Wayne Bennett chaired from the field by Martin Bella ( left) and skipper, Wally Lewis after a 1980s Origin triumph
New Queensland State of Origin coach, Wayne Bennett immediately made his presence felt by sacking the incumbent selection panel of Arthur Beetson, Allan Smith and Les Geeves.
Bennett had been given the huge task of turning Queensland’s fortunes around after they had lost the 2000 series 3-0, the lowlight a 56-16 thrashing in Origin III in Sydney, with New South Wales’ players mocking their rivals with a series of try celebrations.
That was the final straw for Bennett who put his hand up to rescue the cause, after having steered the Maroons to a shock series win in 1998. Former Test halfback, Mark Murray succeeded Bennett with the 1999 series finishing with a win each and a draw, enough for Queensland to retain the Origin Shield. But 2000 was a disaster with Queensland conceding 104 points and scoring 42.
Murray described the 2000 NSW side as probably the best ever fielded by the state, while Blues’ coach, Wayne Pearce warned the best was to come.
When the QRL Board approved Bennett’s return to Origin, they gave him the power to appoint whoever he wanted to his support staff, and to the selection panel. The new selectors were former Queensland centre, Gene Miles and former Queensland coach, Des Morris, with Bennett the other selector.
Geeves, Beetson and Smith had served Queensland well, and they were devastated at being moved aside. Beetson captained the very first Origin side in 1980 and Smith was the team’s five eighth, with future Team of the Century five eighth, Wally Lewis at lock. Geeves, who had played for Queensland in the 1960s, was Chairman of selectors when Queensland won the 1995 series 3-0 under the coaching of Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin.
I was in England covering the World Cup when word broke of the axing of the incumbent panel. Bennett told my fellow News Ltd journalist, Mike Colman that the players didn’t get the support they should have in 2000, because the structure wasn’t set up the way it should have been.
“I hadn’t been asked (by the QRL) but I knew I had to make sure something like that didn’t happen again,” Bennett said.
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