Ivan Cleary and Wayne Bennett spark bitter feud in extraordinary press conference

South Sydney and Penrith played out an epic NRL qualifying final but it was just the start as the coaches fired up in the press room.

Ivan Cleary and Wayne Bennett were still fuming. Photo: Fox Sports

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are through to the preliminary final after a 16-10 win over the Penrith Panthers but the action has spilled into the press conferences as Ivan Cleary and Wayne Bennett hurled accusations around after a bitter week.

Earlier in the week, Cleary called for the NRL to protect his son and Panthers halfback Nathan when he kicks, which comes after news of Souths officials complaining to the NRL about Penrith’s use of blockers to protect Nathan Cleary from kick pressure in the sides’ round 23 clash sparked plenty of interest in the match.

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On Friday, everything came to a head as Bennett appeared to accuse the Panthers of “illegal” kick-chase blocks to protect Cleary when the teams last played in round 23.

“They are not going on a kick chase. They are moving sideways, backwards and they are making contact with shoulders and hands,” Bennett said.

“The bottom line is that we haven’t been able to get near Nathan and his kicks because our kick chasers are blocked by illegal blockers.”

Bennett even said he has heard from a “very, very reliable source” that the Panthers practice the move at training.

Souths won the game but did their coach win the war of words? Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

While Souths have given away the second least amount of penalties in the NRL this season with 87 in the regular season, 23 of those penalties were in the two games against the Panthers.

But Cleary said: “You can only go off the evidence. They’re giving away plenty of penalties and their discipline hasn’t been where it needed to be. It speaks for itself I think.”

Following the 16-10 result, the press conferences were sensational with both coaches hurling accusations.

Cleary slams coaches who ‘deliberately influence referees’

Cleary was up first and said he shouldn’t have got involved in the war of words.

“I was probably personally guilty of trying to put our case forward this week only because I had to,” Cleary said. “I had to respond — it’s probably not the forum to talk about it but the NRL has got to make a decision on whether they’re going to allow coaches to deliberately manipulate referees and try to influence them.

“Coaches do it because they can. We get fined afterwards but pre-game, it’s pretty much open slather I think.

“Our boys were certainly being spoken to on the run about things that we never get done for. I’d suggest that type of thing has an influence.

“I was guilty of it myself because I had to, we had to respond but the NRL could do itself a favour and come down on any coach who wants to try to deliberately influence a match official before a game.”

Was Ivan Cleary trying his own deflection tactics? Photo: Fox Sports

Cleary said the public commentary was the issue but wasn't blaming anyone for it, saying it clearly plays in the public and the media.

He added: “I think it’s terribly unfair on referees that we’re able to do that to them.”

Asked specifically about Bennett and his “illegal” comments, Cleary asked: “Has he been sanctioned for it? If you allow it to happen it’ll happen. That’s up to the NRL. If they don’t care, that’s fine. I probably shouldn’t have brought it up but I believe in it. I think the referee’s department take way too much time going through complaints from coaches every week. I occasionally do it but how’s a referees department supposed to get better if it’s clogged up with clubs constantly having to deal with clubs complaining.”

Cleary refused to put it at Bennett’s feet specifically but said it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.

Bennett didn’t start it, ‘Ivan did’

But Bennett bit back at the first question about the blocking issue asked as Fox Sports’ Jake Duke said he was “vocal” about it during the week and did he think the officiating of the blocking was better.

“Well you say I was vocal, I didn’t start the conversation publicly,” Bennett replied.

“I said nothing publicly. This happened three weeks ago. I sent some information to the referees for clarification.

“So I wasn’t going public with anything until Penrith started to come out and they started the public statements.

“I just responded to those. I wasn’t going to sit back and not stand up for my team and my players.”

Wayne Bennett hit back at claims. Photo: Fox Sports

Asked about Cleary taking about the manipulation of referees before the game, Bennett threw it back at the Panthers mentor’s feet.

“Well I couldn’t agree with him more on that but that’s why I didn’t say anything,” Bennett replied.

“I never said anything for three weeks. We played them three weeks ago. He was the one that came out and started mouthing off.

“So just get that in its right perspective so if he is critical he is critical of himself. South Sydney had no say whatsoever until he started to come out and talk it all up.”

Asked “Do you think the referees are being influenced by public manipulation?”, Bennett hit out at the term “manipulation”.

“There is no public manipulation,” Bennett replied.

“I saw an incident in a game that I didn’t like. And surely it is my right to ask the referees what their interpretation of that is and that’s what I did. That’s process.

“If that’s manipulating the game you are all kidding yourselves. That is manipulating nobody and if the referees can’t handle that and I’m sure they can because I’m not the only coach who has ever questioned some of their decision making and that’s what they are there for.

“But keep it in house. I didn’t put it out on the front pages. I never said a word. Three weeks ago I did it. Three weeks.”

Bennett also fired up when asked about Cleary comments on the complaints clogging the referees department.

“Well they (Penrith) do it,” Bennett said.

“And we should have that right. You can’t take that away from us. But the public comment yeah I’m a fan of that. But as I said I didn’t start this one.

“I hardly ever do it these days, when I was a younger coach I couldn’t get off the phone enough times. I had that many losses I felt punch drunk so I stopped doing that. I’ve done it twice this year, that’s all I’ve done. That’s what they’re there for. We know what the rules are, they interpret the rules, if they’ve got a different slant to us I’ve got to know that.”

The Panthers trudge off dejected. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Bennett said he was happy with the response and left it there.

He then added: “I didn’t start it.”

Asked who did, Bennett said: “Ivan did.”

Pressed further on how it leaked, Bennett said: “He worked for them. He worked for the referees before he went back into coaching. I’ve got to assume he’s got some mates there still.”

Bennett defended the accusation as “just telling you the background to it.”

It’s clear that it’s not going to end there.

With the next time that the Panthers and Rabbitohs able to meet being the Grand Final, there could be a spicy few weeks coming up.