Gus makes big call on ‘ridiculous’ Bennett rumours
WAYNE Bennett reportedly wants to leave the Broncos with a big “stuff-you” on his way out the door to a premiership rival.
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BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett wants to give the Broncos “a big stuff you” after the club’s decision to knock back his request for a one-year contract extension through to the end of 2020.
Broncos great and Bennett’s son-in-law Ben Ikin on Tuesday revealed “there is every chance it ends sourly” between the Broncos and Bennett after six premierships and 25 seasons together.
It comes as Panthers supremo Phil Gould moved to squash his club’s reported interest in Bennett — but left the door very much open for the 68-year-old to make a blockbuster move to the Panthers next year.
Gould on Monday night declared he has not had any contact with Bennett or Bennett’s agent since they rubbed shoulders at the 2018 Immortals induction evening two weeks ago.
He told Nine’s 100% Footy that it is “ridiculous” that his club has been linked as a possible destination for Bennett from next year following reports the master coach has instructed his manager to explore his options at the end of this year.
It was revealed on Monday the Broncos board has knocked back Bennett’s request for a one-season extension through to the end of the 2020 season.
The club’s directors will also meet in October to discuss Bennett’s immediate future and will discuss the option of sacking the club legend on the spot at the end of this season.
Ikin told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday Bennett could exact his revenge on the Broncos for his potential unceremonious exit from the club by moving to the Panthers and winning a grand final with a squad many believe is entering a premiership window.
“Wayne Bennett wants to give a big stuff you to the Broncos,” the host of Fox League’s NRL 360 said.
“If they’re not going to extend him and he wants two more years and they won’t give it to him then he could jump to Penrith. He could get his two-year deal. He could work with Phil Gould — the two great minds coming together.
“They don’t need to build anything long term. That Panthers list is ready made to win a comp. Bennett arrives, gets his two years. Gould does all that other stuff around coaching and together they do their best to win a comp for Penrith and they get to say to the world, ‘Look at us. Look what we did’.”
Ikin said the the famous Bennett-Broncos relationship appears destined to end poorly.
“The sense I get is that the Broncos and Wayne Bennett are on very different pages at the moment,” he said.
“He (Bennett) was adamant that he wants to continue coaching. He wanted that extension to 2020. And (chairman) Karl Morris and (chief executive) Paul White have been very strong in saying, ‘You are getting nothing beyond 2019’. To the point now that, because Wayne called them on it publicly, I think they’re going to make a decision on whether or not they actually allow him to see out his contract next year.
“If the Broncos don’t improve over the next month then there is every chance that they part company. It’s been a wonderful working relationship, Wayne Bennett and the Broncos, but there’s every chance it ends sourly.”
His uncertain future has unfolded at the same time Gould made the shock decision last week to sack former coach Anthony Griffin following Panthers chairman Dave O’Neill’s approach to Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary.
Cleary has since said he intends to honour the final two years of contract with the Tigers.
With promoted assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo only given an assurance of keeping his position as head coach through to the end of 2018 — reports have linked the perfect alignment of Bennett moving to Penrith at the end of this season.
Panthers legend Mark Geyer on Monday declared his support in Bennett moving to coach the club for the next two years.
Gould on Monday tried to shut that down.
“I haven’t heard from Wayne Bennett and I haven’t heard from anyone associated with Wayne Bennett so it’s ridiculous to even talk about that being an option,” Gould said.
“I don’t know what Wayne is doing.
“I don’t know if he will be at the Broncos next year but I’m sure if Wayne is not there, he’s got a plan. But he certainly hasn’t told me what his plan is and I’ve had no contact with him, other than at the Immortals the other night.”
He did not at any point rule out the possibility of Bennett moving to the Panthers.
He said he would be prepared to work in partnership with Bennett — despite his status as club supremo clashing violently with Bennett’s preference to be the undisputed figure of power at his football club.
“I could work with anyone, whether he could work with me I don’t know.” Gould said.
Australian Kangaroos coach and the game’s newest Immortal Mal Meninga declared on Tuesday it is highly unlikely Bennett and Gould could work harmoniously together.
He said an NRL club is more than likely too small a place to accommodate two of the biggest figures in the league.
Meninga’s scepticism surrounding Bennett’s ability to work under Gould comes after the Panthers supremo was linked with a shock move to St George Illawarra to replace veteran chief executive Peter Doust, who is stepping down at the end of the season.
Meninga said if Gould does headhunt Bennett it would likely be one of his final acts at the Panthers.
“They’re both big personalities and they’re both people who tend to get their way so perhaps not,” Meninga told NRL.com when asked if Bennett and Gould could work together.
“If Wayne for example goes to Penrith then Phil moves on. He’s done his bit for the club. He moves on to some other place. He’s pretty well settled in the media so he doesn’t really need to have control of any club. I think one of those two guys would be enough for one club.”
Gus reflects on what has been a massive week for him and the Panthers. #100PercentFooty pic.twitter.com/wzo2zvdUaL
— 100% Footy (@100percentfooty) August 13, 2018
SHARKS DIG IN TO DENY COWBOYS ORIGIN STAR
CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan has predicted Valentine Holmes will one day overtake Andrew Ettingshausen as the club’s greatest try-scorer and categorically ruled out granting him an early release.
Holmes has been linked with North Queensland and an early exit from the final season of his Sharks contract after Ben Barba announced his intention to return to Australia and the NRL next year.
The Townsville-born flyer will come up against the Cowboys on Saturday night and Flanagan guaranteed he would remain at the Sharks next year. “There’s less chance of me releasing Valentine Holmes out of his contract than there is of me playing for Australia at hooker during the end of the year Test matches,” Flanagan told NRL 360.
“We’d be crazy to let him go.” Two years after Barba was forced out of the club for testing positive to cocaine, the Shire was seen as the premiership-winning No.1’s most likely destination after getting his career back on track in the English Super League. Flanagan had previously stated his desire for the former Dally M winner to return to the club however has since cooled on the idea.
Holmes started the year with question marks hanging over his head about his ability to handle the shift to fullback and whether wing was his best position - especially given his prolific showing in last year’s World Cup. However he has emphatically silenced his doubters and after 22 rounds heads the league’s try-scoring list with 22.
He will run out for his 100th first-grade game against the Cowboys and has already notched 63 career tries.
That puts him on a trajectory to surpass Ettingshausen (165 tries in 328 games) as the club’s leading try-scorer.
“At the start Benny Barba was teaching Val a lot about playing fullback,” Flanagan said.
“Val over the last 12 weeks, he’s really found his feet. He’s enjoying his football and understanding how big the role is being an NRL fullback. “He’s got a lot of football in front of him, a lot of tries. He’ll probably be the highest try-scorer for the Sharks in history the way he’s going.” Holmes is off-contract at the end of 2019 and has yet to take up an extension offer from the Sharks, meaning he could head to the Cowboys in 2020. Flanagan said the club had invested heavily in the Queensland and Test representative and given he was just 23, was hoping he would be the club’s long- term fullback.
“Benny was a fantastic player for us. He’ll always be remembered for what he did for us in 2016. It was a stellar season,” Flanagan said.
“But we have a salary cap. We’d like to see Valentine stay there long term.”
— AAP
GALLEN LINES UP 96-YEAR RECORD
CRONULLA skipper Paul Gallen is close to deciding whether to play on for a record 19th NRL season next year.
The Sharks ironman, who is the NRL’s oldest player, will blow out 37 birthday candles on Tuesday as he contemplates his future.
Gallen has an opportunity to become the oldest premiership winner in 96 years if the Sharks can win the grand final this year.
The Sharks skipper will be 37 years one month and 16 days old on grand final day on September 30.
According to League Information Services, George Green — who was 38 years, eight months and 20 days when he won the 1922 NSWRL final with North Sydney — is the oldest known premiership winner.
Happy 37th Birthday to @Cronulla_Sharks @PaulGallen13! 🎈ðŸŽ
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) August 13, 2018
He will be the first player to play in the NRL after his 37th birthday since Cliff Lyons in 1999.#upupcronulla #NRLSharksCowboys
“I have to make a call soon. It’s come to the point now where it needs to be done, I need to make a decision,” Gallen told the Nine Network. “I’ve got two home games left if I’m going to retire.
“I don’t know what to do.” Gallen said he had discussed his future with Shane Flanagan previously and the Sharks coach would play a big role in the final outcome.
“I’ll be guided a lot by Flanno this week,” he said.
“We spoke about it months and months ago and we just left it there. “It’s snuck up on us pretty quickly with the way the year has gone, it’s been about the team more and we haven’t worried about it.
“But it’s got to be made and it’s a tough decision.” Gallen, who led Cronulla to their first and only premiership in 2016, believes he is still contributing on the field and has the hunger and passion to continue.
“People keep telling me you’ll know when you’ll want to retire,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m ready to retire yet but I’ll be guided by Flanno.” Should he decide to hang up the boots, Sunday week’s clash with Newcastle will be his final game at Southern Cross Group Stadium and the club would want to pay a fitting tribute.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever had at the club ... ,” Flanagan said. “He’s the hardest working and he’s up there with the ETs (Andrew Ettingshausen) and the Steve Rogers’.
“I’m not putting many in front of him.
“He’s the captain of our first premiership.”
— AAP
Originally published as Gus makes big call on ‘ridiculous’ Bennett rumours
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