Mike Colman: Wayne Bennett is doing a good job at the Broncos, so why the hurry to decide his future

I MUST admit to being a little confused about the fuss over Wayne Bennett’s future. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bennett is contracted for 2019, right?

Speculation about Wayne Bennett’s future at the Broncos continues.

I MUST admit to being a little confused about the fuss over Wayne Bennett’s future.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bennett is contracted for 2019, right?

That means that he has the remainder of this season, and all of next in charge of the Broncos.

If a week is a long time in politics, then 59 weeks is a lifetime in rugby league.

So what’s the hurry?

Sure I can understand that the Broncos’ brains trust got a little antsy when they thought there was a window of opportunity to snare Craig Bellamy, but that window has very much been slammed shut and been locked in their faces.

BRONCOS: TPJ set to stay in Brisbane

TALENT: NRL’S youngest man won’t be stopped

Bellamy has re-signed for another three years, which means that the board’s next option is to replace Bennett with … well, actually, who is their next option?

Kevin Walters? My understanding is that Kevvie is committed to coaching the Maroons next season, which means he won’t be in any frantic hurry to sign a contract for 2020 in the next few months.

Speculation about Wayne Bennett’s future at the Broncos continues.

Plus he’s waited this long to get an NRL gig, so he’ll probably wait another year.

That’s if the Broncos want him of course. Pitchforking an untested coach into the biggest boots in the game is a mighty big risk.

Far better to go with a tried and tested commodity, and according to one report last week that commodity should be Bennett’s current assistant coach Jason Demetriou.

Ah yes, the old Wayne Bennett assistant coach trick. Never fails.

Who can forget how successful Ivan Henjak was when he took over from Bennett at the Broncos. Or Steve Price at the Dragons. Or Rick Stone at the Knights.

Okay, so maybe not Jason.

Then who?

Ivan Henjak lasted two seasons as Broncos coach.

I’m sure there are lots of excellent coaches out there who would do a very good job at the Broncos, especially now that Bennett has put together the best pack of youngsters the game has seen for a long time.

Coaches good enough to guide the club through that tough Origin period when the team is decimated by rep duty, experienced enough to hold them together when the inevitable injuries hit, and maybe enough strong enough to cope with the constant pressure of media and public scrutiny in a one-team city.

They might even be good enough to make the finals year after year.

Except you know what? Wayne Bennett is already doing all those things.

So why the urgency to make a change? If it’s not broke, why fix it?

More to the point, if it’s not broke, why fix it in such a big hurry?

Watch every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership on FOX SPORTS. SIGN UP NOW >