This was published 7 years ago
Super League clubs revolt may make Wayne Bennett walk from England job: Andy Platt
What Wayne Bennett wants, he usually gets.
And that's what concerns Great Britain great Andy Platt after a club revolt derailed Bennett's planned England rugby league World Cup training camp in Dubai in January.
Thwarted: Wayne Bennett's patience will be tested by Super League clubsCredit: Getty Images
Platt said seven-time premiership winning mentor Bennett had built his legacy on a 'his way or the highway' approach.
And he feared Bennett may be tempted to leave the England job if UK Super League clubs keep standing in his way.
"He's a man who usually gets what he wants and if he doesn't he is usually out of there," Platt said.
"But that's what he does. He identifies what needs to be done and when he doesn't get it he might put it in the too-hard basket, which would be sad."
Bennett had already picked 17 players to attend a fortnight-long camp in late January in a head start for the 2017 World Cup, after England crashed out in the end-of-year Four Nations semi-finals.
Bennett had stressed the camp and a mid-season international in May were essential parts of his World Cup plan.
However, in an embarrassing about-face, ruling body the Rugby Football League backed down on the camp after Super League coaches complained about the pre-season disruption.
And Wigan great Platt - who earned 25 British caps from 1985-93 - predicted more friction from SL clubs for Bennett.
"He has the ability to change any side but he needs to be able to do what he needs to do," Platt said of Bennett, who is contracted to England until next year's World Cup.
"But will he get the backing of the clubs? Probably not.
"In the UK, the clubs rule the roost.
"It's been going on for years - even back in my day.
"I think it will be a hard road for him."
Platt slammed the RFL's decision to pander to club bosses and scrap the camp as "short-sighted".
"If you do the same thing you get the same results," he said.
"You have to change something and he [Bennett] has highlighted something and all of a sudden he hits a roadblock.
"It is short-sighted from the England point of view.
"Can you imagine if Australia had not won the Four Nations and Mal Meninga called for a similar camp in Dubai?
"I would dare say he would get his way."
Bennett must now concentrate on England's World Cup warm-up Test in May - a clash with Samoa in Sydney.
But Platt could not see any club-versus-country solution in sight for Bennett.
"Not without the clubs kicking and screaming," Platt warned.
AAP