Bennett set for Broncos return?

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BRISBANE mentor Anthony Griffin's future is again under a cloud amid growing speculation Wayne Bennett and Kevin Walters could form a coaching alliance to rebuild the Broncos in 2015.

It comes as Broncos legend Darren Lockyer warned Ben Barba won't single-handedly cure the club's ills next year in a campaign that could make or break Griffin's tenure at Red Hill.

While missing the finals for the second time in four seasons is unpalatable for Broncos hierarchy, they are backing Griffin for next season, believing he needs greater resources to revive the club as a premiership force.

Griffin is contracted until the end of 2015, but the Broncos board will simply not tolerate another failed campaign given Barba is expected to light up the Brisbane backline.

The possible contingency would see club legend Walters installed as head coach, with foundation mentor Bennett to preside over the Broncos as coaching director.

A rare critic of Brisbane, Bennett has made a series of surprise appraisals of the club following his Newcastle side's 26-18 defeat of the Broncos last Friday night.

In the wake of the Knights victory, Bennett said missing the finals was not in Brisbane's DNA. He continued the attack yesterday, saying halfback Peter Wallace didn't "deserve" the way the Broncos handled his impending departure to Penrith.

Former Broncos skipper Gorden Tallis recently led a push for Walters to take charge, saying the champion pivot was a winner who understood the club's culture.

Walters said yesterday he had not been approached about a position at the Broncos for 2015. The former captain has applied for the Cowboys post, but says he is willing to help the Broncos if his services remain available beyond next year.

"I love the Broncos as a club, but I would like to be a head coach somewhere," Walters said.

"I'm leaving Melbourne at the end of the year and where I am going to be after that, I still don't know at this stage.

"I'm ready to coach a team by myself. If it's not the Broncos, it might have to be somewhere else. But I've worked my butt off and I am very confident about what I can bring to an organisation."

In March, Broncos CEO Paul White denied Bennett would replace Griffin as head coach in 2014.

But The Courier-Mail understands the possibility of the super-coach one day returning to the club he coached to six titles, in an overseer's role, is real.

Bennett has another two years to run on his Knights deal, but has been operating amid a dark cloud relating to owner Nathan Tinkler's financial health and the potential repercussions for Newcastle.

Bennett's age is another factor. He turns 64 in January and a coaching director's role at the Broncos may appeal to Bennett after nearly 30 years in the furnace that is NRL head-coaching.

White is confident the Broncos can hit back next season, but former skipper Lockyer said fullback sensation Barba won't be a one-man solution.

"You would be silly to say Ben Barba on his own will deliver a premiership to the Broncos," said Lockyer.

"Ben is a wonderful talent but he is a player you have to create opportunities for. If the rest of the team isn't doing their job, and that starts with the forwards, then he will become null-and-void really.

"Ben is going to get stability at the Broncos with the right facilities and the right support around him. But people will have high expectations of him so he will have to deliver."

It comes as Broncos legend Darren Lockyer warned Ben Barba won't single-handedly cure the club's ills next year in a campaign that could make or break Griffin's tenure at Red Hill.

Griffin is contracted until the end of 2015, but the Broncos board will simply not tolerate another failed campaign given Barba is expected to light up the Brisbane backline.

The possible contingency would see club legend Walters installed as head coach, with foundation mentor Bennett to preside over the Broncos as coaching director.

A rare critic of Brisbane, Bennett has made a series of surprise appraisals of the club following his Newcastle's side 26-18 defeat of the Broncos last Friday night.

Former Broncos skipper Gorden Tallis recently led a push for Walters to take charge, saying the champion pivot was a winner who understood the club's culture.

Walters said yesterday he had not been approached about a position at the Broncos for 2015.

The former captain has applied for the Cowboys post, but says he is willing to help the Broncos if his services remain available beyond next year.