Benny off the Hook on rivalry

BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has dismissed Anthony Griffin’s success against him as “rubbish” as the Panthers coach attempts to salvage Penrith’s season.

Griffin will return to Suncorp Stadium tonight for the second time since being punted by the Broncos in 2014 to accommodate the return of Bennett.

The careers of the men in the coaching box at Suncorp tonight could not be more of a contrast. Bennett has won seven NRL premierships, including six at the Broncos, in a 769-game career which has yielded 477 wins.

Griffin has only coached 135 NRL games (52.6 per cent winning record) and was axed after four years in charge of the Broncos when Bennett decided to return to Red Hill.

But the head-to-head match-up between Bennett and Griffin tells a vastly different story. Of the 10 NRL matches they have faced off in, Bennett was won just one, with eight losses and a draw.

The anomaly is by far Bennett’s worst winning percentage against any NRL coach.

Bennett was bemused when asked numerous questions about Griffin yesterday and dismissed his rival’s record.

“Is it all about Anthony today?,” Bennett said.

“What are we on about today? He sits on the bench like I do. We have no influence at all. At the end of the day … rubbish.”

Broncos veteran Sam Thaiday said that Griffin may not have had the opportunity to put his stamp on the Brisbane club.

“This is probably the hardest club in the whole comp to coach,” he said.

“It’s kind of hard when you’re not in a job long enough to really give it a crack.”