Benny shapes up to Mal
QUEENSLAND’S greatest Origin mentors are vying for the Test coaching position with Wayne Bennett last night expressing his interest in leading the Kangaroos.
Record-breaking Maroons mentor Mal Meninga is ready to walk away from Queensland to plot Australia’s 2017 World Cup defence.
Now Bennett has entered the frame, with the Broncos’ coach confirming his plan to regenerate the Kangaroos in a move that will see him chal- lenge Meninga for the national post. Bennett and Meninga are Queensland’s most illustrious coaches, having won a staggering 31 Origin matches and 13 series collectively to underpin the Maroons’ domination of interstate football.
It is understood ARL Commission chairman John Grant has spoken with Meninga and Bennett, while Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy is another contender for the Test post.
Bennett believes he has the skill set to preside over a rapid rebuilding of the Australian team setup.
“I am interested in the Australian job,” he said yesterday.
“I don’t know what the process is but I would like to do it again. I enjoyed my last stint with the national team and yes, I want to do it again.”
The 65-year-old has had two previous terms with the Australian team.
In 1998, Bennett served in two Tests after Bob Fulton stepped down to address a family health scare before returning in 2004-05, when he won 10 of 14 matches.
The ARL Commission is determined to bring prestige to the national role and Bennett or Meninga shape as ideal targets with their gravitas and coaching portfolios.
One impediment for Bennett could be his club ties to the Broncos. There is an argument an NRL club coach simply doesn’t have the time to devote the necessary focus to the national team, but Bennett is adamant he can handle dual roles.
“I’ll tell you what the Australian team needs – they need the best coach, whoever that is,” he said.
“We need to have the best coaches involved with the elite Australian players and invariably the best coaches are in the NRL. Australia should not have the sixth-best coach just because the best ones are employed in the NRL.
“I guess it depends on whether the ( ARL) Commission want the best coach or someone who has no links to an NRL club.”
Meninga believes it would be virtually impossible for a club or Origin coach to cope with the added stress of planning Australia’s World Cup campaign.
“To be honest, I don’t know why someone like Wayne would want the Test job. He has plenty of commitments with the Broncos,” he said.