Wayne Bennett: podcast appearances and interviews

Wayne James Bennett, born on 1 January 1950, is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League (NRL) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. Bennett has a notable coaching career that includes stints with several prominent teams such as the Dolphins, Brisbane Broncos, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons, and the Canberra Raiders. He has also coached representative teams, including the Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series, the NRL All Stars, and the Australian Kangaroos national team, as well as England and Great Britain national teams. Bennett holds the Australian rugby league coaching record for the most grand final wins, capturing seven premierships from ten grand final appearances across the NRL and its predecessors, along with a premiership in the Brisbane Rugby League with Southern Suburbs in 1985. His coaching achievements also include holding records for most seasons with a single club, with twenty-four seasons at the Brisbane Broncos, and the most games won and coached, having overseen over a thousand first-grade games. He was recognized by the NRL in 2023 for coaching 900 games in the competition and its predecessor leagues. Prior to his coaching career, Bennett was a player, representing Australia and Queensland as a fullback or wing during the 1970s and also played for the Huddersfield Giants in England. Before becoming a full-time coach in 1976, he worked as a Queensland Police officer.