Redcliffe Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett’s advice for Ballina junior Harrison Graham

The first recruit of the NRL’s newest club says the advice he received from legendary coach Wayne Bennett will stick with him for life. Here’s how their first meeting went.

Former Ballina Seagulls junior Harrison Graham says he didn’t expect to meet Wayne Bennett despite being the first signing in the Redcliffe Dolphins’ NRL history.

The 20-year-old was preparing for a six week train-and-trial at the Brisbane Broncos and was finishing up his paperwork to sign a development contract with the Dolphins in November last year when he sat down for lunch at a Redcliffe cafe with Dolphins CEO Terry Reeder and recruitment manager Sean O’Sullivan.

He said he brushed off a suggestion from O’Sullivan, who joked “Who knows, you might get to meet Wayne”.

The three went over the terms of the contract, discussed his goals, his style and his footy.

Just as lunch was ending and Graham was prepared to shoot off, the supercoach stepped in.

Like a General coming in to inspect his new recruit, the Dolphins’ new coach calmly pulled up a chair and said g’day.

Graham had just spent the best part of an hour discussing rugby league with Reeder and O’Sullivan but was prepared for more when Bennett sat down.

To his surprise, Bennett wasn’t asking questions about his fitness, his speed, his strength or his form at Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

Instead he was asking about his upbringing, his schooling and the primary teaching course he was doing part-time at university.

Bennett didn’t want to get to know the rugby league player sitting in front of him, he wanted to know the man.

Then came a piece of advice that Graham will never forget.

“A rugby career doesn’t last long, have something other than rugby league in our life”.

Bennett was everything Graham expected to meet, but he didn’t anticipate they would be the wise words he would offer.

“He was very calm, very relaxed and he said to basically have a plan B and something to work towards outside rugby,” Graham said.

“That has stuck with me.”

Luckily, Graham is already one step ahead studying primary teaching and working as teacher aide.

But on most weekends during footy season Wynnum Manly Seagulls spectators can find the hooker running, ducking and weaving through defenders like they are training cones.

His dream of being an NRL footballer is getting closer and closer every day.

In the past three months he has not only signed a development contract for Redcliffe’s first NRL season in 2023, but also a 12-month training contract with the Brisbane Broncos .

Graham will spend the coming year waiting by phone on the off chance an NRL debut will be on the other end.

“If Broncos need a hooker I’ll be on call anytime during the year,” he said.

“I just want to play good footy at Wynnum and if I do that it gives them no reason (not to pick me).”

Graham has always backed himself.

He was born in Lismore but learned to love rugby league at Ballina Seagulls, a place where the Graham name is well known.

His father Simon Graham played reserve and first grade and the Merv Graham Stand is named after his pop.

“I was born in Lismore but I’m bred in Ballina,” he said.

“I started off at Ballina Seagulls but moved to Wynnum Manly shortly after I moved to Queensland when I was about eight years old”.

Despite his Northern Rivers roots, Graham has cemented his allegiance to the Maroons, having played for Queensland in the 2019 U18 State of Origin team.

And while the past three months have been an unforgettable dream run, he said he was still taking his progression one step at a time.