Wayne Bennett can’t help himself with Origin gag despite big loss

Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins suffered one of the club’s biggest losses of the season but the coach couldn’t help but twist the knife on an entire state.

Wayne Bennett couldn't help himself. Photo: NRL.com

It was the battle of the 2023 surprise packets in Auckland but the Warriors have claimed a 30-8 win over the Dolphins on Saturday night.

In front of a packed house, the score was locked at 6-4 until Dolphins half Anthony Milford was sin binned for a late shot on Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya in the 47th minute.

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The sin bin opened the game up and the Warriors scored two tries during the man advantage, before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored two late tries to blow out the score.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett was calm after the result, even sticking the boot in to NSW after Queensland’s 26-18 win in State of Origin game 1 on Wednesday night.

Bennett is a proud Queenslander and coached the Maroons on 27 occasions throughout his career. He also played for his state in the pre-Origin era.

The Dolphins went in without their Origin representatives in fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and second rower Tom Gilbert, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the representative fixture.

The side was also without Felise Kaufusi after a four week ban on the eve of Origin teams being selected and hooker Jeremy Marshall-King, who was ruled out with a shoulder complaint.

“We didn’t execute well, maybe we had the hangover from Queensland winning on Wednesday night — I don’t know,” Bennett said, smiling.

“But we just didn’t execute as well as the Warriors and a credit to them.”

Wayne Bennett couldn't help himself. Photo: NRL.com

Asked about playing without his Origin stars, Bennett said it was “always hard”.

He added that the side wouldn’t use it as an excuse, having suffered injuries and absences throughout the season.

Despite the scoreline against them, the Bennett praised his side for putting in the effort even when the game began to get away from them.

“The scoreboard was tight but they were playing better than we were,” Bennett said. “We were always behind the eight-ball tonight.

“But we’re a brave footy team so we just kept hanging in there and kept competing and gave ourselves a chance. But they got a lead on us then and we never got back into it.

“I think to (the Dolphins players’) credit, they never stopped trying,” Bennett said.

“We played with a fair bit of energy and committed but we just didn’t execute. That’s the thing that cost us more than anything else.

“The thing I know as a coach, if you haven’t got a team that’s putting effort in, you’re in a lot of trouble. We can fix the execution part up but we’re a team that tries every week. That’s what I admire about them.

“And they didn’t stop trying tonight, they should have been down by a lot more than they were.”

The Dolphins tried hard but to no avail. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images

The Warriors’ Shaun Johnson produced his best game of the year, but there could be some major fallout from the contest as several acts of foul play are set to be investigated by the match review committee.

While Johnson starred with two tries, it was a different story for Milford who faces a nervous wait for his hit on Montoya.

The contact was very late and caused Montoya’s head to rock back.

There was plenty more drama with Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace placed on report for a shoulder charge on Rocco Berry, who was knocked out in the tackle as a result of a head clash.

Referee Grant Atkins was praised for how he handled the situation, but the experts weren’t as impressed when Dolphins centre Euan Aitken got away with what they thought was a hip-drop tackle on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak late in the first half.

The Warriors winger was in agony after his leg was trapped in the tackle, but the referee and Bunker had no issue with it and allowed play to continue, much to the chagrin of Cooper Cronk.

“I’m perplexed,” the Fox League analyst said.

“DWZ has got momentum and has gone through the tackle. Aitken has lost the tackle, turned around and lost his feet, and his weight has fallen on his ankle.

“From what we’ve been used to, that’s a sin bin.”

With Martin Gabor, NCA Newswire