The Dolphins have leapt to the protection of Wayne Bennett after the veteran coach missed the brand new membership’s debut recreation within the NRL’s pre-season competitors.
Among the many loudest critics was NRL legend Gorden Tallis, who was coached by Bennett after they had been each on the Brisbane Broncos.
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Talking on the podcast Footy Talk LeagueTallis mentioned the absence of Bennett from the sport towards the North Queensland Cowboys at Barlow Park was “unusual”.
“Why is not the coach in (the membership’s) first 12 months going?” Tallis mentioned.
“I used to be in Gladstone with him final weekend … Wayne was up there. He had a very younger squad, all of the younger youngsters and (he) did not even go to that recreation both.
“Two weeks in a row (he did not go) … I do not care who you’re.
“Let’s break it down to high school when your instructor isn’t there and also you get a reduction instructor, do you’re employed as onerous?”
The feedback have reignited a hostile feud between the pair, which dates again to 2004 when Bennett was teaching the Broncos and began Tallis – the captain – on the bench for a closing towards the Cowboys.
Since that day the connection between the pair has been frosty.
Dolphins assistant coaches Kristian Woolf and Nathan Fien stood in for Bennett for the trial recreation towards the extremely fancied Cowboys, which ended up being a 22-22 draw after the Dolphins clawed their approach again from an 18-10 halftime deficit.
Speaking to Channel 7, Woolf defined that Bennett’s absence had been deliberate for a while.
“There was a bunch of blokes coaching again in Brisbane and it was necessary that somebody stayed again,” Woolf mentioned.
“Wayne was eager to do this so it wasn’t a difficulty.”
The Dolphins will not should journey as far on Sunday after they play the Gold Coast Titans for his or her very first dwelling recreation.
The membership says Bennett shall be calling the pictures for that trial recreation, though, he shall be doing so with out hooker Harrison Graham who injured his left knee on the 25th-minute mark of the conflict with the Cowboys.
Graham is anticipating to be sidelined for a number of weeks, however Sean O’Sullivan’s is ready to play his first recreation in Dolphins colours at Redcliffe on Sunday.
