‘No big deal’ as Wayne left out
WAYNE Bennett has confirmed he wasn’t informed by Brisbane CEO Paul White of a secret approach to Craig Bellamy as the defiant super coach vowed to continue with the Broncos next season.
In a farcical twist to Brisbane’s coaching succession plan, Bennett admitted he only learned of White’s meeting with Bellamy after receiving a “tip-off” from another Broncos staff member last week.
On a day of drama yesterday at Red Hill, White held a press conference – while Bennett was on the field overseeing training – to confirm he had approached Bellamy to gauge his interest in coming to the Broncos.
White stressed he had not held formal negotiations, describing their meeting as a preliminary “conversation” as Bellamy mulls over a threeyear deal from the Storm.
But Broncos powerbrokers and Bennett are on a potentially disastrous collision course after White denied he went behind Bennett’s back, saying the coach encouraged him to reach out to Bellamy.
Bennett had a different view, saying while he urged White to consider a succession plan, he was never formally advised of the Broncos CEO’s secret meeting with Bellamy.
“I didn’t know Craig had been approached,” Bennett said.
“I asked Paul to tell me that, but I didn’t know that had happened
until someone gave me a tip about seven days ago.
“I was aware that Paul was going to talk to him ... but I wasn’t aware that he actually did talk to him.”
Asked if Bennett deserved the courtesy of being told, given his incredible 25 years of service to the Broncos, he said: “I’d like to have known, but we are busy people.
“When the third party told me about it, I meant to go and talk to Paul but my priority is the team, it’s not about me or if I’m coaching here next year.
“It would have been nice to know, but it’s no big deal.”
The Storm have tabled a three-year extension worth about $4 million to Bellamy but it is dwarfed by the Broncos’ proposal. It is understood they have discussed a fouryear deal worth $1.4 million a season – the richest coaching contract in NRL history.