Super coach Wayne Bennett reportedly approached the Gold Coast Titans to take over as the club's head coach in 2020, according toย The Courier Mail.
It is believed that he was ready to take over the top job $600,000-a-season, but was knocked back by Titans powerbrokers.
The 69-year old also reportedly approached Gold Coast a number of times in September last year when he learnt he wouldn't remain at the Broncos.
According toย The Courier Mail, Bennett was so keen on the Titans job that he hired an agent to formalise the offer. But after Gold Coast bosses turned him down, the Rabbitohs came calling.
โI did consider the Titans job,โ Bennett toldย The Courier Mail Wednesday night.
โThe truth is I was genuinely interested in coaching them.
โI actually had a player manager make contact with them and another third-party with mutual ties called the Titans to let them know I was interested.
โI also made personal contact with one person at the Titans as well and told him I would coach them.
โThe Broncos decided Iโd reached my use-by date and I wanted to coach on, so I had to look at other opportunities.
โI was looking at the 2020 season and beyond because at that point, I was still contracted to the Broncos (for 2019) and the Titans had a coach in place.
โThe word that came back to me was they werenโt interested... simple as that.โ
Bennett holds no bitterness towards the Titans, but believes he would've been an ideal figure to lead the club into its rebuild.
โI know whatโs required to succeed at the Titans,โ he said.
โI would have been able to rebuild that club.
โI went to Canberra before the Broncos came in when the Raiders were only five years old.
โThey finished 11th out of 13 teams the year before I went there and the next year, working with Don Furner, we played in the 1987 grand final against Manly.
โI then started the Broncos (in 1988), we didnโt even have a team and we went on to win six premierships.
โI get how it all works.
โIโm in NSW again with South Sydney and it wasnโt expected, but now that Iโm here at the Rabbitohs, Iโm very happy actually, itโs a wonderful club and itโs a move that Iโm pleased with.
โBut Queensland rugby league and the health of the game in Queensland is always close to my heart.โ
Titans dodged a bullet there.
The Titans only loaded up with blanks.
so souffs were his 3rd option ? panfers didn’t want him either
Once again Frank, Gould swayed the Titans away from Bennett so he could attract him to the Panthers full stop.
Once they signed Brennan and Siebold to broncos, Crow and Richardson had the smarts to get him at Souths.
Turned out to be a brilliant move attracting Roberts, Lowe, Knight and now Su’A.
Not sure where you are coming from Franky when you refer to him as washed up?
not going to bother educating you from now on, you are too far gone for any hope, all 4 of you.
EdwoodenSpoon1 Johnston is an integral part of our team.
Not only a great player but a born and raised local junior, not a ready made poached player like Tedesco when you refer to transit lounge.
Its what makes our 30,000 members proud to be part of this great club.
Deal with it.
Regarding Bennett, who’s having the last laugh?
Great move by the Bunnies to lock him up.
Given the new buys next year looks a certain premiership but to snare one this year flying under the radar will be a bonus.
Cook and Murray have 2-3 Premierships written all over them and Wayne Bennett, the most successful coach in history will deliver them.
Edwood and Franky replying to each other as the same person is as comical as it gets.
There is a medical term for that condition.