

“I still regret not getting the chance to work with Wayne,” he said.

“Wayne and Phil Gould were the two guys I idolised as a young coach.

“When Wayne got the job at Newcastle, I thought ‘wow, I can work under him’ but working with ‘Gus’ (Gould) moulded me into the coach I am today.

“I’ve done the same thing as Wayne. When a new coach comes in, he brings people he trusts on to his staff and that’s just the industry we’re in.

“These things happen and they happen for a reason. If I stayed at Newcastle, I might not have been here today at the Titans.”

Originally published as Titans coach Garth Brennan says he has no ill-feelings towards Wayne Bennett