Bennett out of the question for Knights: Smith's job secure with incentive deal
By BRAD WALTERand ROBERT DILLON
KNIGHTS coach Brian Smith has performance targets built into the remaining two years of his contract that could trigger an automatic extension of the deal until the end of the 2011 season ruling out any possibility of Wayne Bennett moving to Newcastle.
Smith and Penrith's Matthew Elliott are the coaches not off-contract this year whose jobs are considered to be under threat unless their teams show a dramatic improvement, but The Herald understands that the former Illawarra, St George and Parramatta mentor is safe at the Knights for at least a further season.
Newcastle chief executive Steve Burraston declined to discuss specific details of Smith's contract but confirmed that if the team achieved certain results this season and next, Smith's tenure would be automatically extended.
Depending on how well the Knights perform, the term of Smith's initial three-year deal could be extended by either one or two seasons.
"I can't reveal the exact details because of confidentiality issues, but there are performance clauses in the contract," Burraston said. "The length of the contract is three years, but in the last two years if the team achieves certain results it can trigger an extension of up to two more years."
The Knights suffered an estimated $1.2 million financial loss last year, and the club could not afford to sack Smith without giving him every chance to meet the targets outlined in the contract.
Former Test coach Chris Anderson had similar clauses in his contract at Cronulla and sued the Sharks for $1 million after his services were prematurely terminated in 2003 before the two parties settled out of court.
"It all depends on how well the team performs, but we are confident of a good year after what was a disappointing season last year, so it should be some time before the Knights are looking for a new coach, and we certainly don't have any plans to talk to Wayne Bennett," Burraston said.
"All the indications in the pre-season are that we're going to be in for a good season, and the new guys we've bought in have helped ensure there is a lot of enthusiasm in the club."
Smith said last night his "record speaks for itself" in terms of longevity at his previous clubs.
"I had four and five years at Illawarra and St George and 10 years at Parramatta," he said.
"I'm not here for a short time. I want to make it work, and I want the club to be successful.
"The game is results-driven, and I'm happy to make the team's performances count and be judged on that."
Smith said he had received "nothing but total support from the people who matter" at Newcastle and was not concerned by media speculation regarding his position.
"I'm in as much of a hurry as anyone for us to get results this season, but I'm also aware that we need to lay good foundations to ensure ongoing success," he said.
The revelations about Smith's deal at Newcastle leaves the Dragons, Bulldogs, Cowboys and possibly the Panthers as Bennett's only real options for 2009.
St George Illawarra's Nathan Brown, Steve Folkes at the Bulldogs and North Queensland's Graham Murray are all off-contract at the end of the season and neither club has yet made any move to re-sign their coach.
Penrith may need to show significant improvement for Elliott to survive after finishing with the wooden spoon last year.
Of the other coaches, Ricky Stuart (Cronulla), Tim Sheens (Wests Tigers), Jason Taylor (South Sydney) and Ivan Cleary (Warriors) have all extended their contracts over the summer, and Manly's Des Hasler is close to finalising a new deal.
The Warriors announced Cleary's signing until the end of the 2010 season yesterday, finishing speculation linking him to the Broncos job when Bennett leaves after this year.
