Wayne Bennett has used steel and subtlety to inspire the Rabbitohs
Wayne Bennett didn’t want to be coaching South Sydney this year but once he got the job. he reworked some old plans which have come up trumps. These are his seven deadly wins.
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PART III: Coaches get personal in NRL swap
When Wayne Bennett landed at Redfern he must have felt like he was in the middle of a Rabbit stew.
The confusion about the great coaching swap caused friendships to break but once the deal was done, Bennett stopped looking in the rearview mirror and moved on with life.
Here’s what has worked during his successful first two months of competition.
1 – HE CONTROLS THE DISCIPLINE
As soon as he walked through the door Bennett took responsibility for discipline at Souths, so there was no confusion over who would step forward like there was during the Sam Burgess sexting scandal last year.
Bennett told football boss Shane Richardson he would make the big calls on player discipline and Richardson willingly handed over the reins.
2 – BROTHERS IN ARMS
Bennett has always had a theory that to be successful in a coaching role you need to have a small but strong power base, which included the key decision makers in the organisation.
He got that with his firm bond with the Burgess brothers through coaching England and they have been loyal sounding boards.
3 – DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD
Given he had been coaching for a quarter of a century, Bennett could have been excused for shaking up the system when he took over from first-year coach Anthony Seibold.
But he knew it was ticking over nicely so he tinkered, rather than tampered, with it. Smart move.
4 – BRIGHT SIDE OF STRIFE
Bennett remains angry at the way he was treated by the Broncos but he never let it become a cancer which soiled his move to Redfern.
He arrived there in good spirits and the mood at training was light, breezy and relaxed, and he encouraged players to look outside the rugby league bubble for study opportunities or work which broadened their horizons.
5 – A LEGEND IN HIS LUNCHTIME
Bennett has not been a man apart at Souths.
Instead of mingling with staff, he often retreats to the players lunch room and mixes easily with the likes of Adam Reynolds, who calls him “Clint’’ after Clint Eastwood.
6 – INDIGENOUS ROOTS
Bennett has traditionally had a strong connection with the game’s indigenous players and had a knack of understanding their sensitivities and getting the best out of them.
The tradition he set through players like Jamie Soward, Steve Renouf and many others continues at Redfern, where the likes of Cody Walker, Braydon Burns and Dane Gagai have adapted well to the Bennett way.
7 – FOND FAREWELL
The hole in the salary cap caused by Greg Inglis’ retirement may still be a bone of contention but Bennett handled a difficult occasion with a mixture of softness and steel.
Inglis left the game with a smile on his face, which isn’t always the case with big name retirements.
Originally published as Wayne Bennett has used steel and subtlety to inspire the Rabbitohs
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