Man in the Mirror

by Wayne Bennett

Legendary NRL coach Wayne Bennett tells the story of his remarkable 21 years with the Brisbane Broncos.

"Utterly compelling and continually surprising" (Christopher Sutton, foxports.com.au) In an age when few things stay the same for any length of time, Wayne Bennett's unprecedented 21-year run as coach of the Brisbane Broncos is an extraordinary achievement. His men won all six of the grand finals they contested in this time, and as Queensland State of Origin coach, Bennett lost just two series out of seven. In two stints as Australian coach, he built an incredible record of 11 wins and a draw from 15 tests. WAYNE BENNEtt: tHE MAN IN tHE MIRROR is the candid story of this remarkable man who helped launch a new rugby league club and turned it into a powerhouse. Bennett has always sought to make a difference. A man of principle, Bennett has had to make many tough choices over the years, such as sacking the legendary Wally Lewis and joining the Super League revolution. In 2008, he made the shock decision to leave the Broncos, and join the ailing Sydney club St George Illawarra. Once again, Bennett is aiming to prove the critics wrong; to prove he's one of a kind. throughout his great football adventure, Bennett and his wife trish have raised three children, two of whom are disabled. When ABC's AUStRALIAN StORY showcased him and his family in 1999, the episode achieved record ratings and showed the softer side of this notoriously media-shy public figure. three years later, he wrote the inspirational DON't DIE WItH tHE MUSIC IN YOU, which has now sold more than 100,000 copies.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

410 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

Reviews

[Cleve Devine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bog average.

Seemed like he considered himself perfect all his career and shares none of his failings, or if he does they’re not his fault.

360 pages and he didn’t even mention his son Darius Boyd once
Won’t read 2009-2020 mainly cause I hate St George, Newcastle and Souths as much as Brisbane.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extract read aloud page 9

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting essay on leadership centred around Bennett's roles with the Bronco's, Queensland and Australia. Covers the Superleague wars too.

[Raylea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although as a Queenslander I'm familiar with many Rugby League names I'm by no means an avid fan. I picked this book up because like many Queenslanders Wayne Bennett is an enigmatic character. Clearly adored by many, he comes across as very aloof. I was interested in finding out what's behind the face we see on TV. This is a great read. Wayne is a quiet writer, by that I mean he is quietly confident about his own skills but not quiet in his praise of many others. The narrative is like listening to an old friend tell a story. I was disappointed when I finished it. The book certainly explained a few things about football, but I loved what it told me about this football icon.

[Angelmae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like football but I love Wayne Bennett. There are no pretensions in this book and it probably won't win any grand finals of literature, but it's just how Wayne Bennett is.
I enjoyed it.