BANKING ON BENNETT
Broncos ‘expecting’ their coach
RUGBY LEAGUE: Brisbane forward Matt Gillett says the playing group expects to see Wayne Bennett at the helm of the club next year, despite continued speculation an immediate swap with Anthony Seibold is on the cards.
The Broncos returned to Red Hill for their first official day of pre-season training yesterday and Gillett was among them.
They were overseen by Broncos assistant coach Jason Demetriou, with Bennett still overseas for England’s three-Test series against New Zealand.
In a turbulent off-season for the Broncos, Bennett has been told he will not be coach beyond next year, leading to him signing with the Rabbitohs for 2020.
Current South Sydney coach Seibold will take over the reins at Brisbane in 2020, but there has been constant speculation a swap may happen sooner as the Rabbitohs are reportedly uneasy about Seibold remaining with the club for 2019.
However, Gillett said the Brisbane playing group was still taking Bennett at his word that he would be the Broncos’ coach in 2019 and expected him to return after his tour with England.
“I’m expecting Wayne,” Gillett said when asked which coach would be at Red Hill in 2019. “He’s reassured us that he will be here next year as our coach.
“We just have to worry about getting ourselves right. These things happen in the footy world. Players and coaches are always getting chopped and changed.
“It’s important as a playing group that we stay tight and get the job done here. You just want to get those things sorted out as early as you can so everyone can have a clear path on where the future is going.”
Gillett said it would be sad to see Bennett go when the time came.
However, the Queensland and Australian backrower has also spent time learning from Seibold, the Queensland Maroons’ assistant coach in 2016 and 2017.
“He’s a great bloke, easy to get along with and knows his footy as well,” Gillett said of Seibold.
“When he does come in 2020 the boys will love having him on board. He’ll be a different coach to what Wayne was.
“When Seibs does come when his contract starts, it will be a fresh start and the boys will really enjoy it.”
Gillett’s pre-season training yesterday was mostly restricted to the gym while a number of young guns, including forward Payne Haas, took part in an early morning time trial.
Gillett still cannot take part in any contact work as he recovers from an ongoing neck injury and a shoulder reconstruction, but the representative star is positive he is on the right track for a strong 2019 season.
He will have another scan on his neck at the end of November and is expected to start contact training after Christmas.
“Everything’s looking good there – I just need to get the final tick,” he said.