Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee

[GCBRONCO]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...med-in-his-place/story-fniablze-1227599073082

A day after he was officially told he would be out of the running to be the next Australian Test coach, Wayne Bennett has been axed from the NRL’s Competition Committee.
Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire will take Bennett’s place and join Trent Robinson on the 11-member panel that decides important NRL rule changes.
It follows a vote by all 16 NRL coaches after seven coaches put their hands up for the job.
The two coaches will be on the Competition Committee for a two-year term.
NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg said in a statement:
“The coaches collectively wanted to vote for their own representatives on the Competition Committee and Trent and Michael will no doubt be important voices in the group.

“It is also important to bring some diversity to this group, which is why the structure of the Competition Committee was altered.
“Michael Maguire will bring a new voice to the room, along with Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith and Jillaroos skipper Steph Hancock.
“This group is charged with recommending some of the most important decisions in the game, so it is critical to have the sort of experience and knowledge that those representatives bring, along with the likes of Darren Lockyer.
“The coaches were fully supportive of this process and I’d like to thank all the seven nominees who were put forward for positions.

“We have an incredibly strong coaching group and I’m sure Trent and Michael will be exceptional representatives of the group on the important Competition Committee.”

Greenberg also thanked Bennett for his service through his time on the Competition Committee.

The new 11-member Competition Committee will comprise:
• NRL Head of Football (Chairman)
• NRL Chief Executive
• ARLC Chairman/Commissioner
• NRL Referees Elite Performance Manager
• Two nominated NRL Head Coaches (Trent Robinson and Michael Maguire)
• One former coach (minimum 200 matches)
• One former player (minimum 300 matches)
• Kangaroos captain
• Jillaroos captain
• RLPA representative

 

[GCBRONCO]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

Disappointed to be honest but not surprised, Bennett isn't afraid to call it as he sees it. I would have accepted Paul Green for he's position cause at least he understand's the need for the game to return to a more exciting, free flowing affair, then you would have another with an opposite view, not two coaches purely wanting to keep things the way they are. I'm not suggesting that's the sole issue at hand for the game, but it's one I feel should be addressed to make the game more entertaining and attractive.

Outside of that can't really say there's too much wrong with the committee, except I feel New Zealand deserves a representative given they do play a critical part in the NRL and southern hemisphere Rugby League in general.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

Well I guess we can be sure that we will never see the back of the wrestle in the game now... So that's something.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

Poor Wayne, I knew the Grand Final rematch was a bad idea.

I don't know enough about Madge's thoughts on the game to comment, but Trent gets it and the game has been better for his presence.

Now if they could get rid of, or at least modify the 7 tackle set rule they'll win me over.

 

[Fozz]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

With the Rabbitohs and the Roosters in there I expect the salary cap will be closely scrutinised.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

Souths coach and the Roosters coach. At least we know that NSWRL still have a stranglehold on the management of the game.

Whatever, more time Bennett can devote to winning us a premiership.

 

[Foordy]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

at least we still have the great one on the committee to fight for what is right for the game

 

[Super Freak]

Re: Wayne Bennett dumped from competition committee, Michael Maguire named in his pla

IT has been a bad month for Wayne Bennett.

Just weeks after Brisbane lost the NRL grand final to North Queensland under the golden point rule he despises, the Broncos coach has endured a series of body blows in the past few days.

On Thursday, Bennett was told he was out of the running for the vacant Australian Test coaching job unless he quit his Brisbane post.

And on Friday he was voted off the NRL’s Competition Committee by his own peers with South Sydney coach Michael Maguire replacing Bennett on the 11-person panel.

Seven coaches nominated for two vacancies, which will be filled by Maguire and Roosters mentor Trent Robinson who were voted in by the 16 NRL coaches.

Despite Bennett’s axing from the powerful committee which decides on NRL rule changes, Queensland will still have a strong voice.

Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith, Jillaroos skipper Steph Hancock, retired great Darren Lockyer and former coach John Lang are on the panel that will also include the incoming NRL CEO, NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg, ARLC chairman John Grant, referees boss Tony Archer and an RLPA representative.

Greenberg thanked Bennett for his service to the committee and praised the inclusion of Maguire who “will bring a new voice to the room’’.

“The coaches collectively wanted to vote for their own representatives on the Competition Committee and Trent and Michael will no doubt be important voices in the group,’’ Greenberg said.

“We have an incredibly strong coaching group and I’m sure Trent and Michael will be exceptional representatives of the group on the important Competition Committee.”

Bennett was a guest speaker at the Paul Morgan Charity Lunch in Brisbane on Friday and said he accepted the decision of the ARLC to go with a fulltime national coach, free of any club ties.

“No, I’m not (disappointed with the ARLC decision),’’ he said.

“They are there to make decisions about what they want, so I’m fine with that. At least I know where I stand now.’’

However, Bennett said he could have handled both club and national duties as he has in the past.

“I wouldn’t have put my name down if I didn’t think I could do them both, but they (ARLC) make the rules,’’ he said.

The ARLC decision puts Mal Meninga in the box seat to take control of the Kangaroos but Bennett would not be drawn on what his long-time former player might do.

“He (Meninga) will have to give up the state job. What he wants to do will be his decision,’’ he said.

At the charity lunch which raised funds for The Heart Foundation, Bennett revealed what he said to shattered Broncos halfback Ben Hunt after the NRL decider and said gathering his own emotions after losing the grand final was one of his greatest challenges.

“I walked up to Ben. He was on the ground and wasn’t in a good place. I grabbed him, picked him up and said, ‘a lot of people in the world are in a lot worse places than you are, so get on with your life. We wouldn’t be here without what you’ve done this season. Move on’,’’ Bennett said.

Bennett has a month from hell