Wayne Bennett says he will be coaching Brisbane in 2019, rules out working with Craig Bellamy
WAYNE Bennett is hurtling towards a collision course with the Brisbane Broncos over their pursuit of Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy - insisting he has no plans to step down from the NRL heavyweights.
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WAYNE Bennett has confirmed he wasn’t informed by Brisbane CEO Paul White of a secret approach to Craig Bellamy as the defiant super coach vowed to continue with the Broncos next season, Peter Badel reports from Brisbane.
In a farcical twist to Brisbane’s coaching succession plan, Bennett admitted he only learned of White’s meeting with Bellamy after receiving a “tip-off” from another Broncos staff member last week.
On a day of drama at Red Hill, White held a press conference while Bennett was on the field overseeing training to confirm he has approached Bellamy to gauge his interest in coming to the Broncos.
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White stressed he has not held formal negotiations, describing their meeting as a mere “conversation” as Bellamy mulls over a three-year deal from the Storm.
But Broncos powerbrokers and Bennett are hurtling towards a collision course after White denied he went behind Bennett’s back, claiming the coach encouraged him to reach out to Bellamy.
Bennett, however, had a different view, saying while he urged White to consider a succession plan, he was not formally advised of the Broncos’ CEO secret meeting with Bellamy.
“I didn’t know Craig had been approached,” Bennett said.
“I asked Paul to tell me that, but I didn’t know that had happened until someone gave me a tip about seven days ago.
“I was aware that Paul was going to talk to him, but I wasn’t aware that he actually did talk to him.”
Asked if Bennett deserved the courtesy of being told given his incredible 25 years of service to the Broncos, he said: “I’d like to have known, but we are busy people.
“When the third-party told me about it, I meant to go and talk to Paul but my priority is the team, it’s not about me or if I’m coaching here next year.
“It would have been nice to know, but it’s no big deal.
“I don’t think Paul did it deliberately.”
Storm powerbrokers are aware of Bellamy’s clandestine meeting with White, who was Brisbane CEO when the club board sacked Anthony Griffin in 2014 to bring Bennett back to the Broncos.
The Storm have tabled a three-year extension worth about $4 million, but it is dwarfed by the Broncos’ rumoured proposal. It is alleged they have discussed a four-year deal worth $1.4m a season _ the richest coaching contract in NRL history.
But White today insists the club has not begun formal negotiations with Bellamy and would only do so once he makes a definitive call on his future at Melbourne.
White also denied backstabbing Bennett _ his friend of 34 years _ by approaching Bellamy without the coach’s knowledge.
Asked if he has had talks with Bellamy, White said: “Yes I have. And to confirm that, the conversations I’ve had with Craig Bellamy were discussed with Wayne prior to that. He endorsed the proposition for me to have that conversation with Craig.
“I wouldn’t have engaged in that conversation without first speaking to my head coach. It’s as simple as that.
“At the moment, we are not in negotiations with Craig.
“I repeat, we are not in negotiations.
“Wayne Bennett is our coach for 2019. I have been totally consistent with that and nothing has changed with respect to that.
“I have had a chat. Where that chat has taken me is that he has an offer before him at Melbourne and that offer is being considered by Craig. It’s appropriate for me to allow that process to take its course.
“We have a coach for next year and of course my role and the role expected of me is I do have a view for the future. Any conversations with Craig and people already at this club beyond 2019 is absolutely my job and I won’t apologise for doing my job.
“Craig may well decide to accept the offer in front of him at Melbourne, and so be it.
“We at the Broncos have the utmost respect for Wayne. I’ve known him since I was 18 years old, he’s had a massive impact on my life, I would never be disrespetful to Wayne, our communication is always open and candid.”
Wayne Bennett addressing the reports he'll be sacked as @brisbanebroncos coach. #NRL #7News https://t.co/O2TRqsKKvS
— 7 News Gold Coast (@7NewsGoldCoast) May 23, 2018
Bennett, who first employed Bellamy as his assistant at Brisbane in 1998, is currently on $1 million at the Broncos.
Bennett is off-contract at the end of next season and has no plans to cut short his tenure at the club, insisting he still retains the passion and hunger to coach in the NRL in 2019.
But at 68 years of age, Bennett admits his health could be an issue and believes Bellamy would be a worthy successor.
“The bottom line is I’m not worried about anyone coming here in 2019. I have been given that undertaking by Paul and I trust that undertaking,” he said.
“I may well not want to coach on, but that’s another decision for another day.
“I have always put the club first here and I will put the club first again. If it means I will finish earlier in my life than i want to, it’s a price I will pay. But that’s a decision for me later on.
“There is a factor for me with health and age. The way I feel, I feel great physically and mentally and I won’t be defined by my age.
“I’m staying here in 2019, that has always been agreed upon. We talked about other coaches (as part of Brisbane’s succession plan). We talked about Jason Demetriou (current assistant) and Kevin Walters (former Broncos assistant).
“Craig is one of the top coaches in the game. The difficulty is Craig would have to sit out a year and no club will sign him for one year.
“You have to be honest in life. I don’t want things unfolding without me having some control over it and without me being a part of it.
“I want to stay here and work here but I want to do the right thing by the club.”
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Originally published as Wayne Bennett says he will be coaching Brisbane in 2019, rules out working with Craig Bellamy