‘The ultimate people manager’: Wayne Bennett and Jack Gibson make history as first coaches in the NRL Hall of Fame

Two legendary coaches have received the ultimate honour and joined other greats of the game in rarefied air.

Wayne Bennett and Jack Gibson are the first coaches to be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame, with the legendary duo joining powerful administrators Ken Arthurson and John Quayle, as well as iconic broadcasters Frank Hyde and David Morrow, as the latest members to join the elite group.

Bennett is the most prolific coach of all time having started with Canberra back in 1987 and going on to lead the Broncos, Dragons, Knights, Rabbitohs and the Dolphins, where he’s turned the newest club in the NRL into a genuine finals contender in just their second season.

Wayne Bennett turned the Broncos into a juggernaut in the 1990s.

His seven titles and seven State of Origin series victories are the stuff of legend, but his achievements go far beyond what he’s managed on the field, with Bennett the game’s greatest man manager and a leader his players simply adore.

His love for the game hasn’t slowed down, with Bennett off to the Rabbitohs next year.

The master coach is joined in the Hall of Fame by Gibson, who revolutionised the way the sport was played and turned the Roosters and Eels into powerhouse clubs while he was at the helm.

Gibson won three premierships in a row with the Eels in the early 1980s and uttered the famous line “Ding dong, the witch is dead” when they won their first title in 1981.

Jack Gibson won three premierships in a row with Parramatta in the 1980s.

“It is an historic moment for the game to recognise for the first time the extraordinary contribution of two legendary coaches, Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said.

“Wayne is the ultimate people manager. He has the rare ability to get the best out of a player, no matter their background. Players who come from hard times or players who have everything, Wayne takes them to another level.

“He can make every player the most important in the team. He has a rare presence that gains the attention of all demographics.

“Jack was just the first super coach. He took calculated risks that always seemed to pay off. Jack was innovative and futuristic and was ahead of his time. His one-liners were legendary.”

Frank Hyde was the voice of rugby league for several decades.

Hyde called 31-straight grand finals for 2SM and was the most cherished voice of the game on radio and during his television career.

Morrow’s booming voice on the ABC and 2GB became synonymous with rugby league, with his call of Mal Meninga’s try for the Kangaroos in 1990 one of the most famous pieces of commentary the game has ever produced.

Tributes have flowed for Morrow since his death last month, with legends of the game remembering his most famous calls and a man who loved the sport and took others along with him on the journey.

David Morrow produced one of the greatest calls in rugby league history. Picture: Mark Levy/X

“Frank Hyde was a pioneer in rugby league broadcasting. His unique description of players kicking for goal – ‘it’s long enough, it’s high enough, it’s straight between the posts’ is recalled with esteem to this day,” V’landys said.

“We will now have two giants of broadcasting as part of the 2024 NRL Hall of Fame inductees.

“David Morrow has been one of the great voices of the game – recognised around the country for his wit, his insight and his knowledge. I had the pleasure of knowing David throughout my career in sport and he was a champion in every sense of the word.”

Arthurson and Quayle were powerful figures during one of the sport’s most turbulent periods, with the administrative titans both set to join the Hall of Fame at a special ceremony on August 21 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Originally published as ‘The ultimate people manager’: Wayne Bennett and Jack Gibson make history as first coaches in the NRL Hall of Fame