Wayne Bennett opens up on some of the biggest feuds of his career including spats with Phil Gould, Nick Politis, Nathan Tinkler and more

It’s the ‘other’ Book of Feuds. Wayne Bennett opens up on his spats with Darren Lockyer, Phil Gould, Anthony Griffin, Nathan Tinkler and Brisbane.

Wayne Bennett has opened up on his biggest feuds from his time in the NRL. Picture: Patrick Woods

Wayne Bennett told Brisbane chiefs Kevin Walters wasn’t ready for the Broncos job and has taken aim at Phil Gould over explosive claims the super coach had agreed to take charge of the Panthers.

Bennett’s new biography, The Wolf You Feed, is released Monday.

It could double as a book of feuds.

There’s the bust-up with Darren Lockyer, spat with former Newcastle owner Nathan Tinkler, savage slapdown of ex-Dragons coach Anthony Griffin and, of course, his sacking from the Broncos in 2018.

The NRL’s greatest coach also hits back at Gould, who alleges he and Bennett did a handshake deal at a secret meeting in Sydney that the 73-year-old would call the shots at Penrith.

But perhaps the most eye-opening critique was Bennett’s belief that Walters, his three-time assistant at Brisbane, wasn’t up to succeeding him as head coach of the Broncos.

Despite Bennett’s concerns, Brisbane bosses eventually took a chance on Walters as an NRL coaching rookie and he has proven a resounding success in the Red Hill hotseat.

Walters has proved all the doubters wrong.

Taking charge of a club in crisis following Anthony Seibold’s demise in 2020, Walters has presided over a remarkable ‘Kev-olution’, steering the Broncos to within one game of the grand final after Friday night’s 26-0 belting of the Storm.

Wayne Bennett told Brisbane chiefs Kevin Walters wasn’t ready for the Broncos job. Picture: David Kapernick

KEV-OLUTION

Walters this season equalled the Brisbane club record for most wins in a regular season with 18 victories. It’s a performance that has put the Broncos legend firmly in the frame for NRL coach-of-the-year honours.

The thriving state of the Broncos today is a far cry from the Red Hill ructions of 2018, when Bennett was at loggerheads with Brisbane hierarchy in the bitter fight to keep his job.

His former assistant, Walters, through no fault of his own, unwittingly became a central character in Bennett’s battle with the Broncos.

In the book, Bennett says he was preparing to potentially be sacked after former Broncos CEO Paul White and football boss Peter Nolan visited him at his farm near Warwick in October 2017.

Bennett suspected White had already lined up Walters to be Brisbane’s coach from 2019. Bennett’s succession plan was for his assistant Jason Demetriou to take over.

“I didn’t want Kevin,” Bennett tells author Andrew Webster.

“I didn’t think he (Walters) was up for the job.

“Paul was meant to come to the farm and tell me I was gone.

“But he didn’t tell me, did he?”

White insists the farm visit was never intended to end in Bennett’s termination, even if that eventually happened 12 months later.

“Peter Nolan and I went up there to check on Wayne and see how he was going,” White said. “It was the off-season. It had nothing to do with sacking him.”

Wayne Bennett's latest biography, 'The Wolf You Feed'.

THE LOCKYER FEUD

Bennett and Lockyer seemed to have an unbreakable bond forged by Brisbane’s golden age.

Lockyer won four premierships as Bennett’s champion fullback and five-eighth. But when Lockyer ascended to the Broncos board in retirement, Bennett believed his great playmaker failed to have his back when it mattered most.

“We’re on talking terms again,” Lockyer says. “We’ve resolved a few things.

“The relationship we had, there’s a long way to go before we get back to there.

“We sat down and went through our differences and hopefully it’s on the way up.

“I was caught in the middle.”

Lockyer believes Bennett struggles with being answerable to others.

“He hates boards. Hates them; any authority above him,” he said.

“He wants to run the show and typically he does.

“If he doesn’t always get his way, sometimes the toys can get tossed out of the cot.

“He knows what he wants. When people challenge that, and he can’t influence them, he gets frustrated.

“It became a soap opera that was played out in the public when it shouldn’t have – but that’s impossible when you’re the Broncos.”

THE PANTHERS

It is Gould’s belief that Penrith had “reached an understanding” with Bennett to coach in 2019 instead of Ivan Cleary.

In the book, details emerge of Gould and Bennett allegedly shaking hands on a deal. According to ‘Gus’, the meeting took place in the lounge room of the Woollahra home of veteran manager Wayne Beavis.

Bennett confirms he spoke to Gould over the phone, but is adamant there was never a face-to-face meeting to formalise a Panthers contract.

“That didn’t happen”, Bennett said.

Asked if he recalled meeting Gould, he said: “No. There was a telephone call but there was no meeting.

“I wouldn’t know where Wayne Beavis lives.”

Webster writes Beavis confirmed the meeting did indeed take place – not in his lounge room but his home office.

Gus Gould thought he had an understanding with Bennett to coach in 2019.

BONDI BENNY

Bennett reveals he reneged on plans to coach the Sydney Roosters in 2007 after news of his secret meeting with billionaire chairman Nick Politis.

For the first time, it is revealed the lengths to which the Roosters went to poach Bennett from Brisbane.

Bennett shook hands on a three-year, $2.4 million deal with Politis.

But there was another potential sweetener – a lavish million-dollar apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour after Politis invited Bennett back to his luxurious home at Circular Quay.

“This is pretty nice,” Bennett said of Politis’ harbourside abode.

“We can make that part of the deal,” Politis said, pointing to a nearby vacant apartment.

But when news broke Bennett went behind Brisbane’s back, on the eve of their epic charge to the 2006 title, the deal was off.

“I would have loved to have been the coach of the Roosters,” Bennett says. “I would have loved to work with Nick Politis.”

Politis said: “We haven’t spoken since. Bennett left us high and dry. It took us four years to correct it.”

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER

Bennett makes it clear he doesn’t rate Anthony ‘Hook’ Griffin as a coach.

When Ivan Henjak was sacked by Brisbane in 2010, CEO White drew up a blueprint. Bennett would return from the Dragons, coach four years and mentor his assistant Griffin, who would take over at Brisbane in 2015.

Bennett told White that Griffin was not up to ever coaching Brisbane. At White’s urging, Bennett invited Griffin to his house for dinner.

“I had the worst meeting with any guy I have met in my life,” Bennett said.

“I decided then and there that I wasn’t going to come back.”

Bennett then told the Broncos boss: “If you want Griffin as your future coach, you can have him. I’m not coming.

“Paul had tears in his eyes. Things could have been different ... if I could come without making Griffin my assistant coach.”

Wayne Bennett made it clear he did not rate Anthony Griffin. Picture: Peter Wallis

THE BENNETT SACKING

For the first time, Broncos chairman Karl Morris provides his account of Bennett’s sacking. He is adamant former Broncos CEO Paul White drove the decision.

“It was unnecessary,” Morris tells.

“For two blokes (White and Bennett) who were once best of friends, it turned into a spiteful war.

“When Paul came to the board with this recommendation (to move on Bennett), I asked him, are you positive this is the right thing.

“He said he was. He said, ‘we’re not going to win a premiership in the next three years under the current structure’.

“I was of the view that you back your CEO or sack your CEO. Who was I to say Paul was wrong? Unfortunately I was not quite aware of how ugly it would get.

“It was a terrible time. It wasn’t good for anyone. It still puzzles and horrifies me that a 30-year friendship can end like that.

“Was it really a friendship?”

THE TINKLER SPRAY

Bennett says just one man has ever tried to stop him giving a half-time address to his own players: former Newcastle owner Nathan Tinkler.

Two weeks out from the 2013 finals, the Knights were trailing Brisbane 14-6 in a must-win game to make the playoffs.

A drunk Tinkler demanded he address the group.

“You’re talking to f***ing nobody,” Bennett recalls. “Go to that corner over there and stay there and don’t you f***ing move, or I’ll throw you out.”

Tinkler walked out. The Knights went on to beat Brisbane and charged to the preliminary final.

“He never talked to me again after that,” Bennett said.

The Wolf You Feed – Wayne Bennett. The Man, The Myth, The Mayhem by Andrew Webster. Macmillan Australia. RRP $36.99. Publishing 12 September 2023.

Originally published as Wayne Bennett opens up on some of the biggest feuds of his career including spats with Phil Gould, Nick Politis, Nathan Tinkler and more