I'll never forget the day that Wayne Bennett was announced as the next coach of the Newcastle Knights.
Knights fans celebrated as the former Broncos and Dragons Premiership Winner signed on with hopes of delivering yet another title to his resume, ending the Knights trophy drought.
Nathan Tinkler was living up to his promise of heavily investing to bring success to the club he now owned. In delivering the most successful coach of the modern era, he couldn't have done much more truthfully.
Bennett was sworn in, his patented half smirk on his face as he faces questions. The bulbs flashed, talk back radio and newspaper columns (sorry kids, you may need to google these things) went into overdrive and Knights fans booked their Grand Final tickets.
With Bennett came long-time rep regular Darius Boyd, delivering the new Newcastle mentor a Premiership winning piece of the puzzle he needed to solve to bring back the glory days to the Hunter.
A four year contract was signed. Some fans dreamed of two Premierships but given the Knights weren't exactly a powerhouse at the time, one, in the fourth year would do.
In 2013, the second year of his contract, Bennett came within one game of delivering. His team finished 7th but would come within a game of a Grand Final appearance.
Despite how that looks on paper, brilliant, truthfully Newcastle were spanked in the prelim and were never going to be a match for the Sea Eagles, Souths or Roosters. They did however beat Melbourne in Melbourne in a finals game and that can certainly never be taken away.
Otherwise though, Bennett would ultimately leave the club a year early to return to Brisbane, ending a largely unsuccessful run. In 2012 Newcastle would even miss the finals, something previously unheard of under Bennett's leadership.
In 2014, Nathan Tinkler's hugely up and down period at the club ended, as did Bennett's role as head coach. No Grand Final appearance and no Premiership delivered.
But ... what if Bennett had stuck it out for the entirety of his four year contract? After all he did mention numerous times it would be a process. The fourth year of his plan may have been the masterstroke year to deliver the title the past three seasons had built towards.'
What if ... Wayne Bennett had completed his four-year contract at Newcastle?
So for this we're going to assume that Bennett stuck by the Knights and finished the job he started. The job he has since been quoted as saying was a regret.
No announcement in 2014 of moving to the Broncos and a full 2015 season at the Knights.
For those with short memories, what actually did happen in 2015 for Newcastle is that they finished last. Eight wins for the entire season and a horrible points differential.
What would have happened with Bennett at the helm?
Exactly the same it my guess. Boring I know but nothing in his coaching kit would have turned that average Knights squad into anything more than also-runs.
He would have been completely responsible for it having completely revamped the Knights roster to suit a largely outdated game-plan. He replaced young stars with win now older players and when it didn't work he left the club with issue that they are only just now, six years later, starting to recover from.
If it sounds like I'm having a stab at Bennett's stint in charge in Newcastle ... I am. It was woeful and set the club back years.
That Newcastle side from 2015/2016 is arguably the worst I've seen in my 30+ years of watching footy. The heavily ASADA-affected Sharks of 2014 won four times as many games as that Knights outfit.
No coach would have been able to save Newcastle from the mess Bennett put them in, not even Bennett himself.
All's leaving before 2015 did was save his reputation.
The mess that Bennett left the Knights with, combined with a last placed finish in 2015 would have really dented his credentials as "super coach" and there is some doubt whether this would have affected an eventual return to Brisbane.
If you think I'm being harsh on his stint at the Knights, ask any Knights fans about it. I guarantee you that the almost fluke run to the prelim wasn't worth the years and years of rebuild afterwards.
Verdict
For the 2015 Knights, nothing changes. That squad weren't capable of winning enough games to play finals footy. Maybe they wouldn't have finished last, but they're not a finals contention side.
For Bennett, he probably returns to Brisbane eventually but based more so on romance other than recent results, although there's always that doubt.
If Bennett fulfills his 2015 contract and Newcastle are as bad as they were, Brisbane may have looked to a younger option. Would they have waited another year to secure a returning Bennett?
Probably, yes.
In terms of Newcastle as a club? They're a year further delayed in their eventual rebuild which FINALLY looks on track.
Honestly Newcastle dodged a bullet and were able to move on quicker than they otherwise may have thought.
Feels strange to type that about the great Wayne Bennett.
