Opinion: Wayne Bennett is the most powerful man in rugby league

Forget Todd Greenberg, Peter Beattie or Cameron Smith. Wayne Bennett is the most influential figure in the game and this week he’s showing why, writes Mike Colman.

Wayne Bennett is leaving the Broncos on his own terms. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

This time last year The Daily Telegraph published its list of the 50 most influential people in rugby league.

Wayne Bennett came in at number 26.

You get the feeling that if the list was revised this week Bennett would jump a few spots. As in 25.

If he isn’t the most powerful person in the game I’d like to know who is.

Name me anyone else who can bring two of the biggest and most successful clubs in the game to a standstill by simply crossing his arms, digging in his heels and saying, “I ain’t budging”.

Certainly not the person who topped that list last year, Cameron Smith. He’s a mere player, and at 35 years of age, the clock is ticking. As for numbers two and three — Todd Greenberg and Peter Beattie — they are beholding to boards and public opinion.

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Wayne Bennett is leaving the Broncos on his own terms. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Bennett’s so-called bosses, Karl Morris and Paul White want him out of Red Hill. So does the Broncos’ major private shareholder Phil Murphy.

Russell Crowe and the management of Souths want him at Redfern.

And he doesn’t care. He has told his players that he will be coaching them next season and that is what he intends to do.

Now I’m not saying that Bennett won’t be at Souths next year but if he does make the move it will be in his own sweet time.

Bennett might be old enough to get the pension, but he is just as ornery and strong as he was 29 years ago when he pulled off the arguably the biggest power play in the game’s history.

It was 1989 and the Broncos were just two year old. Two years in which they had won precisely nothing.

Wayne Bennett won his Broncos power struggle with Wally Lewis, then the best player in the game.

From the outside looking in it seemed the best thing they had going for them was the biggest name in the game, the King, Wally Lewis.

Bennett didn’t see it that way. He saw Lewis as an obstacle, not an asset. Bennett knew there can be only one alpha male in the pack. The players would either follow him or Lewis.

He went to Broncos CEO John Ribot. It’s him or me, he said. Ribot backed Bennett. A year later Lewis was gone. The Broncos won their first premiership three years later and no-one questioned Bennett’s power again.

Fast forward to 1995. Ribot left Brisbane to start Super League, the biggest shake-up in the sport’s history. The launch of the new competition was a secretive blitzkrieg. Every move over the first 48 hours was planned with military precision. Fly here, sign that club there, go straight to this stadium, sign these players, get on the corporate jet and sign up this club.

It was like a domino effect, one move leading to the next, and the jewel in the crown was the Broncos. They were all on board, from Bennett down. “As long as my name isn’t linked to it until I sign,” he said, “I’m in,” and the players were with him.

Everything went to plan. Right up until the first morning when a Sydney newspaper published the photos of players and officials — including Bennett — and the words “Signed, Sealed and Delivered”.

All true, except for one thing. Bennett hadn’t signed yet. He crossed his arms, dug in his heels and said “I ain’t budging” — and got on the blower to his players.

When Ribot arrived at ANZ Stadium to sign up his former players at the appointed time they weren’t there. The blitzkrieg ground to a halt as he frantically back-pedaled and talked Bennett around.

The time lost gave the ARL the chance to mount their fightback. It ultimately cost Super League an extra $50 million or so, but Bennett showed he would not be pushed around.

Just as he is now.

Anyone who thought that Bennett would just roll over and fit in with their plans obviously has no sense of history. Or maybe just no sense.

Originally published as Opinion: Wayne Bennett is the most powerful man in rugby league