WAYNE Bennett now has the worst record of any Newcastle coach. Ever.
Bet you never saw that coming? Unthinkable only 12 months ago, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal how Bennett an ageing sage with seven premierships, five Origin series, even a shock world title with New Zealand is, statistically, the least successful coach in 27 years of Knights football.
Worse, its a result costing $3 million to facilitate.
That surprises me, obviously, Knights CEO Matt Gidley said last night. But you know, as we all do, there are circumstances surrounding this situation. And the way Wayne has stabilised this club throughout an extremely turbulent period, the care hes shown ... its been remarkable.
So exactly what does one make of this rare Bennett blemish? With his future in the Hunter unknown, and his team languishing in last place, it is hardly the position expected of a man who arrived on the cusp of winning premierships at three separate NRL clubs.
Certainly it doesnt take Mr Peabody to understand Newcastle were always going to struggle following, first, the tragedy surrounding forward Alex McKinnon; then, second, the saga that is departing owner Nathan IOU Tinkler.
Throw in the jailing of prop Russell Packer and youve got the NRL equivalent of a Bermuda Triangle.
Yet through it all, insiders will whisper, Bennett has held strong.
Such a rock for players, staffers, even the McKinnon family, Knights great Paul Harragon wondered aloud recently if, maybe, the coach was here purely because no one else could keep the joint together.
Indeed, if ever you needed proof of what sets Bennett apart from the pack why a bloke like Darius Boyd would follow Bennett into Hades or, worse, a media scrum
re-read that moving column he wrote for McKinnon on these pages back in March.
Marvelling at how this grandfather, who has moulded hundreds, if not thousands, of young lives, can still talk so emotionally, so intimately, about one.
But this is rugby league. A code where sentiment carries less weight than even Bennett during his days as a winger in Brisbane. And, right now, the Knights are stumbling through their second worst start to a season ever with only 2005, when they opened with 13 straight losses, uglier than their current 2-11 record.
In attack, Newcastle average fewer tries and points per game than all but Cronulla. In defence, they have missed the second most tackles with 31. All up, giving Bennett a success rate of 40.6 per cent.
And this number, you should know, is worse than Allan McMahon (40.7). Worse than David Waite (44.7). Worse even than Brian Smith, who had fans burning his effigy or something like that until he departed with a strike rate of 45.6 per cent. And so, we ask: Are the problems that have befallen Newcastle responsible for Bennetts coaching blemish, or simply masking it?
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...le-knights-coach/story-fni3gf5j-1226962360450
Do you believe Bennett is the Dragon's best option for season 2015 and beyond?
