‘No one can believe it’: Wayne Bennett has done it again

The only shocking thing about a Wayne Bennett-coached side defying the odds in a big game is that we’re still shocked so many years in.

C’mon Wayne, give us a dance. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Wayne Bennett has done it yet again.

The Dolphins mentor is 900 games into his first-grade rugby league coaching career and has shown once again that there is no one like him at getting his side up for the big occasions.

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The Dolphins were huge underdogs heading into the match against the Sharks but pulled off a comprehensive 36-16 belting in Magic Round.

While a 20-point win is not necessarily a thrashing, it only tells half the story.

Heading into the match, the Dolphins were more than $3 outsiders to claim the win against the high-flying Sharks.

But the Dolphins made the Sharks look like reserve graders as the NRL newbies again exceeded expectations.

The 30-10 scoreline at halftime had the fans in the stands and the commentators stunned, but in the club’s inaugural season, the Dolphins have showed the character the club is becoming known for.

“This is an obliteration,” Dan Ginnane said after the fourth try, ten minutes from halftime.

After the fifth, Ginnane said: “Stop the fight, 28 to nil.

“No one here can believe it. You can’t be surprised though, they just continue to shock.”

Corey Parker said the Sharks were “absolutely shell-shocked.”

The Dolphins continue to defy the odds. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

It was 30-0 before the Sharks scored twice in the final four minutes of the first half, which left the door ajar.

Well...I am witnessing genuine magic at Magic round. The @cronullasharks have disappeared! @dolphinsnrl@FOXNRL#NRLSharksDolphins

— Andrew Voss (@AndrewVossy) May 6, 2023

Stop the fight … pic.twitter.com/ISVJnJZgOl

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) May 6, 2023

Dolphins 30 Sharks 0 after 33 minutes. Yep, true story

— Dean Ritchie (@BulldogRitchie) May 6, 2023

While the Dolphins didn’t go on to run up a huge score, the side kept the Sharks quiet and claimed the big win.

Bad night to be a Shark. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

With a bye next round, the Dolphins could be in the top four at the end of next week.

While Bennett didn’t want to celebrate the milestone, threatening to walk out of a press conference when the attention was on his record milestone, he will no doubt get even more plaudits for his performance.

The 900-game mark is not insignificant on its own, with Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens having coached the second most amount of games, well back in the 600s.

The wheels can fall off at any time, but how Wayne Bennett has this Dolphins roster performing leaves no doubt about him being the coaching GOAT.#NRLSharksDolphins

— Nathan (@SeaEagleSpur) May 6, 2023

Not his 900th (apparently) but congrats to Wayne Bennett anyway.

Surely the greatest coach of all time. pic.twitter.com/sfYPTvVOfX

— Braden (@bradenstwit) May 6, 2023

Whether you like Wayne Bennett or not there cannot be any dispute he is one of the greatest coaches to ever coach our game . A deadset freak #NRLMagicRound#NRLSharksDolphins

— KidCowboy🤠 (@Kidcowboy2) May 6, 2023

Wayne had a smile. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

On the field after the match, Felise Kaufusi said Bennett had tried to keep the attention off himself.

“He didn’t want to make a fuss about it,” he said. “We all saw in the media it was his 900th game and all that, but it wasn’t about him at all.

“I think in the back of our minds, we wanted to put in a big effort and we were happy we got the win.

“Hopefully we get a little dance out of him in the sheds. Hopefully.”

In the press conference, Kaufusi reiterated the week wasn’t about Bennett.

“I don’t think so, our game plan was pretty simple,” Kaufusi said during the press conference.

“He (pointing at Bennett) never made it about himself. Just happy to get the result at the end of the day.”

“I did enjoy that, good to say us playing from in front rather than behind,” Bennett said.

Originally published as ‘No one can believe it’: Wayne Bennett has done it again