NRL Round 26 2024: Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett makes selection gamble in bid to end the Broncos’ season
Wayne Bennett will take one of the biggest gambles of his 50-year coaching career in his final Queensland derby as he looks to end the season of former club the Broncos.
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Wayne Bennett will take one of the biggest gambles of his 50-year coaching career in a desperate bid to win his last Queensland derby and deliver the Dolphins a farewell finals gift.
Bennett has made mass changes to the nosediving Dolphins for Saturday night’s sold-out Battle of Brisbane against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
In a final roll of the dice to spark the Dolphins, Bennett has completely overhauled his team as he looks to depart Queensland for South Sydney with a fairytale derby win that will end Brisbane’s season.
The Dolphins are yet to beat the Broncos in three River City rivalry clashes since the Redcliffe club entered the NRL last year during Brisbane’s charge to the grand final.
This is the most vulnerable the Broncos have been in that time, but Bennett has realised he must find a way to breathe life into the Dolphins’ stalling season.
That is why he has relegated rising halfback Isaiya Katoa, shifted Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow from fullback to centre to recall livewire Trai Fuller and will thrust unheralded forward Lachlan Hubner into a starting front row duel with Broncos superstar Payne Haas.
Bennett, 74, admitted he was taking risks with his bold selections, which also included centre Jake Averillo shifting to five-eighth and Jeremy Marshall-King and Tevita Pangai Jr returning from injury.
“It is a risk but I am in the risk business,” he said.
“Let’s see how it goes.
“You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
“We have been doing that and sticking with that. We have been pretty loyal to that.
“I just thought we are at a place now where we have to give ourselves the best chance.”
Bennett’s selection gambles have added another dimension to what is already a high stakes clash.
While the Dolphins complained about the NRL’s scheduling of the match, the ‘Riverfire Rumble’ has become a promoter’s dream given the state of the competition.
The Broncos (9th) and Dolphins (10th) are locked on 10 wins-a-piece with Brisbane’s (+2) points differential marginally better than Redcliffe’s (-27) following last week’s 48-6 hammering by Melbourne.
The Broncos will start favourites following back-to-back wins, but former Brisbane five-eighth Ben Ikin believes Bennett will be plotting an ambush over rival coach Kevin Walters.
“Wayne is a big competitor. He’s never beaten the Broncos as Dolphins coach, so that would be burning him,” he said.
“He would love to knock the Broncos out of the finals, absolutely. Any athlete or coach looks for whatever motivation they can to get past the opposition.
“Wayne is always looking for the edge. At 74 years of age, it’s something Wayne hasn’t lost.
“The other thing I know is that one of the most competitive blokes I have played with is Kevvie Walters.
“As competitive Wayne is going to be in this one, you can just about guarantee that Kevvie might go past him in the winning stakes.”
While both teams have been below their best, there is an anticipation that this derby could rival last year’s thrilling first clash which went down to the wire.
Fox League commentator Corey Parker said Bennett would have the Dolphins primed for the occasion.
“I do think he can get them up for it,” he said.
“Wayne doesn’t have to say a lot. The rivalry is only two years old but it’s been evident that there is a genuine rivalry between them.
“He won’t have to do much to get his team up and he can roll the dice at this time of the season.
“He’ll embrace the vibe and buzz around town and he will make it all about himself to take the focus off the team.
“The Dolphins don’t fear Brisbane from what we’ve seen in their performances and if there’s ever been a time to knock Brisbane off it’s now. They’re not travelling great and the Dolphins can really go after them.
“Wayne will highlight all those areas and the players understand the enormity of it. They’ve bought right into the rivalry.”
If he is determined to sink his former club’s season, Bennett wasn’t giving much away when asked about delivering a final blow to the Broncos before he returns to the Rabbitohs next season on a three-year contract.
“That is not my priority,” he said.
“My priority is for us to play well and execute well. We do that and we can match it with any team. We have shown that all season.
“No I don’t (dream of beating the Broncos). I can’t afford to do that. That is not my thinking. That is not my process.
“It doesn’t work for me and it doesn’t work for these guys. I have to stay in line and be the responsible party here and lead from the front with it.
“I have to make sure my emotions and my own personal feelings have no impact on what we have got to do.”
While Bennett played a straight bat on Friday, dressing room cameras captured him dancing after his Rabbitohs beat the Broncos in his 2019 return to Brisbane following his dramatic sacking at Red Hill.
He would surely love nothing more than to dance his way out of Suncorp Stadium again.
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Originally published as NRL Round 26 2024: Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett makes selection gamble in bid to end the Broncos’ season
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