Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett is playing down the importance of the new World Club Series, insisting he will be using Saturday’s clash with Wigan as preparation for the 2015 NRL season.
The veteran former Kangaroos boss is risking upsetting organisers of the expanded competition by his low-key comments, which were made at a press conference at The Lowry Theatre in Manchester to launch the series.
The Broncos have brought over new signings Anthony Milford and Adam Blair, alongside internationals Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt and Josh McGuire, mixed with a crop of little-known youngsters like Mitchell Dodds, Kodi Nikorima and Aaron Whitchurch who Bennett says will benefit from the experience.
“To do this sort of thing, it makes it pretty special,” he said.
“It’s part of the experience of playing rugby league. To me it’s not just about playing in the NRL.
“We’re in bit of a transition at the moment. I’ll be looking at some combinations and some match fitness.
“We start our season 10 days later against South Sydney. That’s what I’m trying to achieve and play a good game of football.
“The result is not as important as the way that we play, the way we execute our plays and get some combinations working.”
The match, which is sandwiched between Warrington’s game against St George Illawarra and the World Club Challenge between St Helens and South Sydney, is expected to attract a crowd of around 20,000.
Bennett flew into London on Saturday night, joining up with the party late after overseeing the NRL All Stars against the Indigenous team in Friday’s season opener on the Gold Coast, accompanied by senior players Justin Hodges, Corey Parker and Sam Thaiday.
Hodges and Parker played for the NRL All Stars on Friday but Thaiday pulled out of the game with a calf injury which Bennett said was merely a precaution.”
“Sam had some problems with his calf muscle last year and he had some discomfort before the All Stars and didn’t want to risk it and be out for six weeks like he was last year,” Bennett said.
“But he’s good to go, as are Hodges and Parker who played in the All Stars.”
Bennett, who has rejoined the Broncos for a second spell after spending the first 20 years of the club’s existence in charge, opted to bring just 18 players to England for the game against Wigan.
With Tom Opacic going down with a virus, Bennett has just 17 players to select but he remains defiant over his selection decision.
“We’ve got one ill at the moment but he’s our 18th player so we’re going okay,” Bennett said. “There’s no point in bringing any more than 18. You can only play 17 and I’d I hate to see them sitting around doing nothing.”
