Bennett to quit Knights

It was clear he shouldn't be there before Round 1, as much as it's clear Vidot and Hannant shouldn't be there.

 

Well, most things tbh.

He definitely seems to be very power-focused coach. Everyone who plays for Brisbane hits the gym and stacks on the muscle. Playing slightly over-weight (in terms of muscle obv, not fat) has become known as "Griffinball" in some parts; he's very much focused on the physical parts of the game. Hoffman playing five-eighth is a great example of his inability to identify legitimate skill with the ball. He's got really blinkers on when it comes to this and it's made Brisbane a pretty strong defending team and a team that opposition players probably don't like playing too much, but a team that offers fuck all with the ball.

If you gave him a side of the world's seventeen finest physical specimens who had never seen of game of rugby league before, I reckon Griffin would tell you he'd have him in the top four within two seasons. Griffinball is all power and brawn. Griffin is wrong.

I actually think his use of the bench cops too much stick at times. People are often critical of him not utilising players for entire games or only giving them a few minutes, and I think this is a pretty rubbish criticism. Sometimes, the strengths and weaknesses of your squad are such that having one of your best forwards play 70 minutes instead of 55 and one of your bench players not get on the field is desirable. If I was going to criticise his use of the bench, I'd point to the fact that he always starts with the blokes he intends on playing for the longest, pretty much religiously. I don't think this is always the right tactic. Having Stagg or Lowrie in the side and giving them 15 minute stints between the 66th and 80th minutes is completely ridiculous, for example.

 

Shouldn't be there meaning five-eighth specifically, not the team as a whole. They should obviously be in the side.