Wayne welcome back mat

Brisbane open door for shock Bennett return

chairman Karl Morris has opened the door for Wayne Bennett to make a triumphant return to the Broncos — two years after the pair fell out during Red Hill‘s bitter civil war.

News Corp can reveal the prospect of a third Bennett reign at Brisbane is on the table with Morris saying the Broncos board will consider an application for the 70-year-old to return as a coaching director.

Bennett has not ruled out a comeback to the Broncos, with the super coach open to the notion of taking on an overseer’s role to head up Brisbane’s football program next season.

There was a sentiment Bennett had burned his bridges with Broncos bosses for life following the toxic upheaval that led to his sacking in 2018 as part of a coaching swap with

Anthony Seibold.

But as the Broncos launch a search for Seibold’s successor, Morris revealed he had no lingering bad blood with Bennett and would not oppose the return of the foundation coach who delivered all six of Brisbane’s premierships.

“If the board decided they wanted Wayne back, it would be considered,” Morris said.

“Look, if there was a serious proposal put forward for Wayne Bennett to come back to the Broncos, I will put it to the board. At the end of the day, I don‘t hold grudges.

“My job as chairman is to do the best thing by the Broncos first and foremost. The board is there to provide governance on what is in the best interests of the Broncos and we view matters through that lens.

“For me personalities are taken out. It‘s what’s in the best interests of the club moving forward.”

Bennett is off-contract as Souths coach at the end of next year, but the Rabbitohs would not stand in the way of the veteran mentor leaving 12 months earlier if he could secure longer-term employment elsewhere.

Ironically, it was Morris who offered Bennett a highBRISBANE powered role at the Broncos in July 2018 before negotiations turned sour.

Former Broncos skipper Justin Hodges has urged the club to bring Bennett home.

“I would love to see Wayne come back,” he said.

“To get the glory days back, I think Wayne is the perfect coaching director. He knows the culture of the club better than anyone.

“Having Wayne back will give the Broncos that authority again.”