Who’s Who in 22, Sport: Wayne Bennett

As the Head Coach of the Dolphins NRL team, Wayne Bennett has hit the ground running in 2022. He’s built a strong roster of players and put in place a structure ahead of the team’s entry to the NRL in 2023.

His addition to the club, based at Redcliffe, has helped secure not just players but sponsors and the best off-field team to guide the club in its formative years.

After much speculation, Bennett officially joined the club on October 21 saying he wanted to build a strong roster and team culture.

The Dolphins and Bennett signed a four-year deal. It came after several meetings to discuss the club’s plan and philosophy in building a team from the ground up.

The Super Coach has signed players to build a club that will be competitive from round one, but also one with depth for the future.

These include Felise Kaufusi, Tom Gilbert, Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Euan Aitken, Anthony Milford, Kodi Nikorima, Ray Stone and Sean O’Sullivan.

They will be joined by a squad of rising stars who will have the chance to develop their game through the club’s pathways program.

The coaching team is also strong with Bennett at the helm and assistant coaches Kristian Woolf and Nathan Fine to back him up.

About Wayne Bennett

The seven-time premiership-winning Super Coach began coaching in 1976 at club level and became Queensland Director of Coaching in 1986.

The following year, he became full-time co-coach with the Canberra Raiders and during his first season he coached them to their first Grand Final.

He joined the Brisbane Broncos in 1988 as their inaugural coach, winning six premierships.

Bennett has coached Queensland in 22 matches dating back to 1986 and culminating in the 2020 Origin series win – his fifth with the Maroons.

As well serving as Australian Kangaroos coach in several stints between 1998 and 2005, Bennett was the Great Britain head coach and was an assistant coach with the New Zealand Kiwis who claimed a famous World Cup win in 2008.

His appointment at the Dolphins is his sixth as a head coach in NRL or NSWRL competitions.

Bennett has been Coach of the Year on numerous occasions and was even named Queensland Father of the Year in 1998.

During his NRL coaching career, he’s coached at Canberra Raiders, Brisbane Broncos, St George Illawarra, Newcastle Knights and South Sydney.

He relishes the opportunity to start with a clean slate at the Dolphins, putting in place structures and programs he believes will set the club up for the future.