With the news that Wayne Bennett will undertake another rescue mission at South Sydney, the value of a top-tier NRL coach with experience and the acumen to deliver premierships is once again highlighted.
As Jason Demetriou manages a worsening situation at the Bunnies, the club decided to turn once more to the seasoned Bennett, who, based on the Dolphins’ first two seasons, has retained his expertise.
There was no inclination to opt for a rookie coach or a moderately successful one. For South Sydney, it was a straightforward decision: bring in Wayne and enjoy the confidence of knowing exactly what they were getting.
While “pathways” is a common term in player development, and coaches typically progress through various levels, modern NRL often thrusts young coaches into a sink-or-swim scenario, with only a few consistently staying afloat.
The ongoing success of Ivan Cleary’s Panthers and Craig Bellamy’s Melbourne Storm, along with the quality Bennett brings to the Bunnies in his second stint, underscores the fact that these three coaches stand out among their peers.
Their million-dollar value in the market is evident, especially as coaches in the modern era seem less replaceable than ever before.
The Storm exemplify this, with stars like Cronk, Slater, Inglis, Finucane, and Smith having been replaced effectively through the pathways developed by Bellamy, a testament to his coaching genius. However, within the NRL’s development system, there doesn’t seem to be a clear pathway for grooming a successor capable of stepping into Bellamy’s role once he retires.
There are promising young coaches in the ranks. Craig Fitzgibbon has the Sharks on the edge of serious contention, despite occasional setbacks. Canterbury’s Cameron Ciraldo is building something promising at the kennel, though time will tell how successful he becomes. Andrew Webster looks the best of the young coaches based on his achievements with the Warriors in 2023.
Complete judgment is still pending on North Queensland’s Todd Payten, who now needs to elevate his team to the elite level consistently. Kevin Walters, after a rocky start, is delivering on his promises to the Broncos, but whether he can join the coaching elite remains to be seen.
Among the older coaches, Ricky Stuart and Des Hasler have had successful seasons but are inconsistent. They are capable but not quite at the level of the top three, which the Titans acknowledged in their pursuit of Hasler. Brad Arthur similarly couldn’t quite elevate Parramatta to the highest level, and Shane Flanagan’s success with the Sharks is marred by controversy.
In summary, if you were selecting a new coach, three names would stand out: Bennett, Cleary, and Bellamy. Investing in an unproven coach like Benji Marshall or a serial failure like Trent Barrett seems more desperate than strategic.
Trent Robinson might be considered the fourth top coach, but there are few other clear contenders at this stage. The pathways to elite coaching are not producing new candidates capable of challenging Bennett, Cleary, and Bellamy. Perhaps Ciraldo, Webster, or Marshall will eventually do so, but for now, the top coaches in the NRL age like fine wine, with Cleary the youngest at 53.
One might have thought that Bellamy, at 64, and Bennett, at 74, would have been surpassed by the next generation by now. But they remain on top, and that may be their greatest achievement.
