NRL 2022: Wayne Bennett’s retirement date, Dolphins coach replacement revealed

As Wayne Bennett continues to assemble the Dolphins’ inaugural team, a succession plan is also in the works, with his retirement set to come sooner than expected.

Wayne Bennett (R) will hang up the clipboard for good at the end of 2024. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Wayne Bennett’s remarkable 50-year coaching career is coming to an end under plans for Kristian Woolf to succeed the master mentor at the Dolphins in 2025.

News Corp can reveal Woolf is Bennett’s ‘Chosen One’, with the Dolphins in the advanced stages of negotiating a multimillion-dollar deal for the Tonga national coach to join the NRL’s new 17th franchise next season.

With the Dolphins’ historic first pre-season just three months away, Bennett is putting together his coaching dream team, set to include:

* Woolf signing a four or five-year deal as his chief assistant, ending months of speculation over Bennett’s right-hand man for the Dolphins’ foundation year in the NRL;

* St Helens coach Woolf has been told in secret talks he will serve two years as an assistant with a view to succeeding Bennett as Dolphins head coach in 2025;

* That scenario would see Bennett retire as a head coach at the end of 2024 aged 74. He will move into a consultancy role with the Dolphins; and

* Dean Young, a current assistant to Cowboys coach Todd Payten, has been sounded out by the Dolphins to join Bennett’s team next season and become Woolf’s chief deputy in 2025.

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Wayne Bennett (R) will hang up the clipboard for good at the end of 2024. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The Dolphins machinations are evidence Bennett, the code’s greatest coach, is plotting his retirement after an incredible career spanning five decades.

The 72-year-old signed a three-year deal to become the Dolphins’ foundation coach, but it is understood he would serve for only two campaigns before passing the baton to Woolf, who has won Challenge Cup and Super League titles at St Helens.

Contacted by News Corp on Wednesday night, Woolf - off-contract at St Helens at season’s end - declined to comment, but confirmed the Dolphins’ interest.

Woolf has yet to formally ink a deal, but the Dolphins are privately confident they have got their man.

Just last month, Woolf was approached to replace Nathan Brown at the Warriors, only to knock back the offer, fuelling the belief the 46-year-old from Mt Isa is ready to return to his home state to work alongside Bennett at the Dolphins.

Kristian Woolf. Picture: Lewis Storey/Getty

Bennett is the Immortal of NRL coaching. He delivered all six premierships to the Broncos, won a seventh at the Dragons in 2010 and, in 2011, was voted the greatest coach in history ahead of Jack Gibson, Bob Fulton, Phil Gould and Harry Bath at the Men of League’s annual ball.

For several years, Bennett has been tight-lipped about his expiry date as a head coach, but his succession plan for Woolf is proof the Broncos legend is ready to walk away.

It is understood Bennett will not entertain another head-coaching job. He will move into another role with the Dolphins, helping shape the new franchise’s culture, be a sounding board for Woolf and preside over the NRL’s 17th team development structures.

The Dolphins ideally want a Queenslander to succeed Bennett and Woolf ticks that box.

While replacing Bennett is akin to batting after Bradman, the super coach has been impressed with Woolf, regarded as a no-nonsense straight shooter who took the Cowboys under-20s and Queensland Cup side Townsville Blackhawks to respective grand finals.

Woolf was also the mastermind of Tonga’s fairytale surge to the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup.

Bennett declined to comment on Wednesday night but last month confirmed Woolf, who has yet to coach in the NRL, is on his Dolphins hit list.

“I would be interested in Kristian, plus a couple of others,” Bennett said.

“I’m not sure what will play out. I imagine there are a few clubs interested in Kristian, he is a good young coach and yes, he is one of about four guys we are interested in.

“We’re still a while away from starting up so I can take my time. We know who the head coach is. I will get my ducks in order first and then I will see what our succession plan is.”

As part of the succession plan, Bennett has also reached out to Young, his one-time hooker in the Dragons’ 2010 premiership win.

Bennett hopes to have Young on board next season before being promoted as Woolf’s chief lieutenant in 2025, but the Cowboys have vowed to fight to keep the highly-regarded assistant in Townsville.

Young is contracted to the Cowboys until the end of next season, but has a clause in his deal that allows him to leave early to be an NRL head coach.

Cowboys assistant Dean Young is also in Bennett’s succession plan. Picture: Matthew Elkerton

“All our assistant staff are tied in with Todd Payten,” Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck said.

“Dean has been a wonderful influence for our group and a great support for Todd since the day he got here. In a pretty difficult year last season, his attitude, work ethic and principles never wavered and that’s been the same this year.

“For most young coaches, being a head coach is the end game for them.

“Dean has the qualities to be a good NRL coach. I can’t second guess what Dean’s personal desire and circumstances are but we love what he is doing here.

“He has been great for our group, great for Todd and I hope he is here for a long time to come.”