Wayne Bennett (rugby league)

Infobox rugby league biography
new = yes
playername = Wayne Bennett


imagesize= 144px
caption = Wayne Bennett in 2008
fullname = Wayne James Bennett
nickname =
living = true
dateofbirth = 1 January, 1950
placeofbirth = Warwick, Queensland
countryofbirth = Australia
representative = true
club1 = Warwick
year1start =
year1end =
appearances1 =
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 =
club2 = Toowoomba
year2start =
year2end =
appearances2 =
tries2 =
goals2 =
fieldgoals2 =
points2 =
club3 = Brothers
year3start =
year3end =
appearances3 =
tries3 =
goals3 =
fieldgoals3 =
points3 =
club4 = Ipswich
year4start =
year4end =
appearances4 =
tries4 =
goals4 =
fieldgoals4 =
points4 =
club5 = Southern Suburbs
year5start =
year5end =
appearances5 =
tries5 =
goals5 =
fieldgoals5 =
points5 =
coach = true
teamA = Australia
yearAstart = 1971
yearAend =
appearancesA = 0
triesA = 0
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 0
teamB = Queensland
yearBstart = 1971
yearBend = 1973
appearancesB = 9
triesB =
goalsB =
fieldgoalsB =
pointsB = 8
coachyear1start = 1976
coachyear1end =
coachteam1 = Ipswich
coachgames1 =
coachwin%1 =
coachpremierships1 =
coachyear2start = 1977
coachyear2end = 1979
coachteam2 = Southern Suburbs
coachgames2 =
coachwin%2 =
coachpremierships2 =
coachyear3start = 1980
coachyear3end = 1982
coachteam3 = Brothers
coachgames3 =
coachwin%3 =
coachpremierships3 =
coachyear4start = 1984
coachyear4end = 1985
coachteam4 = Southern Suburbs
coachgames4 =
coachwin%4 =
coachpremierships4 =
coachyear5start = 1987
coachyear5end =
coachteam5 = Canberra Raiders
coachgames5 = 28
coachwins5 = 17
coachdraws5 = 0
coachlosses5 = 11
coachyear6start = 1988
coachyear6end = 2008
coachteam6 = Brisbane Broncos
coachgames6 = 519
coachwin%6 = 65
coachpremierships6 = 6
coachyearAstart = 1986
coachyearAend = 1988
coachteamA = Queensland
coachgamesA = 9
coachwinsA = 5
coachdrawsA = 0
coachlossesA = 4
coachyearBstart = 1998
coachyearBend =
coachteamB = Australia
coachgamesB = 2
coachwinsB = 2
coachdrawsB = 0
coachlossesB = 0
coachyearCstart = 1998
coachyearCend =
coachteamC = Queensland
coachgamesC = 3
coachwinsC = 2
coachdrawsC = 0
coachlossesC = 1
coachyearDstart = 2001
coachyearDend = 2003
coachteamD = Queensland
coachgamesD = 9
coachwinsD = 5
coachdrawsD = 0
coachlossesD = 4
coachyearEstart = 2004
coachyearEend = 2005
coachteamE = Australia
coachgamesE = 14
coachwinsE = 10
coachdrawsE = 1
coachlossesE = 3
updated = 10 August 2008
source =

Wayne James Bennett AM (born 1 January, 1950) is an Australian rugby league football identity. A former Australian Kangaroos player, he is a former coach of the multiple premiership-winning Brisbane Broncos and a former coach of the Queensland and Australian representative sides. Bennett holds coaching records for most Grand Final wins and longest time with a single club in Australian rugby league history. He will take over the reigns of New Zealand Rugby League in the World Cup 2008.

He will join the St. George Illawarra Dragons from the 2009 season.cite web|url=http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/|title=2009 NRL Player Movements|publisher=NRL Live|date=2008-10-04|accessdate=2008-10-04]

Early life

Wayne Bennett grew up in a working class family in Warwick, Queensland with an alcoholic father who deserted the family when he was eleven years old, forcing Wayne to enter the workforce at an early age. He has two sisters and a brother. Before becoming involved with the Queensland Rugby League on a full-time basis, Bennett worked as a police officer. He remains an avowed non-smoker, non-drinker and non-gambler.

Playing career

From 1970, Bennett played football for Warwick, and also in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Past Brothers, Ipswich and Souths. He was a talented winger and represented Queensland 7 times between 1971 and 1972. Bennett also played two tour matches for Australia on the 1972 tour of New Zealand.

Coaching career

Wayne Bennett has been one of the most successful coaches in Australian Rugby League history and has experienced success with the last three teams he has coached.

Early years

Bennett began coaching in Ipswich in 1976, before moving to Brothers and Souths. After the births of his 3 children, Bennett had a break from coaching. He returned in 1983 as coach of the Queensland Police Academy under 18's which he took to a premiership. He used this time to implement his trademark extensive basic skills and slide defence drills. He then took over the Souths job and took them to the 1984 grand final, which they lost to the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls. Revenge was to come a year later when the Bennett-coached Magpies defeated the Seagulls 10-8 to take the premiership. In 1986 Bennett made his coaching debut for the Queensland State of Origin team

In 1987 Bennett was appointed co-coach of the Canberra Raiders, helping guide the side to the Grand Final which the team lost to Manly 18-8.

Brisbane Broncos

Bennett was appointed to be the first coach of the Brisbane Broncos when the club was formed in 1988 and, as of 2008, is still the only person to serve as first grade coach for the team. Under Bennett the Broncos have won 6 premierships; in 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2006. In 1994 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the sport of Rugby League, particularly as coach of the Brisbane Broncos". Then in 2000 he received the Australian Sports Medal for "significant contribution to the development of sport".

During the 2006 finals series, he became only the second person (after Tim Sheens) to coach 500 premiership games. The six premierships won by Brisbane have made Wayne Bennett the most successful Grand Finals coach in history.

Bennett was originally contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2009 [http://www.nrl.com.au/Clubs/Broncos/BroncosNewsArticle/tabid/104/NewsId/4110/Default.aspx] , but on the night of 4 February 2008 at a Broncos board meeting, he submitted his letter of resignation and sought an early release at the end of the 2008 season.

Bennett's coaching future was confirmed on the evening of March 31, 2008, when he signed a three-year contract to coach the St George Illawarra Dragons from season 2009.

Representative

Queensland

In 1986 Bennett began a three-year stint as coach for the Queensland State of Origin team. Queensland were beaten 3-0 in a series whitewash in 1986 but won the series in both 1987 (2-1) and 1988 (3-0). Bennett was appointed as Queensland coach again for the 1995 series but pulled out of the position after players aligned with the breakaway Super League (including the majority of his club team, the Brisbane Broncos) were refused selection. Bennett would again coach Queensland in the 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2003 series. He gained widespread attention as Queensland coach after his decision to recall Allan Langer to the Maroons from the English Super League for the deciding third game of the 2001 series. Queensland won the series and the decision was hailed as a "master stroke". Bennett remains involved in coaching for Queensland through the Queensland Academy of Sport and in an off-field role with the Queensland Rugby League

Australia

National coaching honours first came in 1998 when Bennett was appointed to replace Bob Fulton as Kangaroos coach. Australia was undefeated in two test matches against the Kiwis. Bennett is a passionate advocate of international Rugby League, and was instrumental in the revival of the Tri-Nations series in 2004. In that year he was again appointed Australian coach, and took Australia to reclaim the Trans-Tasman Trophy (lost to New Zealand in 2003) and win the second Rugby League Tri-Nations Series. On 9 December 2005, it was announced that Bennett had resigned as Australia's coach, after the Kangaroos equalled their biggest loss in 98 years, going down 24-0 to New Zealand in the Tri-Nations final, the first time Australia had lost an international series for 32 years.

New Zealand

After New Zealand lost a test match convincingly in late 2007, the NZRL were looking for ways to turn their team around. After much speculation that Bennett may get the coaching role, Bennett became assistant coach and advisor to coach Stephen Kearney in 2008. This was in preparation of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.Fact|date=May 2008

Coaching Awards

* 1997 Super League Coach of the Year
* 2000 NRL Coach of the Year

On 26 January 2004 Wayne was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division award in the 2004 Australia Day Honours list. Bennett received his award "for service to Rugby League football, particularly as a coach, and to the community".

Personal life

Bennett's wife, Trish, is the sister of former Australian test player Greg Veivers & English Rugby League stalwart Phillip Veivers. Wayne has won a Queensland Father of the Year award for helping to raise two of his children with disabilities. He appeared on Australian Story on ABC TV in 2001 to tell the story about his family life. This was one of the most popular programs in the history of that show.

regarding failure to meet one's potential. It has become one of the best selling books about rugby league in Australia's history (ISBN 0-7333-1107-5, ABC Books Australia). He also writes a weekly column in "The Australian".

Ben Ikin is Wayne Bennett's son-in-law. He is married to Bennett's daughter Elizabeth.

Bennett is known for a number of unusual and distinguishable behaviours. These include:

Stern faceBennett is known for almost never smiling and appearing outwardly "unemotional". Frequent shots of Bennett whether his team is winning or losing shows him sternly watching the game intensely without any real signs of emotion. In 2004 Ray Warren drew attention to this by stating that "Nathan Hindmarsh will get a hair cut the next time Wayne Bennett smiles". Hindmarsh a Parramatta forward generally has long and untamed hair. Interestingly, since the Broncos won the 2006 premiership Hindmarsh has sported a neat, short head of hair.

Media commitmentsIt is well known Bennett resents media commitments. He famously avoids the press altogether attracting much criticism to which he responds with by claiming he is a coach not a reporter. When he is interviewed Bennett tends to pass on questions with his cliché "I think I'll pass on that thanks" or giving short, cryptic and sometimes controversial answers Fact|date=April 2007.

Staying with the BroncosWayne Bennett has coached the Brisbane Broncos for 21 straight years now since their first season. Under his leadership they have been the most successful side in the past 21 years winning six premierships and never losing a grand final.

It is unusual for a coach to remain at one club for so long and indeed maintain its success. The salary cap system in Australian rugby league makes it difficult, near impossible for a team to re-employ similar tactics for long periods of time and remain successful as players necessary for these strategies may be bought. Bennett however has reinvented the Broncos many times now which is attributed to how one club can maintain success for so long.

However the 2008 season will be his last at the Brisbane Broncos after tendering his resignation on 4 February. On 11 February, it was announced that Bennett would be appointed as an advisor to the New Zealand national rugby league team. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/11/2159595.htm Bennett joins NZ coaching staff] , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 11 February 2008.]

Quotations

*"If you want to be mentally tough, do as Wayne Bennett says: follow your beliefs and don't give in to yourself." — Steve Waugh

*"I believe that Bennett stands somewhere below Jack Gibson, which is somewhere just above God." — Roy Masters

*"Wayne is a man whose success is built on loyalty, discipline and an innate recognition of individual worth." — Lachlan Murdoch

*"Will I miss him? I miss coaching against them all. I will say that it is a shame that Wayne won't be there. With all due respect to Michael Hagan, Wayne Bennett and Queensland go hand in hand... I enjoy coaching against quality coaches, and Wayne Bennett is that. I have really enjoyed coaching against Wayne for the last two years." — Phil Gould

*"I don't know how he does it. He's like a father to all the players and anyone's got problems on or off the field he'll fix them if he can. But he's not only a father figure I think I class him as one of my best friends." — Allan Langer

*"Wayne Bennett believes in himself and his players, and he always will." — Darren Lockyer

References

External links

*Broncos player|100|new=yes|title=Wayne Bennett
* [http://www.abc.net.au/austory/transcripts/s321132.htm Man for All Seasons - "Australian Story" Transcript]
* [http://www.celebrityspeakers.com.au/brspeaker_bio.asp?Speaker_Index_Text=21 Wayne Bennett at celebrityspeakers.com.au]
* [http://nz.leagueunlimited.com/news.php?newsid=16380 "Queensland Team of the Century named" - article at nz.leagueunlimited.com]
* [http://www.thebriefingroom.com/archives/2008/03/may_05_au_editi_4.html#comments "Wayne's Way" - article at thebriefingroom.com]
* [http://www.icmi.com.au/Speaker/Teamwork/Wayne_Bennett/Biography Wayne Bennett at icmi.com.au]
* [http://www.qrl.com.au/qrl_history/qld_rep_b.php Queensland Representatives at qrl.com.au]