NRL 2021: Wayne Bennett-Anthony Seibold feud, South Sydney’s concerns over supercoach

Former South Sydney boss Shane Richardson reveals why Wayne Bennett’s reign at Souths was almost doomed before it even kicked off as the supercoach chases the ultimate payback.

South Sydney had concerns over whether Wayne Bennett was the right man to take over.

Former South Sydney boss Shane Richardson has lifted the lid on a secret twist to the Wayne Bennett coaching swap with Anthony Seibold and the Brisbane Broncos.

Richardson has revealed how Bennett’s reign at Souths was almost doomed before it even kicked off because certain board members, including owner Russell Crowe and chairman Nick Pappas, “weren’t overly excited”.

Yet three years after Bennett was sacked at Brisbane to make way for Seibold, the now 71-year-old is just 80 minutes away from rubbing the Broncos’ noses in what could be the ultimate pay back, while repaying the Rabbitohs’ faith.

“The bottom line was it was the best decision for the club and we got it through,” Richardson said in the countdown to Friday night’s preliminary final showdown against Manly.

“We appointed him and he has gone from strength to strength.

“It was always the right decision.”

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South Sydney had concerns over whether Wayne Bennett was the right man to take over.

With a spot in what will be a historic grand final to be ironically played at the Broncos’ home ground at Suncorp Stadium on the line, it would cap off a dream end to Bennett’s stay at Souths.

While the Broncos have been living in a world of humiliation ever since Bennett was unceremoniously sacked by voicemail to make way for Seibold.

“One thing about the Broncs, they have made the same mistake twice,” said Broncos legend Chris Johns of Bennett’s dismissal.

“The first time they thought he was gone he went away and won a premiership (at St George Illawarra in 2010).

“I don’t want to be dragging up (old news) and bagging the Broncos, they just don’t need it.

“But when you have disputes and two different points of opinion there is one thing that always rings true. History always reports who was right.

“And I think you will see the history now says if they had their time again they may have thought differently.”

Wayne Bennett has been turfed from Red Hill twice – before going on to enjoy success elsewhere. Picture: AAP

Yet even at Souths Richardson was met with some resistance initially such was the stink associated with Bennett’s reputation at the time.

He was not only considered too old to still be coaching at the elite level, but he was also widely ridiculed because he wouldn’t go quietly and he was portrayed as a trouble maker .

Richardson didn’t get into the nitty gritty of who said what about who, although Bennett has always thought privately that he was stabbed in the back.

Richardson conceded it was a tricky time when he found out Seibold had signed with the Broncos for 2020, even though he still had a year to run on his contract at Redfern.

Anthony Seibold had signed with the Broncos while still contracted to Souths. Picture: AAP

Bennett was also signed at the Broncos for 2019 and adamant he wouldn’t quit.

“I was at the airport going to Fiji for a holiday and I still hadn’t ruled out that Seibold was going to stay,” Richardson recalled.

“I got a phone call from (agent Isaac) Moses telling me that Seibold was going to go to the Broncos, which is something we probably all knew but it hadn’t been finalised.

“Then I got a phone call from Shane Edwards (former Brisbane chief executive) asking if I would be interested in Wayne Bennett.

“I said, ‘I will be interested if Wayne gives me a call’. And he rang me at the airport.”

At that point Bennett was in England coaching the Poms in an end-of-season Test series against New Zealand.

“He was ringing from England and we had a brief chat on the phone,” Richardson continued.

“I said, ‘If we are going to go this way we need to do it fairly quickly’.

“He said he was keen. Obviously then I flew to Fiji and made some phone calls to Russell and Nick and board members and they weren’t overly excited.

“But I knew in my own guts. I’d chased him before and I knew he would be really good for us at that stage of our development.”

Russell Crowe talks with South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and former Souths player Luke Burgess. Picture: Brett Costello

Richardson then returned from holidays and despite having a terrible fall that resulted in a badly broken leg that came close to being amputated, Richardson still got on a plane to meet up with Bennett in England.

“I had to get to Liverpool from Manchester and I talked to him and his partner, Dale,” he said.

“We agreed to a deal, but it was a deal for when Seibold left because Seibold had another year on his contract to go, as did Wayne.

“And then I had to come back and finalise all the things for the board.”

Asked about the board not being “overly keen”, Richardson explained: “Russell was a bit concerned because we had been after him before. But when I sat down with him and went through all the details he was 100 per cent supportive.

“Long story short we appointed him and he has gone from strength to strength.”

Keaon Koloamatangi and Dane Gagai celebrate after sending South Sydney through to this week’s preliminary final against Manly. Picture: Getty

A factor Richardson reckons is completely underestimated is how Bennett also had to then rebuild the Bunnies after the retirement of Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess and John Sutton in quick succession.

“You have to remember the first year he lost the three great leaders of the club,” Richardson continued.

“So we had to rebuild a completely new leadership team.

“And Wayne did a great job of that, appointing Adam Reynolds as captain with (Damien) Cookie and (Cody Walker) stood up and Cam Murray became a leader.

“We had to hope they would become good leaders.

“But to be fair to Wayne we moulded them into great leaders with very little downside.

“He is good with men, making the young guys believe and getting the best out of the older guys.”

Despite the retirements of stars Greg Inglis (pictured), Sam Burgess and John Sutton, Souths have remained strong. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Johns knows better than most the magic of Bennett’s coaching.

“There is no one in the game with more knowledge,” Johns said.

“There has been no one in the game that has been able to make young men want to play for each other and play for him.

“There are so many aspects to coaching, but one of the major parts of it is getting people to want to play for you and want to play for each other and I think that is his greatest attribute.

“I have a real soft spot for Melbourne because I have been able to help set that place up and I really hope they win.

“But if the Rabbits are in the grand final I won’t be too disappointed.”