Where and when will Wayne Bennett decide enough is enough KNIGHTS boss Matt Gidley has heard the whispers that Wayne Bennett wont see out his tenure in Newcastle. That, at any given moment, concerned about club owner Nathan Tinkler's investment, the master coach could pull the pin and leave the Knights in disarray as he returns to save the Broncos in 2015. As pragmatic as he is rapid in speech, Gidley can't deny a part of the Broncos will forever reside in Bennett's DNA. And there is something about the notion of Bennett riding into town to reclaim the Broncos. His club. The one he built from ground zero to win six titles. The place Bennett never imagined he would leave. Yet here he is, in Newcastle, a club that suits Bennett down to his working-class boots, tweaking and shaping a Knights outfit that finds itself playing a sudden-death final against Canterbury today at ANZ Stadium. Since joining the Knights last year, wooed by a purported $4 million offer from Tinkler, Bennett's future in the steel city has been the subject of constant chatter. Picture: Robert Mckell That has fuelled speculation Bennett won't go the distance in Newcastle. Rumours abound Kevin Walters is in line for the Broncos post in 2015, with the 63-year-old Bennett slated as his coaching director, taking a step back at an age when most men are dreaming of retirement. It began when details emerged of Tinkler's off-field financial woes. The billionaire was haemorrhaging mass millions, placing in jeopardy not only his stake in the Knights but also, potentially, eroding Bennett's sense of security. But Bennett is not ready for retirement, just as Gidley is not prepared to meekly roll over and accept the prospect of the veteran mentor reprising past glories at the Broncos. "Whenever the Broncos go through a difficult period, Wayne's name will always be mentioned," says Gidley, the Knights centre turned administrator. Because he's spent so much time at the Broncos and built a wonderful club there, there's always that talk. Newcastle Knights coach Wayne Bennett. Wayne is contracted here for the next two years and we are certainly confident he will be here with us. The job isn't finished here, there is still plenty of work to do and we haven't discussed anything beyond 2015 at this stage. Of course, this is not the first time Bennett has been linked with a grand homecoming. There was the thrilling machinations of February 2011, when Bennett held furtive talks with Brisbane powerbrokers following Ivan Henjak's sacking, only for Tinkler and his chequebook to gate-crash the party at the eleventh hour. For now, Bennett seems settled in Newcastle, but he is not a man for telegraphing moves. If he has a plan to return to Brisbane, few will be privy to it. Former Broncos boss Bruno Cullen believes Bennett may return at some point, eager to pen one final glorious chapter. "Nothing would surprise me with Wayne," said Cullen, who accepted Bennett's resignation in February 2008 after a 20-year reign. It's not something I can definitively answer. I'm sure Anthony Griffin (current Brisbane coach) has ambitions to be a long-term coach at the Broncos. Wayne Bennett at Newcastle Knights training. The fact is Wayne has always loved the club. There is so much history and success and it's all around Wayne. It doesn't matter what happens now you can't deny Wayne's involvement and the link in the 20 years he was there. I don't know if he has unfinished business, but in his own mind he was reluctant to leave the Broncos, so he may well be back. Wayne was very close to coming back when Ivan moved on. The Broncos were in negotiations with Wayne, he was coming back and "Hook" (Griffin) was going to be the assistant. In the end, he chose Newcastle. I don't think the Broncos were able to get near what Newcastle offered as a package. Gidley, coached by Bennett in the Australian team in 2004, never imagined the super coach would coach the Knights. But now he can't imagine the two parties apart. "When Nathan Tinkler came on board and then convinced Wayne to come to Newcastle, those two things have been significant moments in our history," he said. The second half of this season you can see a real foundation coming through in the team. His traits are shining through. He's so honest, everyone knows where they stand and what their jobs are. And there are no excuses for anyone. That's a pretty good start for anyone in any business. That's been central to how Wayne coached at the Broncos and St George and he's delivering similar traits here. He cares deeply about the players and the club ... we're very fortunate to have him. Bennett's son-in-law, former Queensland utility Ben Ikin, says the Newcastle stint is the challenge the seven-time premiership winner needs. Wil he finish his career at the Knights? Or yearn for one final frontier at the Broncos. They are questions Ikin cannot answer. "I've never got inside Wayne's head, that's a tough thing to do," Ikin quips."What I do know is he just loves coaching that much. He can't help himself. If he goes and watches my boys at a tennis session, he couldn't sit in the chair, he'd have to go out there and give them tips on what's going on. While that fire still burns and he still has the passion to live that life, he will continue to do so. He's got the full support of his family, everyone is in it together. Newcastle is a good fit. Wayne is working-class and Newcastle is working-class. He has an affinity with the battler. He was at a point in his life where he was looking for challenges .... I don't know why he decided Newcastle specifically, but it didn't surprise me he changed clubs. I don't think he had the intention after he left the Broncos of doing another really long stint at one club. That's what drives him. He's very much the players" coach. He's just a league tragic, he could be coaching the under-12s at age 75. He's a rugby league man to his soul. He loves being around other rugby league people who love the game, he loves being around those young blokes who have that glint in their eye who have dreams to win grand finals.