Wayne Bennett has outlined the similarities between the emerging Dolphins and Brisbane of the late 1980s and is confident the outfit he will soon leave is on track to become “a great club”.
Bennett, who coached the Broncos to six titles in 25 years, has taken the Dolphins to the cusp of the finals ahead of Saturday night’s clash with Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium. The loser will bow out of playoffs contention.
The Dolphins finished 14th in 2023 in their first season and are 10th after 25 rounds this year.
In Bennett’s two terms with the Broncos, the club made 21 finals series in a row (1992-2008 and 2015-2018) and forged a history of sustained success.
“We did.That was our mantra,” Bennett said.
“I can think of some very nasty situations we were in and tough periods, particularly when Alf (Allan Langer) left us in (1999) There was so many moments like that but we always found a way.
“You see it in Storm and Penrith. They’re finding a way.”
Bennett, who will coach South Sydney next year, has no doubt the Dolphins will become a club that will also find a way to becoming a fixture in the finals.
“That’s what we set it up for and what every day of our life is about,” Bennett said.
“It’s not about whether we win tomorrow. It’s about how we develop this club and have the right process in place, and right men and women, to make it the club that the great clubs are.
“We’ve done a lot of things right here. It’s now about being patient.
“I lived the Broncos. I started as a head coach there in 1988 and the similarities are unbelievable between what happened there and what’s happening here.
“I’ve lived it. I know it. I’ve just got to stay true to it and I’ve got to convince other people it’s the only way forward.”
The Broncos missed the finals in their first two years and did not win a title until their fifth season in 1992. Bennett said success was not just about the ultimate prize.
“We have been successful,” he said
“You don’t have to win the grand final to be successful. There are a lot of things you can do in between
“The odds of winning the grand final are not good. There’s a lot of other teams that do a lot of good things and we’re in that category.
“We’re talking about being in the finals and this huge game (on Saturday night) and we’re in the second year of our existence.
“I’m calm about what we’re doing. We’re a better team and better placed than last year.
“We pay somewhere around $2 million under the salary cap. We have not filled our salary cap since we’ve been in the competition because we won’t buy players that won’t suit this club.”
