Broncos CEO Paul White accepts accountability for decision to sack Wayne Bennett

Brisbane Broncos CEO Paul White said he is not expecting a call anytime soon from Wayne Bennett after he sacked the former coach over voicemail, and has told how the decision has affected him.

BRISBANE Broncos CEO Paul White said he is not expecting a call anytime soon from former coach Wayne Bennett after he was sacked over voicemail.

Bennett’s 25-year association with the Broncos ended after the club’s chief executive could not reach him over the phone, and sacked him via voicemail and email.

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Mr White spoke on ABC Radio with Craig Zonca and Rebecca Levingston and said he accepts accountability for the decision the club made, and hasn’t spoken to Bennett in the past 24 hours.

“I accept that, but I also accept responsibility for having to do what was right for our club at that time and that’s what I do,” he said.

Broncos CEO Paul White. Wayne Bennett is announced as the new coach for the Brisbane Broncos. Pic Peter Wallis

When asked whether he has spoken with the former Broncos coach since the sacking, he said no and added that he is “not expecting a call anytime soon”.

Mr White was asked what kind of personal toll his decision has had on him, as his relationship with Bennett goes back decades.

“Now’s not a time for me to start personal reflections… these decisions obviously take a toll on many people but it goes with, I guess, the job that I have,” he said,

“In some ways the job I have is public property and with that comes its own pressures and unfortunately sometimes you make decisions which probably aren’t best for you personally but they are in the best interest for the club.”

Mr White said he accepts full accountability for those decisions.

He said Anthony Seibold was the right man for the job after the club went through a “very thorough recruitment process”.

“We made the decision in the best long term interest for the club and for the right reasons, and those reasons are that we believe he can be a career coach, he’s got a coaching philosophy which is backed up by systems and structures, he thinks differently about the game, the game is rapidly changing and I believe he’s got the ability to change with it,” he said.