Wayne Bennett faces the upcoming season with conjecture looming over where he will be in 2025, but he remains resolute that the ongoing chatter about his future won't deter him or his Dolphins squad from their goals.
"As much as everyone wants to speculate, I'm solely focused on the job at hand," Bennett affirmed ahead of the Dolphins' season opener against North Queensland this Sunday.
The 74-year-old coach, whose contract concludes at the end of the year, is set to pass the torch to his assistant Kristian Woolf once the season wraps up. Despite this transition, Bennett's future beyond coaching remains ambiguous.
In recent times, there's been a swirl of postulation regarding potential coaching opportunities for Bennett, including interest from NRL expansion teams and even suggestions of coaching abroad in Papua New Guinea.
Bennett remains steadfast in his commitment to the Dolphins, stating: "I can't go to all these clubs. Just give me a break. I've just got one here at the moment. Let's worry about this one."
When questioned about retirement plans during a press conference, Bennett promptly dismissed the notion, affirming "no".
Acknowledging the media scrutiny surrounding his contract situation, Bennett maintained that it won't be a distraction for him or his players.
"It might be for you guys, but it won't be for me," he remarked.
Dolphins CEO Terry Reader addressed the ongoing speculation as potentially disruptive but affirmed the club's intentions to retain Bennett beyond his coaching tenure.
"There's only one man who will decide what he wants to do," he stated.
While Bennett's future remains uncertain, the Dolphins have expressed their desire to keep him in some capacity beyond coaching.
"He knows that, and we will talk about that when the time is right," Reader concluded.
