NRL 2021: Dolphins unveil Wayne Bennett as foundation coach for 2023 season

A host of rugby league’s biggest names have already been linked to the Dolphins, but new coach Wayne Bennett is eyeing another key area for recruitment.

The Dolphins have unveiled Wayne Bennett as their foundation coach for the next three years. Picture: Getty Images.

Newly appointed Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has backed the club to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NRL as the master mentor now begins to assemble his coaching staff and playing roster.

The 71-year-old was on Thursday confirmed as the Dolphins inaugural head coach, having inked a four year deal with the new NRL franchise which will see him through until the 2025 season — and a possible 900 games coached.

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It will be Bennett’s sixth appointment as head coach of an NRL club as he looks to add an eighth premiership win to his illustrious resume.

Having already led a number of teams to premiership success in his 30+ years of coaching, Bennett said he “absolutely” believed the Dolphins would be a competitive club when it begins in the 2023 season.

Wayne Bennett was unveiled as the Dolphins inaugural coach on Thursday. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I want to thank (ARL Chairman) Peter V’landys and (NRL CEO) Andrew Abdo because the faith they’ve shown in me to make sure I’m part of this group is because they want the team to be competitive as well,” Bennett said.

“I’m confident about that.

“We’ve got a lot of decisions to make that we have to get right.

“It’s not going to be easy.

“Will we be successful straight off the bat? Who knows but we’ll be doing the absolute best we can and setting up the building blocks to make sure it’s a strong club.

“The Dolphins have all the potential to be a real force in the NRL and I hope to turn that potential into a reality.”

Now with the head coaching role confirmed, the Dolphins will turn their attention to the rest of the coaching staff and player signings.

Bennett is expected to step into the role full-time immediately. Picture: Liam Kidston

The November 1 player transfer window is fast approaching, which will allow rival clubs to approach players who come off contract at the end of 2022.

“We’ve got a $9.5 million salary cap and you know you’ve got to get some marquee players so that will be our priority to get those and build those players around them,” Bennett said.
“They’re all playing in the NRL at clubs so we have to work through that and come up with the best roster we can.”

Bennett and the Dolphins are free to sign players from rival NRL clubs for the 2023 season from November 1. Picture: Liam Kidston

When it comes to players though, Bennett said his dream would be to one day see local juniors come through the ranks at the Dolphins to eventually go on and play in the NRL for their hometown team.

“That’s all part of it and that’s what they’re doing here already,” he said.

“My dream is to have them come in as six-year-olds and play NRL, I really mean that.

“I can’t think of anything more exciting for a young player to know they can play for the Dolphins, come through the system and play first grade.

Cameron Munster is a target for Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Clubs in Sydney do that and there was about seven or eight of them at Souths.

“They make your club. They make your team because they’ve got the love for the place and they want to be part of it.

“There’s nothing greater for them to play in front of their parents and friends and they’ve done that since they were six years of age.”

As for players, the newly appointed coach said his priority was in signing marquee talent.

The Dolphins are free to sign players from rival NRL clubs for the 2023 season from November 1 this year and already have their eye on the likes of Queensland Origin stars Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

“We’ve got a $9.5 million salary cap and you know you’ve got to get some marquee players so that will be our priority to get those players and build around them,” he said.

“They’re all playing in the NRL at clubs so we have to work through that and come up with the best roster we can.”

The Dolphins are the first club Bennett has coached from its foundation since he spearheaded the Brisbane Broncos in 1988.

Bennett's appointment has been applauded by Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater. Picture: Liam Kidston

Bennett, 71, coached the Broncos for a combined 25 seasons across two stints at Red Hill and was at the helm for all six of Brisbane’s premierships.

Now he will face off against the Broncos’ first Brisbane rival since the South Queensland Crushers folded in 1997.

Bennett will waste no time putting together a squad to compete in rugby league’s top competition and is expected to step into the role full-time immediately.

Aside from recruiting, Bennett will be involved with putting together a football department that can provide a foundation for the team to be competitive from day one.

Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater said Bennett was the ideal candidate to lead the new club.

“Wayne Bennett will be sensational for the new team,” Slater said.

“His record speaks for itself and if the Dolphins can have Wayne in their organisation to kickstart their journey in the NRL, it can’t be a bad thing.

“Having a second Brisbane team is great for the game, Brisbane is a huge market so this is going to be a great result for Queensland rugby league.

“The Dolphins coming into the NRL can help us develop our Queensland talent.

“Brisbane certainly has the population to handle another team and Redcliffe have been a powerful organisation for a long time. My father actually played for Redcliffe, so ‘Tosser’ Turner (Redcliffe and Queensland Origin patriarch who passed away in 2008) will be happy upstairs having a cold beer.”

— with Travis Meyn, Brent Read, Peter Badel