Dolphins supercoach Wayne Bennett has weighed in on the heated NSW halfback debate as a huge decision looms for Blues coach Brad Fittler.
Following Nathan Cleary’s potentially series-ending hamstring injury in Round 14, NSW will be forced to pick a new halfback any many are tipping spine shake-up ahead of Game II.
Nicho Hynes, who played on the bench in the series opener, remains the frontrunner to wear the No.7 alongside Jarome Luai — but Bennett urged Fittler to look elsewhere.
Bennett, who coached the Maroons in five separate stints, believes Adam Reynolds is the man to lead NSW to an unlikely Suncorp Stadium victory.
“NSW are in a very tough place right now,” Bennett said to reporters on Thursday.
“They have to make the right decisions. It’s as simple as that.
“They’re going to Brisbane, and everybody knows how intimidating Queensland is in Brisbane.
“I think they need to make a few tough team selections that I don’t think they’ve been prepared to make in the past. They thought they could get away with some stuff, but they won’t get away with it in Brisbane if they don’t make the right team selections.
“I’d certainly take him (Reynolds). He’s the best game manager in rugby league at the moment in my mind.
“He brings his kicking game and everything you want, he’s calm and someone who won’t be intimidated by the position.
“It’s not a place to go without your best players who can handle it as well, they need to be able to handle the night and the moment.
“They need to forget about ages, the past, whatever. They need the best 17 players in Brisbane.”
Blues coach Brad Fittler has previously stuck with club combinations in his spine, with Luai and Cleary getting the nod to start the series.
Bennett believes that the combination between Reynolds and former Rabbitohs teammate Cody Walker would get the job done, having coached the pair for three seasons.
“If you bring in Reynolds, you really need to bring in Walker because they have that combination. And they’ll worry the hell out of everybody,” Bennett said.
“I’d go with the players I’d trust more to do it, and I’d trust Adam Reynolds above everyone else that’s available to them.
“He lives up there now, knows the place really well.”
In true Bennett fashion, the 73-year-old had a hilariously icy response when asked about his upcoming clash with the Sea Eagles and Anthony Seibold.
It is the first time the pair will come face to face since Seibold’s return to the NRL following his tumultuous exit from the Broncos, succeeding Bennett at Red Hill.
“I didn’t have a (relationship) with him before, so I haven’t had one with him since,” Bennett said.
“Nothing has changed.”
