'Madness': Disbelief over Wayne Bennett's 'insane' Broncos reunion
Veteran rugby league journalist Brent Read has shot down suggestions that Wayne Bennett might be eyeing off a return to the Brisbane Broncos.
The Courier Mail reported on Wednesday night that Bennett will return to live in Brisbane at the end of the 2021 season.
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The master-coach is in the final year of his deal with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with rumours swirling that he will join Kevin Walters' coaching staff at the Broncos in 2022.
Rather than take over as senior coach, the belief among many is that Bennett will be employed in a consultancy role.
“We talk about Adam Reynolds and the possibility of him leaving Redfern and Wayne Bennett will be doing the same at the end of the season," Peter Badel of the Courier Mail told NRL 360 on Wednesday.
“Of course his contract is up, but he has told Souths bosses he’ll be moving back to Queensland on a permanent basis.
"South Sydney were keen to keep him, perhaps as a coaching director. Wayne Bennett says he’ll be going back to Queensland.
“It opens the door for a potential return to Red Hill and a possible reunification with Kevin Walters, the man he knows so well.
“He needs some help and senior leadership, perhaps that leadership could come in the form of Wayne Bennett.”
Brent Read slams 'insane' Wayne Bennett reunion talk
However Read thinks the bad blood between Bennett and the Broncos will scupper that plan.
“Does everyone remember when Wayne Left?” the Australian journalist said.
“He torched the joint, he threatened to sue them and the same people who got rid of him are still there.
“He’s not going back there unless the entire board goes. They’re not going to turn around and put their hand up and we say ‘we got it wrong’.
“It’s just insane at the moment, the thought of it is madness.”
Badel revealed there has been interest from potential expansion clubs in Queensland to lure Bennett, which Read said "makes more sense".
“He says he’s got a number of options at his disposal, staying on at Souths in a consultancy role. There’s also been interest from the Redcliffe and the Brisbane Jets prospective bid teams,” Badel said.
“Look, he won’t be shy of options but I think in his heart he would desire a return to Red Hill.
“Of course there are political complexities with what happened with the Broncos board who sacked him in 2018.
"But I know privately Kevvie Walters is open to having Wayne Bennett back.”
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