Alex McKinnon gives inside tip on Wayne Bennett coaching future, Ponga’s lasting legacy at Knights

Alex McKinnon has dropped the best hint yet as to what Wayne Bennett will be doing next season and revealed just how significant an impact Kalyn Ponga has had at the Steel City.

Alex McKinnon is adamant Wayne Bennett will continue coaching next year in what would be an extraordinary 38th season for the supercoach.

One of McKinnon’s closest confidantes and mentors, Bennett has been a pillar of strength for the former Newcastle Knights rising star following his devastating spinal injury suffered in 2014.

On the 10th anniversary of the tackle against the Melbourne Storm that has left McKinnon to move forward with his life as a quadriplegic, the 32-year-old spoke with certainty that Bennett’s coaching days were far from over.

Bennett’s contract with the Dolphins ends at the end of this season and the greatest coach of all-time has made it clear he’s open to offers.

“Yeah, he’ll coach (next year). I think he will definitely,” McKinnon said.

“I’ll be completely honest in answering this question, I deliberately don’t ask Wayne questions about rugby league or his future.

Alex McKinnon 10 years on: Life, love and forging a future after tragedy – read the full interview here

Former Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon and coach Wayne Bennett share a special bond. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Because I would hate for something to come out in the media and I know that he’s told me.

“So I deliberately avoid talking rugby league with him.

“When we chat we talk about relationships, we talk about his kids, the farm, updates where I’m at. It’s peaceful. It’s really nice.

“I obviously value his opinion and most times I’m going through stuff, I like to give him a buzz.

“He’s very direct and he always gives good advice.

“I’d love to see him back in NSW a bit closer to me here (in Newcastle).

“Hopefully he’s in Sydney next year.’’

McKinnon’s view will do nothing to quell the rumour mill that has already propelled Bennett towards a move to Parramatta and more recently, South Sydney.

RUGBY LEAGUE IS SAFER NOW

The coaching future of Bennett wasn’t all that McKinnon was happy to discuss.

Reflecting on the past 10 years since the tackle that fractured his C4 and C5 vertebrae, McKinnon said he was confident the game was doing everything it could to avoid another player suffering such a devastating injury.

“I definitely believe there were a couple of occasions when I played and the way the game was heading with the defence having the slow control, with two defenders up top and with someone else attacking the legs...I definitely think it has changed a lot over the last 10-years,” McKinnon said.

“Hopefully now it has moved away from the potential of that happening again.

“In the NRL world, my injury hasn’t happened very often, so that’s a good sign.

“I’m sure it’s at the forefront of a lot of people at the NRL’s mind, how to make the game safer, there’s no doubt about that at all.”

PONGA’S IMPACT WILL ONLY BE KNOWN WHEN HE LEAVES KNIGHTS

Kalyn Ponga will be remembered as the person, not the footballer, who restored hope to the entire city of Newcastle.

That’s the opinion of former Knights recruitment manager Alex McKinnon, who was at the club when the reigning Dally M medal winner arrived at the club in 2018.

Ahead of the Knights crucial clash with the Storm on Sunday night, which coincidentally marks the 10th anniversary of McKinnon’s devastating spinal injury suffered in Melbourne in 2014, the former Knights forward says the true impact of Ponga won’t be realised until he’s gone.

Kalyn Ponga gifted the Knights belief. Picture: NRL Photos

“Regardless of how he finishes his time at Newcastle and what he achieves over the next five to 10-years at the club, the fact that he gave a lot of hope to the city of Newcastle is everything,” McKinnon said of the Newcastle star.

“It (Ponga’s arrival to Newcastle) gave hope.

“In life in general, hope is everything.

“I’d gone through a really tough time (before Ponga arrived). I was working at the club and they were going through that tough time.

“And there was no hope.

“There are a lot of clubs in the game today and I can think of three or four without naming names that have no hope.

“Sometimes special players like Kalyn come along who provide hope to people.

“You go, ‘Wow, OK we can believe again. This guy can create and do things that other people can’t do.”

Originally published as Alex McKinnon gives inside tip on Wayne Bennett coaching future, Ponga’s lasting legacy at Knights