Wayne Bennett eviscerates Cameron Munster for not being ‘a man’

Coaching legend Wayne Bennett wasn’t surprised a star rejected the NRL’s newest team, but one simple act really got under his skin.

Wayne Bennett torches Cameron Munster

NRL legend Wayne Bennett has unloaded on Cameron Munster’s decision to shun the lucrative offer to join the Dolphins.

Munster signed a four-year contract extension with the Melbourne Storm, keeping the talented five-eighth at the club until the end of 2027.

The 28-year-old, one of rugby league’s most in-demand players, has been at the centre of a three-way tug of war over the past few months, with the Wests Tigers and Dolphins hunting for his signature.

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Rumours had swirled throughout the season that Munster was set to become the marquee signing for the Dolphins with the new franchise throwing the bank at him.

After initially offering Munster $1 million a season, the Dolphins up the offered to an insane $5.6 million over four year deal. A figure which would have made Munster the highest paid player in the league on $1.4 million per season.

But on Thursday, the Storm confirmed Munster had put pen to paper on a new four-year deal that would keep him in Melbourne.

Bennett didn’t have an issue with Munster sticking with his club, he took issue with Munster not picking up the phone and notifying him of the decision.

Bennett wasn’t happy with Munster. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

“I knew the phone call (from Munster) wouldn’t happen,” Bennett told Triple M’s Brisbane Rush Hour show.

“It’s pretty ordinary stuff.

“I understand there are managers these days and there is a need for them, but what I struggle with, is all the tough conversations are missing.

“They (NRL players) don’t ring you up and say they aren’t coming.

“If you want to be a man, you have to behave like one and tell someone you aren’t coming.

“They miss out on a very important learning phase of their life … how do you say no to someone – not having someone carry a message for you.

“I remember when I was young I would get my mum to ask my friend to go to a game of football because I didn’t have the courage to ask. I hated myself for it and I taught myself not to ask my mum to do it, because I wanted to go and it’s up to me.

“These guys have tough calls to make, but that’s the price you have to pay so you can grow into the man you can be proud of.”

Bennett admitted the longer Munster’s decision dragged on the more he became convinced the star was going to stick with the Storm.

“I’m OK, I never had any great confidence in the end of getting Cameron,” Bennett said.

“I’m not disappointed. Initially I thought Cameron would come but as time went on I knew.

“I never felt we had him.

“I have changed clubs myself and Cameron never gave me an indication he was coming to the Dolphins.

“He wasn’t coming for next season anyway, so we will have a lot of money in the salary cap and we won’t spend it until we get that quality player.

“The opportunity is gone so I will look somewhere else.”

Munster is sticking with the Storm. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The Dolphins have three weeks to pull off a miracle — or risk becoming a laughing stock as the club prepares to enter the NRL next year.

Bennett has missed out on every high-profile target the club has chased, including Harry Grant, Reece Walsh, Kalyn Ponga and more recently Ryan Matterson.

Read on below to see the best team possible that the Dolphins have assembled for 2023.

Losing Munster has now been described by The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio as a “monumental blow” for the Dolphins.

Penrith great Greg Alexander also said on SEN Breakfast he agreed that Bennett has “lost his aura” as a coach players wanted to play for.

Fox League commentator Andrew Voss said on the show: “What does this say for the Dolphins and the aura of Wayne Bennett? Do you think Wayne Bennett has got anyone across the line where there was some kind of bidding war? My quick answer is no, he hasn’t.

“The fact is, the aura of Wayne Bennett, it can’t be there because they haven’t won a bidding war… where Wayne Bennett was the deciding factor.”

Munster’s decision has blown the NRL recruitment market wide open with the Dolphins previously having expressed interest in signing Latrell Mitchell if it was unable to get Munster.

The Dolphins have announced the signings of 23 players on its first-grade squad — and need seven more before the November 1 deadline, giving the club three weeks to avoid disaster.