BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 05: Cameron Munster of the Maroons grounds the ball in goal under pressure from James Tedesco of the Blues during game one of the 2019 State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on June 05, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Cameron Munster has come under fire from Wayne Bennett for not contacting the master coach prior to the Storm’s re-signing announcement on Thursday night, but the five-eighth may have had a decent reason to screen the calls.
The Melbourne Storm announced late on Thursday night that their superstar No. 6 would be remaining in Victoria through to at least the end of the 2027 NRL season, virtually guaranteeing Munster will be a one-club man.
Meanwhile, in Redcliffe, Bennett has once again been left pondering what could’ve been after missing yet another key signing. The vast majority of their signings have been either over-the-hill veterans and fringe first-graders, apart from North Queensland’s Tom Gilbert and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
While Bennett has launched a verbal assault over the matter, Cameron Munster couldn’t have called the 72-year-old coach even if he wanted to – because he was thousands of feet above the air.
The Australian Kangaroos side, which Munster is included in, was en route to Heathrow Airport when Melbourne released their statement detailing the Queenslander’s extension.
So while Bennett couldn’t get a dial tone, Munster’s phone was on Airplane Mode as he readies himself for his second Rugby League World Cup, and first as a walk-up starter.
Munster was affected by Bennett’s words, and whilst apologising over the incident, more than anything the five-eighth hoped his relationship with Bennett isn’t damaged over the extension.
“It’s disappointing, I have a really good relationship with Wayne and I don’t know if I’ve made it any worse,” he said.
“I had every right to give him the utmost respect and give him a call, and there’s no excuse, I should’ve still given him a call.
“I definitely will give him a call, I think that’s the respectful thing to do, and I know I will. I’ve just got to make sure I find some time at the moment.
“I understand his frustrations. I was 50-50 at times and giving him mixed messages and mixed emotions, so I can understand where he’s coming from.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 01: Cameron Munster of the Storm runs the ball during the round 25 NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm at CommBank Stadium on September 01, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Munster went as far as asking his manager Braith Anasta whether he should call Wayne, however, the NRL360 co-host advised against it.
“I understand his frustration. I was going to talk,” he told 9News Sydney.
“I spoke to Braith about whether I should talk to him before it gets out, and he just told me to wait until it leaks at eight o’clock.
“By the time we got to eight o’clock, I was obviously jumping on flights (to the Rugby League World Cup) and stuff.”
Munster will be the Kangaroo’s first-string five-eighth for the tournament despite wearing the No. 7, however, the bleached-haired dynamo has a long way to go if he is to mend things with his former Origin coach.
Source:: ZeroTackle
