Bennett gets nod as Queensland coach
Wayne Bennett has beaten Mal Meninga to the vacant Queensland coaching job and will lead the Maroons this November in their quest to deny NSW an Origin three-peat.
With Kevin Walters appointed the coach of the Brisbane Broncos for the next two years, the Maroons brains trust had been mulling over whether to appoint Bennett or Meninga as a short-term solution for this year's series.
Wayne Bennett with Allan Langer back in 2003.Credit:SMH
That decision, which was based on a recommendation from a committee that included Ben Ikin, was finalised at a board meeting on Wednesday.
The 11th-hour SOS from Queensland Rugby League will see Bennett return to the Origin arena 17 years after the veteran coach's last stint at the helm.
South Sydney officials told the Herald the coach had the club's blessing to take the job, despite it putting him on a collision course with several NSW-aligned Rabbitohs players, including Damien Cook and Cody Walker.
In a huge boost to the game's celebrations around the 40-year anniversary of State of Origin, Bennett, as first reported by the Herald last month, will look to add to his five Origin series wins as Maroons coach.
Given Origin will be played on three consecutive Wednesdays from November 4 this year, both the Broncos and QRL believed Walters would have struggled to commit to the Maroons as a clean-out of the Broncos looms.
Bennett's relationship with QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher extends back more than 40 years. The pair lived together for two months as teammates.
More to come
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Michael Chammas is a sports reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald