Wayne Bennett should leave the Knights immediately if he has already agreed to join the Broncos next season

Now that he has decided to join the Brisbane Broncos, Wayne Bennett should leave the Newcastle Knights NOW, writes Phil Rothfield.

Wayne Bennett, coach of the Newcastle Knights at team training at Mayfield in Newcastle.

Now that he has decided to join the Brisbane Broncos on a three-year deal, Wayne Bennett should leave the Newcastle Knights NOW.

The Broncos will announce later today that Bennett has been signed on a $4 million contract until the end of 2017.

The Knights needs a man in charge who will be there next year.

In any other business, a boss who is leaving to join a rival company would be shown the door straight away.

BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

Every other club in the NRL has been planning recruitment for 2015 for months.

The Knights have the oldest roster in the premiership. They are running 14th on the table and need a major overhaul.

This club is in much worse shape than when Rick Stone handed over at the end of 2011, a young coach on just $200,000-a-year, a fifth of Bennett’s salary.

Under Stone, the Knights finished the season in eighth position, just one win away from fourth spot.

If he comes back next year he will have to start all over again.

The Bennett signings were just about all about short-term success.

You don’t bring in Jeremy Smith, Willie Mason, Craig Gower, Timana Tahu and Clint Newton to win premierships down the track.

It’s now time to start preparing for 2015 and beyond.

BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

I remember back in 2001 a strapping young centre, Justin Hodges, emerged under Bennett as the next big thing at the Broncos.

He signed a three-year deal with the Roosters. Bennett not only sacked him from first grade but sent him to the Toowoomba Clydesdales for the remainder of the year.

He was no longer part of their plans. The same as Bennett is no longer part of the Knights plans.

The seven-time premier coach rang News Corp boss Lachlan Murdoch on Sunday and told him he wanted to return home to the Broncos.

This all happened behind the scenes on Alex McKinnon’s big day.

The phone call clinched the deal.

And so the premiership he hoped to deliver Newcastle didn’t eventuate.

He has nothing else to do in Newcastle apart from clearing out his office.

And that should happen today.

Originally published as Wayne Bennett should leave the Knights immediately if he has already agreed to join the Broncos next season