Dolphins doyen undaunted by missing out on national coaching role with NZ
WLEAGUE
Michael Burgess
ayne Bennett would have loved the chance to coach the Kiwis but has moved on after being overlooked for the job in February.
Regarded as one of the greatest coaches in rugby league history, Bennett has done it all, across more than 900 NRL matches, winning seven premierships from 10 grand finals, enjoying State of Origin triumphs in four different decades and achieving international success with Australia and England.
The 74-year-old remains in demand, illustrated by his new threeyear deal at South Sydney from 2025, following the exit of Jason Demetriou this month.
But the New Zealand Rugby League — to the surprise of many observers — decided not to engage Bennett as Michael Maguire’s successor, opting instead for Kiwis great and Warriors assistant coach Stacey Jones.
In his typically understated way, the Dolphins coach was unfazed about the process.
“It was okay,” said Bennett. “I applied for the job. They didn’t give it to me.”
Asked if he was given a reason why he missed out, Bennett said: “Not really. That was their decision.
“They came to Australia [in 2008] and offered me the job but I wanted Steve Kearney to do it.
“I thought he had a long-term future with the Kiwis and I had a lot of respect for him and I said I would work with him. That’s how that worked and it worked great.”
Bennett has always been an advocate for the international game and admitted the Kiwis role appealed on several levels.
“I’d worked with them before, I’d coached the All Golds in England, part of the [2008] World Cup great experience. [And] I have a lot of respect for them all, all the players; I’ve coached a lot of Kiwis as well [at clubs].
“So I respect them enormously and just thought I could make a contribution and I was keen to do that but it didn’t happen, so never mind.”
Bennett has been an remarkable survivor, starting his coaching career in Queensland before joining Canberra in the Winfield Cup in 1987. The Dolphins are his sixth NRL club and he will begin his 38th first-grade season with the Rabbitohs next year. What keeps him going?
“I don’t really ask myself that question. As long as I’ve got the energy and I want to be there in the morning, nothing has changed for me in that department, so why wouldn’t I keep doing it? I enjoy it.”
By the 2027 season, he could complete 1000 NRL matches as a coach, though he doesn’t put much stock in personal milestones.
“[I was a] bit surprised when I got to 900; probably even more surprised when I got to 100 a long time ago.
I have a lot of respect for them all, all the players; I’ve coached a lot of Kiwis as well [at clubs]. Wayne Bennett
“I’ve got a great responsibility to a club and a lot of players and the fanbase, and I’m not going to do something that’s going to give me personal gratitude over what I really should be committed to.”
He believes you never feel comfortable as a coach — “it’s the worst place you can go” — and that there are always ways to improve.
“Always learning, always something that comes up. You think you know a fair bit and something comes up to challenge you.”
A pertinent example is the demotion of Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake, with the marquee front rower stood down for last night’s match by coach Andrew Webster, following a breach of team standards. Bennett agreed it was a brave call.
“He’s one of the top players in the game. It’s a pretty courageous decision the coach made; got to assume he made it after a lot of deliberation and thinking about it.”
The Dolphins, who were seeking their fourth consecutive win, wereslight favourites in Auckland despite the Warriors’ remarkable victory over Penrith in Brisbane last Sunday.
The home side are missing several front liners and face another week with an experimental spine.
But a positive result was not out of the question.
“I’m not talking about them being the underdogs and us the favourites,” said Bennett. “I’m not interested in that and I don’t want the players to be interested in it either.”
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The match finished after deadline for this edition. Head online to nzherald.co.nz for coverage.
Christopher Reive
Closing out their Pacific Four series with a 67-19 demolition of the Wallaroos in Auckland on Satuday, the Black Ferns can take stock of a tournament that revealed plenty about where they are placed.
In some ways, it’s a shame New Zealand’s test against Canada didn’t close out the series but perhaps that loss was needed for the Ferns to respond like this, equalling their highest points total against Australia.
With Ferns coach Allan Bunting naming a refreshed starting XV as he looks to build depth, an improved performance was delivered.
No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker’s stocks surely surged . She dominated the game through the middle and was a force off the back of attacking scrums, scoring the opening try and setting up others. Alongside Liana MikaeleTu’u and Kennedy Simon, the loose trio repeatedly punished the Australians.
There was plenty of individual brilliance on show from the backs; Sylvia Brunt and Katelyn Vahaakolo with a couple of eye-catching runs and Mererangi Paul again showing her try-scoring nous with a second hat-trick in three games.
The new-look distribution duo of halfback Iritana Hohaia and No 10 Hannah King moved the ball along nicely, not overplaying their hands as the Black Ferns looked to play with width and speed, while the pack were strong for the most part, loosehead prop Chryss Viliko doing plenty of good work.
There were areas where they were exposed, though. Wallaroos first five Arabella McKenzie twice went through the defence with a show-andgo to score, while the visitors made more inroads in the second half.
The discipline was better from the hosts, helped by dominating possession and making that count.
It was always going to be hard work for the Australians, who were well beaten by Canada before also losing to the United States, but if they were going to feature in the WXV 1 tournament this year, they had to beat the Black Ferns.
The hosts made the perfect start, with Maiakawanakaulani Roos charging down an attempted clearance, before an Australian knock-on saw them come under immediate pressure, Olsen-Baker crossing the line in the fifth minute. Although McKenzie beat Roos on the inside to draw the scores level at 7-7 after 10 minutes, the rest of the first half was one-way traffic.
The Black Ferns ran in six more tries to lead 45-7 at halftime.
The Australians found a little more success as they opted to keep ball in hand rather than kick more in the second half, scoring a couple of tries, but the Black Ferns out-scored the Wallaroos 11 tries to three for a convincing win.
Black Ferns 67
● (Mererangi Paul 3, Kennedy Simon 2, Kaipo OlsenBaker, Sylvia Brunt, Georgia Ponsonby, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Chryss Viliko tries; Renee Holmes 6 cons)
(Arabella McKenzie 2, Maia Stewart tries; McKenzie 2 cons). HT: 45-7.