Wayne Bennett dismisses talk of NRL clubs forming rebel competition as rubbish

Wayne Bennett knows a thing or two about breakaway rugby league competitions and the canny super coach has slammed those suggesting it is time for a break from the NRL.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett. NRL Imagery

Rugby league’s most senior coach Wayne Bennett has slammed talk of a breakaway competition as “rubbish” and warned NRL clubs of the dangers of a repeat of Super League.

After 12 months on the sidelines, Bennett is officially back in business as an NRL coach at expansion newcomers the Dolphins and he has watched the recent tensions over the collective bargaining agreement talks with interest.

Several prominent NRL chairmen and chief executives are becoming increasingly frustrated with League Central, claiming ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys is refusing to open the financial books to the 17 clubs.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has hit back at suggestions he is stonewalling clubs, prompting RLPA boss Clint Newton to accuse the governing body of the perils of running a “dictatorship”.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has dismissed talk of a revel rugby league competition. Picture: NRL Imagery

The protracted CBA spat has sparked threats of NRL clubs walking away in disgust to form a breakaway league.

Bennett was a key figure in the Super League war as coach of the rebel competition’s biggest defectors, the Broncos, in 1995.

Almost three decades later, Bennett scoffed at suggestions of another Super League-style league.

“That’s rubbish,” he fired.

“I only heard three months ago that the CBA was on again and there’s always drama.

“Every time they have the CBA, there’s drama.

“But at the end of the day, we will get it all together and there will be one competition next year.

“They will sort it all out.”

If any club is more affected by the CBA delay, it is the Dolphins, who go into their first season with no clarity about the salary-cap figure for next year and how much they can potentially pay marquee recruits.

Peter V’landys (main) is copping plenty from South Sydney’s Blake Solly and Penrith’s Brian Fletcher (insets L-R).

But Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader says the NRL’s 17th team is getting on with business and has no concerns about a potential breakaway league.

“We’ve been working off a salary cap and we haven’t spent our whole cap which has been well-publicised,” he said.

“We are part of negotiations with the other 16 clubs but it (a rebel competition) is not really for me to talk about.

“We meet every week, there is a working committee that is working on the CBA with the NRL in more detail.

“As a group, we get together and talk about what’s happening, where we are going and what’s going. Nothing has changed and we are looking forward to getting to the end of those negotiations, hopefully with a good result for the clubs, players and the NRL.

“We knew what we signed up for.

“The whole 2022 season was funded by the Dolphins’ group. We knew the rules. We knew we could only sign players coming off contract in 2022, so you haven’t heard us complain.

“There’s been no complaints from our club, we continue on and we are happy with the squad we have put together.”