Wayne Bennett will remain at Brisbane for 2019 season
Wayne Bennett will stick with Brisbane for 2019 after another stunning twist in the most explosive coaching saga club’s history. But the saga appears far from over.
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Wayne Bennett survives ... for now.
The besieged Bennett insists he can work harmoniously with Brisbane bosses after club hierarchy refused to sack him – clearing the super coach to call the shots at the Broncos next season.
The most explosive coaching saga in Broncos history took another stunning twist when Bennett emerged from a meeting with chairman Karl Morris with his 2019 contract still intact.
Bennett went to the meeting bracing for the prospect of a tense negotiation that would see Brisbane offer a compensation deal to complete an immediate straight swap with Souths counterpart Anthony Seibold.
But after just three minutes of talks in the Broncos gymnasium, Bennett lived to fight another day after Morris declared Brisbane hierarchy had no intention of sacking their only premiership coach.
The decision has major implications for the Rabbitohs. A fortnight ago, Souths bosses contacted Brisbane chiefs to kickstart a straight swap, but Bennett has dug his heels in, leaving Seibold with the daunting task of averting a player mutiny at Redfern next season.
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Bennett has endured his own Cold War this season, clashing with Morris and CEO Paul White over his future, but the 68-year-old is adamant he can bury the hatchet as he eyes a premiership swansong.
“I don’t have a problem with management. I will get on with the job,” Bennett told The Sunday Mail.
“I will be coaching the Broncos in 2019.
“We talked through some issues.
“I asked Karl Morris what my position was in 2019 at the club and he re-affirmed that I was the coach for 2019 and that, in his view, nothing had changed.
“I won’t be sacked, I’ve been given that assurance by Karl.
“I’ve met with the chairman and we are now on the same page.
“I’ve always intended on honouring my contract and I’m glad this all has been sorted.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be at the Broncos next season.”
Following the meeting, the Broncos released a statement, with Morris reiterating a position he first outlined on September 25, saying: “Wayne Bennett is our coach for 2019, as we have stated repeatedly over the past year.”
Well-placed sources do not share such confidence, believing Rabbitohs powerbrokers will continue to explore the possibility of a straight swap in the coming weeks.
Influential Souths players are reportedly furious at Seibold and such sentiments could compel the Rabbitohs to ask Brisbane back to the negotiating table.
Bennett will not accept a cut-price severance package and will only leave Red Hill if he is formally sacked.
That would require a full payout of $900,000 from the Broncos, who would then have to cover the salary of Seibold, who is schedule to earn around $700,000 in his maiden year at Brisbane in 2020.
Bennett, however, claims he is not seeking any settlement deal, saying he has given his word to Broncos players that he will not walk out on them.
“At no stage did Karl mention a payout,” he said.
“The payout isn’t an issue, there was no talk about straight swaps with Seibold, it was never part of the discussion.
“The Broncos have said they intend to honour my deal and I can only take their word on that.”
Asked if he may yet be sacked, Bennett said: “Look, you can never say never in life. But the chairman has come out and said I’m staying, so that’s reassuring for me.
“There’s been no doubt I have wanted to be at Brisbane next season. I said way back in April that I wanted to see out the final year of my contract and I haven’t wavered on that. I have been very consistent with my position.
“The Broncos made the decision that they didn’t want me.
“A number of players came to this club to be coached by me.
“While I am on contract, I am not going to let them and the fans down. I will give this assurance to Broncos fans _ I want be at this great club.
“There are no ifs in my head. As of today, myself, the CEO and chairman are committed to me finishing at the Broncos in 2019.”
Bennett dismissed suggestions the uncertainty and high-level in-fighting would derail Brisbane’s quest to break a 13-year premiership drought next season.
“I feel glad that I have sorted some things out with the chairman. We can focus on giving the title a shake next year now,” he said.
“Every club needs certainty. You never want uncertainty in the NRL.
“Everyone is putting in at the Broncos, I’m pleased for our players. You can’t have success in the NRL without stability, so we can all settle down now and get on with the job of winning the premiership next year.”
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