Thaiday wrong choice for hooker, admits Bennett
RUGBY LEAGUE: Wayne Bennett has made the candid admission he made a tactical blunder by using Sam Thaiday at hooker as key duo Darius Boyd and Matt Gillett were cleared for tonight’s derby clash against the Cowboys.
Boyd (hamstring) rubberstamped his selection by completing the session the captain’s run at Red Hill, while Bennett is confident Gillett will pass a fitness test on the minor neck injury he suffered against the Dragons last week.
But the major talking point to emerge from Brisbane’s captain’s run was Bennett’s stunning self-appraisal in which the master coach conceded he stuffed up by benching Andrew McCullough in the season-opener.
Returning from a seven-month layoff last week following a knee reconstruction, McCullough sat out the opening exchanges against the Dragons as Bennett called on Thaiday to absorb the early heat.
With Thaiday operating out of dummy half, Brisbane never looked cohesive in the 34-12 rout. McCullough will start in the No.9 jumper against the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium and Bennett admits he should never have imposed such responsibility on Thaiday.
“In hindsight it was a mistake, it was just a mistake,” he said. “Sam has been pretty good, he had a tough assignment last week and I made a mistake of putting him at hooker.
“But he has been great in pre-season and there’s no reason to suggest that Sam still hasn’t got something to offer the team and I’m sure that’s what he wants to do (against the Cowboys).”
While admitting his flaws, Bennett moved to hose down suggestions he gave Brisbane’s players an early-week spray.
The NRL’s greatest coach was seriously animated at training on Monday, firing up at several Broncos players, including halfback Kodi Nikorima, for not playing-the-ball properly, but he denied blasting the group.
“Did I have strong words with them?” he mused.
When one reporter suggested Broncos players claimed he did, Bennett replied: “Well ... maybe they haven’t been roused on for a while, because they (his words) weren’t that strong.”
Of Boyd and Gillett, Bennett said: “Darius is OK. He trained today, he hasn’t missed a session all week. I don’t believe his hamstring is worrying him. Gillo is doing a fitness test, so we expect him to play.”