Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett is still the master of the siege mentality, writes Gorden Tallis

GORDEN TALLIS: Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett convinced his troops that their shocking start to the season was not their fault — or his fault. It was the media’s fault. It worked.

Anthony Milford.

PEOPLE have been questioning for a long time now whether Wayne Bennett has lost his aura.

There have been suggestions over the past few seasons that he has lost the dressing room, that his star is dimming, that Kevin Walters is being groomed to replace him.

He has been under the pump all pre-season over his decision to sign Matt Lodge. Last week’s loss to the Dragons only increased that scrutiny.

But you know what? Here’s one way to know Bennett still has that star power.

After Brisbane’s win over North Queensland on Friday night, I was interviewing a few of the players and they said “you guys spurred us on” and that “the media said this and said that and it helped us win”.

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Wayne Bennett convinced his side their shocking start to the season was not their fault.

They credited the media with their victory.

Even Bennett himself took a shot at the critics in his post-match press conference, claiming the Broncos cannot be divided.

I had to laugh because the supercoach had done it again.

He had convinced his troops that their shocking start to the season was not their fault — or his fault.

It was the media’s fault.

Forget the fact they leaked 34 points to the Dragons or that they were really poor in defence last week.

Forget that Bennett played players out of position or that they couldn’t get repeat sets.

Forget that guy named Ben Hunt, the one that Bennett let go and the way he starred for the Dragons.

It was all the media’s fault.

Kodi Nikorima celebrates scoring a try with Jamayne Isaako.

That’s when you know Wayne Bennett still has the power.

The Broncos responded appropriately against the Cowboys. Their effort was simply outstanding.

Their attitude in defence was brilliant and their ability to hang in there and play tough was the pleasing part.

And apparently, it was all because of the media.

Wayne convinced the players that the media didn’t want the Broncos to win.

It’s not that the media don’t want the Broncos to win.

But when something goes wrong, you also need to hear the truth.

He doesn’t want his players to know the truth, he just wants to turn it around.

It was a masterstroke.

Matthew Lodge’s signature caused plenty of controversy.

But here’s my question for the season ahead — how long does that last for?

Bennett can’t already be under that much pressure, can he?

Didn’t he do this trick five years ago? Ten years ago? Twenty years ago? He’s dragged it out again.

Is it so the media stop attacking him or the players? It’s genius either way.

But I’m just curious to see how long this siege mentality can last if we’re only two rounds into the season.

***

ONE thing I have noticed this week is greats of the game coming out and saying certain players need to be more like those from the past.

Anthony Milford has to be like Darren Lockyer, or Tevita Pangai Jr has to be like Shane Webcke.

Here’s the thing.

Milford and Pangai Jr played on Friday as themselves.

Anthony Milford improved on his performance from round one.

They played the way they wanted to play, the way they should be allowed to play and they were excellent.

Milford proved again he is a runner and Pangai Jr showed glimpses of the kind of aggressive front rower he can be.

But I will never ask anybody to play like Shane Webcke or Petero Civoniceva or Glenn Lazarus.

There’s only one person in the world you can be and that’s yourself.

If you tried to be somebody else, it’s fake.