SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 30: Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett talks to media during a South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL training session at Redfern Oval on May 30, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Souths coach Wayne Bennett has fired shots at the Brisbane Broncos in relation to his messy departure from Red Hill as the Rabbitohs look to embark on premiership glory.
The Bunnies secured their place in next Sunday’s Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium following a 20-point victory over Manly, with Bennett now looking to lead a third club to premiership success.
Bennett ventured to Redfern ahead of the 2019 season, with the most successful coach in the game joining the competition’s most successful club.
Bennett’s bitter fallout and departure from Brisbane was prominent, with the super coach expressing joy to be parting ways with the Broncos in 2018.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 05: Broncos coach Wayne Bennett speaks to media after losing the round one NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on March 5, 2015 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“We’ll all get over it,” Bennett said at the time. “I was happy to be sacked. Just leave it at that. I was happy”
The mastermind mentor was questioned on how Friday night’s win and the journey with Souths compared to his success at Red Hill, with Bennett clipping the Broncos for how he was treated at the conclusion of his time in Queensland.
“I will say publicly that they (Broncos) undermined me in the conversations with Souths,” Bennett said post-game.
“So they didn’t do a little job on me they did the best possible job they could have done on me.”
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 15: Coach Wayne Bennett during the Brisbane Broncos NRL training session on March 15, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The 71-year-old went on to laud South Sydney’s open arms, with the Grand Final berth hoping to be vindication for the club’s decision to appoint the veteran manager.
“To Souths’ credit there were some people there that had worked with me before and they were happy to bite the bullet and give me the opportunity,” Bennett added.
“I owe Russell Crowe and hopefully tonight there is some repayment in what the team has done that means so much to him.
“The last three years have been as refreshing a three years as I have had in coaching for a long time.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 09: Rabbbitohs assistant coach Jason Demetriou talks to Rabbitohs head coach Wayne Bennett during a South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL training session at Redfern Oval on March 09, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Further light was placed on Bennett’s departure from the Broncos in the press conference, with the Bunnies coach slamming his former club for how he was treated in his final days at Brisbane.
“I wasn’t listening to them because I have spent a lifetime being honest with myself and if I thought I was washed up as a coach I wouldn’t coach another day because I would let too many people down,” he said.
“No one is going to determine that for me. So nothing has changed.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 02: Coach Wayne Bennett of the Broncos chats with Kotoni Staggs and James Roberts after the round 25 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Manly Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“I learned that as a young coach about when you should retire and when you shouldn’t retire because I worked with a coach that didn’t have the ambition anymore and the passion for it.
“But I’m not at that stage.”
Bennett will now be eyeing a eighth premiership next Sunday, with the Rabbitohs to face the winner of the Storm and Panthers in Brisbane to decide the 2021 premiership.
Source:: ZeroTackle
