NRL 2022: Wayne Bennett to boycott Brisbane Broncos’ 1992 grand final reunion

Over 30,000 fans will flock to Suncorp Stadium to celebrate Brisbane’s legendary 1992 premiership team - but there will be one noticeable absentee.

Allan Langer and Wayne Bennett during the Broncos’ ticker tape parade in 1992.

Broncos foundation coach Wayne Bennett will sensationally boycott Brisbane’s 30-year premiership reunion in a drama-charged build-up to Sunday’s home clash against the Dragons.

The bad blood between the Broncos and their only premiership coach has intensified with Bennett refusing to attend a historic celebration of Brisbane’s inaugural 1992 premiership team at Suncorp Stadium.

The round 17 showdown between the Broncos and Dragons is significant because St George were Brisbane’s rivals when Bennett’s heroes charged to a 28-8 victory at the SFS on September 27, 1992 to claim a maiden premiership.

Broncos bosses are hoping more than 30,000 fans will flock to Suncorp on Sunday to pay tribute to Brisbane’s premiership legends, including Steve Renouf, Allan Langer, Glenn Lazarus, Chris Johns and current coach Kevin Walters.

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Allan Langer and Wayne Bennett during the Broncos’ ticker tape parade in 1992.

But there will be a big-name absentee in Bennett.

Now coach of new NRL expansion franchise the Dolphins, Bennett has delivered all six premierships to the Broncos, only to fall out with Brisbane hierarchy following his sacking in 2018 amid the bitter Red Hill civil war.

Bennett has been invited to join Brisbane’s history-making 17-man squad but the 72-year-old confirmed he will not be part of the premiership party.

“I won’t be attending,” Bennett said.

Asked why he is snubbing the event, he said: “I don’t have to explain why I’m not attending, but I’m not going. Full stop.”

Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy appealed for the super coach to be part of the Suncorp celebrations.

“I would hope that Wayne would join the players that won the premiership for this day,” Donaghy said.

“It will be a special day for the guys, they were a part of cementing the club in the fabric of Brisbane as a city.

“The 1992 team was the first team to win a premiership and Wayne was our first premiership coach and they will always have a special connection to each other and the football club.

“I understand there are some challenges for some of them to get there but I hope they are all able to make it.

“We have invited all the players and the coach and we would love for them to be there.”

Bennett played a colossal role in Brisbane’s rise as a rugby league superpower, coaching the club to their breakthrough title before the Broncos claimed back-to-back premierships in 1993.

Brisbane again won consecutive titles in 1997-98 under the tutelage of Bennett, who rammed home his status as the code’s greatest coach by delivering more silverware to the Broncos with grand-final wins in 2000 and 2006.

Brisbane’s 1992 team is one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Donaghy took office as Broncos CEO last year, two seasons after Bennett’s controversial exit at Red Hill, and says he has enormous respect for the super coach’s legacy at the club.

“There will always be a connection between the Broncos and Wayne,” Donaghy said.

“The club had huge success in the early days under him as the head coach and you can’t rewrite history.

“We have worked really closely with the old boys to pull together this event.

“It will be a wonderful celebration and it will be the first of two reunions given that our legends went back-to-back winning the premiership in 1993.

“They will have a great day on Sunday and they will get to do it all again next year.

“It would be great if Wayne chooses to be part of the reunion, but only he can make that decision.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: Wayne Bennett to boycott Brisbane Broncos’ 1992 grand final reunion