Bennett pros and cons

jamesgould

jamesgould

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Staff member
Admin
As the club hierarchy decide whether or not to offer Bennett a new contract, I thought this was a good article on the pros and come of keeping him:

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2392514/knights-face-dilemma-on-best-way-forward/?cs=306

I think the point that resonates with me the most is that coaching is becoming a young man's game ... younger coaches seem faster to adapt when something isn't working, and are more willing to try different ways of playing the game tactically. Bennett is very much the last coach left from his generation. I would still love to see a new coach come in and invigorate our side!
 
The biggest point they don't discuss - the Elephant in the room - is that we could get virtually any other coach in the game for somewhere between a third and a half of what we are paying him.
The most expensive coach we employed in the past, Brian Smith, probably still worked cheap for us because he was at the end of his career and not really in demand.
Stone was working for the loose change that falls out of Wayne's pockets.
The team Stone put together - himself, Sandercock, Dunneman and Brennan - has since proven to be a cutting edge group of young coaches (we won't talk about Rip Taylor - although his record has been great too).
I often wonder what that team would have done with 20 million Tinkler dollars and 3 years.
 
I'm pretty sure it was mentioned at the time that Smith was on a fraction of what he was getting at Parra and what he ended up on at the Roosters.

I'm sure I've read Stone is paid more now (or the same at worst) as NSW Cup coach than he was as our first grade coach.

Brennan would be a great choice as head coach, I reckon.
 
Serious question, what has changed since Bennetts signing up? What areas have we improved on? Maybe defense at a strech, along with the signing of some 'big name' players?

What ever happened to Bennett spreading the cap fairly around the starting 17 to get a balance? 500K for Aku, 600k for Snowwy? I know it was a while ago and when the salary cap was smaller but he let Petro go because he was asking to much, he was arguably the best prop running around in those days. Penrith have done something similar and look where they are atm.
 
I feel people are harsh on Wayne, he said he had a plan when he got here and through the first two years we saw steady improvement up to the point where we were one game away from the GF. We should have improved even more this year and I feel Wayne was targeting a Top 4 spot and a push for a Premiership this year or next. Bringing guys like Packer and having Korbin and Zane Tetevano gaining great experience from last year we should have a pack to compete for a Top 4 spot, also bringing in Dobson to compete for the halfback spot should have given us options.

But as history shows Packer went to jail, Willie got done DUI, Mullen got injured, Boyd and co never got paid, Alex got injured, Zane beat up his missus and Dobson was a flop plus the whole Tinkler situation killed us and no matter who was in charge we were never going to be a chance. None of this could have been for-seen so I don't blame Wayne and I still feel he is a great coach and can lead us to success or if he leaves he'll still be successful.

I feel his game plan can still be successful I just don't think he has had the cattle this year or the right environment to do so .....
 
Please no one say taking us to a game within the Grandfinal, we were struggling for a majority of the season, and for a great part of the season, we looked like we wouldn't even make the 8. No doubt its a great accomplishment, but as much as I hate to say it, was a bit of a fluke.

Juniors ranks have improved with Bennett as well, forgot to mention that one.
 
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Afro Zac said:
Serious question, what has changed since Bennetts signing up? What areas have we improved on? Maybe defense at a strech, along with the signing of some 'big name' players?
Click to expand...

We conceded 20 points less across the season last year compared to Stone's final season in charge, but 2012 was well over, and unless we only concede 10 points per game for the rest of the season then this year will be well over as well. So I don't think you can really say our defence has improved at all.
 
jamesgould said:
We conceded 20 points less across the season last year compared to Stone's final season in charge, but 2012 was well over, and unless we only concede 10 points per game for the rest of the season then this year will be well over as well. So I don't think you can really say our defence has improved at all.
Click to expand...

Was just expecting some Bennett fan boy to point that out, hence why I said at a stretch to not make them to mad haha
 
I really don't understand what Bennett came here to fix. At the dragons he greatly improved their defence, while here he has made our attack 10X worse and our defence has been shocking too.
 
Just pointing out we made progress from 2012 to 2013 and I believe Wayne was aiming for a top 4 finish this year and possible Premiership this year or next until **** hit the fan .....
 
Hamish171 said:
I really don't understand what Bennett came here to fix. At the dragons he greatly improved their defence, while here he has made our attack 10X worse and our defence has been shocking too.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people forget that the Dragons were already a top 6 team at worse, but had a problem with 'choking' in big games that matter. Bennett simply screw a few bolts tighter, and took a few out, and added a few screws. Didn't really build the team like he has had to here.

Jaybro said:
Just pointing out we made progress from 2012 to 2013 and I believe Wayne was aiming for a top 4 finish this year and possible Premiership this year or next until **** hit the fan .....
Click to expand...
What exactly did we improve on?

- - - Updated - - -

I'm not 'hating' on Bennett strictly just because of the way this year has panned out, but we haven't seen much improvement over the past 3-4 years he's been here. Apart from the team on paper and our juniors.
 
Afro Zac said:
I think a lot of people forget that the Dragons were already a top 6 team at worse, but had a problem with 'choking' in big games that matter. Bennett simply screw a few bolts tighter, and took a few out, and added a few screws. Didn't really build the team like he has had to here.
Click to expand...

The Dragons were definitely a chronic underachieving side, and should have romped home with the premiership in 2005, before Bennett got there.

Totally different proposition to us ... who were a side that really tried hard and squeezed every bit of juice out of the lemon. Unfortunately I think the effort has dropped off under him, and hasn't really been replaced by much else.
 
I really don't care if he stays or goes. I just don't want to see 25 players rumoured to be leaving if he does because they have a Get out clause if Bennett leaves.

But you have to think, and be realistic. If things went a little differently since last season ended where we would be now?

- Packer incident doesn't happen.
- Tinkler hands over the club without all the commotion that has gone on, or renews the bank guarantee.
- Mullen doesn't get injured at the nines - Remember how good and confident he was? Running the ball - BJ was playing well off him aswell IIRC.
- Rd. 1 We don't concede even more crucial injuries.
- McKinnon.

Even minor things like Dane Gagai playing up in QLD, Willie Mason's DUI.

Obviously injuries will happen but christ we get them in the most crucial positions. Someone steal the water there giving Slater, Cronk and Smith down in Melbourne and give that to our spine please? After Gidley drinks a truckload, If theres any left over see if it can be altered into undetectable monster making water, our forwards are a little on the light side.

You have to think how these things affected our season. I think we would at least be in the 8 without some of them happening, we are Newcastle so we are always going to have that 'facepalm' moment every now and then.
 
Blah blah. All teams have as big if not bigger hurdles and injuries then us and with supposedly way worse coaches and manage success.

Bennett has had 3 years to get our **** together and aside from 10 weeks of footy we've been crap and you take bedsy out of the team and we wouldn't even have that ten weeks.

Worst record of any knights coach and his on 3 times the pay. Nuff said.
 
Lord of the Skraelings said:
Blah blah. All teams have as big if not bigger hurdles and injuries then us and with supposedly way worse coaches and manage success.
Click to expand...

Putting aside the should Bennett stay or go argument for a minute, Besides Cronulla which clubs have faced the huge adversity that we have in 2014 ??

I think you are under-selling how much damage the ownership saga, The 2 player sackings (and subsequent imprisonment of 1 of those players) and the Alex McKinnon incident did to our players, Our club and Our fans
 
Plenty.

Jump on any forum.

Fact is without Bedsy we would have been bottom four each year.

Ofcourse Mckinnons injury is gutting and I'd take us getting the spoon for the next 20 years for it to never have happened but the fact is many clubs cop such setbacks we have and Benny hasn't been able to get us to rise above it.

The few wins we'll get now that teams don't turn up against us hardly count.

Get back stone who has enthusiasm for the club and who isn't here under duress is the first step.

Bring back the passion, build the culture, get the fans emotionally involved with the club and the rest will follow.

Bennett is just driving stake after stake into our hearts and all fans hearts.

Seriously 3 years of boring football and we still get towelled 75% of the time, any idiot would know its not working accept for Bennett who's trying to get us to buy into a brand of football that Newie never EVER will.

Nor should we, we've always been a GO GO GO team that rides on the back of the crowd..

Not hold, hold, hold..... Stutter duurrrrppp got nothing team.
 
rhugh89 said:
Putting aside the should Bennett stay or go argument for a minute, Besides Cronulla which clubs have faced the huge adversity that we have in 2014 ??

I think you are under-selling how much damage the ownership saga, The 2 player sackings (and subsequent imprisonment of 1 of those players) and the Alex McKinnon incident did to our players, Our club and Our fans
Click to expand...

They're excuses if you let them be excuses, and Bennett is fond of pointing them out. But anything can be overcome - look at Cronulla making the second week of he finals last year under the Asada cloud, Bulldogs winning the comp in 04 after the rape scandal, heck, Penrith finished three points out of the top five (as it was in those days) in 1992 when Ben Alexander died!
 
Bennett has zero passion.

Stone could easily have had another head coaches job by now yet sticks around cause he loves the place.

Stone made the finals after Smith left us demoralized and gutted.

Benny has had 3 years to get us "buying" into his culture and it's come up with a huge failure.

Bring back stone.
 
Lord of the Skraelings said:
Plenty.

Jump on any forum.

Fact is without Bedsy we would have been bottom four each year.

Ofcourse Mckinnons injury is gutting and I'd take us getting the spoon for the next 20 years for it to never have happened but the fact is many clubs cop such setbacks we have and Benny hasn't been able to get us to rise above it.

The few wins we'll get now that teams don't turn up against us hardly count.

Get back stone who has enthusiasm for the club and who isn't here under duress is the first step.

Bring back the passion, build the culture, get the fans emotionally involved with the club and the rest will follow.

Bennett is just driving stake after stake into our hearts and all fans hearts.

Seriously 3 years of boring football and we still get towelled 75% of the time, any idiot would know its not working accept for Bennett who's trying to get us to buy into a brand of football that Newie never EVER will.

Nor should we, we've always been a GO GO GO team that rides on the back of the crowd..

Not hold, hold, hold..... Stutter duurrrrppp got nothing team.
Click to expand...

sorry mate, but not buying any of that... going to have to disagree with you on the Bennett debate :)
 
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