After a Round 1 disaster, Wayne Bennett had something to smile about in his press conference after a record-breaking 38-0 demolition of the Dragons.
It was the first time in the Dolphins’ short NRL history they’d kept a team to zero points, whilst they also recorded their biggest ever points tally and largest winning margin.
Bennett is typically dry when speaking to media, but he couldn’t help but sport a smile when asked what he thought of his team’s performance.
The only place to watch every game of every round LIVE with no ad-breaks during play is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
CHANCES ARE YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE. Set a deposit limit.
“You’d have to say that’s not too bad,” he replied.
Bennett was then pressed on his side’s improvement after being dismantled by the Cowboys in a 43-18 hammering at Suncorp Stadium.
“I just coach them, I don’t have all those answers. We didn’t change a lot and the performances are so different,” Bennett said.
“I wasn’t disappointed with their effort and I thought it was a tremendous turnaround.”
Asked whether there was room for improvement, Bennett replied: “there’s always room for improvement, it’s the biggest room in the house”.
His positive responses were a far cry from his wry press conference only a week earlier, in which he said there was “no doubt” he was disappointed with his team.
“We just had a bad day. We have got 23 games to go, so if we put it behind us pretty quickly we will be a lot better off than if we drag it out and make it worse than what it was,” he said.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
Seibold shares thoughts on PERFECT start | 05:13
MORE NRL NEWS
WHISPERS: Cowboys make offer to young gun to ward off Dolphins approach
JUDICIARY: Storm star facing ban over incident with match official
‘SHOULD BE’: Roosters star’s powerful racism message after raw Leniu saga confession
‘CONVINCED ME’: Leilua reveals unheralded voice behind his return home to Dragons
CAS WARD: Scans confirm Broncos skipper Reynolds has re-injured troubled knee
“That’s what we have got to handle now.”
And the Dolphins did handle their own destiny, with fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow delivering a performances for the ages and his first NRL hattrick.
The Maroons star’s Round 1 performance came under fire but he looked a new man against the Dragons, and Bennett couldn’t explain the reason behind his turnaround.
“It just says how much talent he’s got, we just want to see that… I don’t know why he played like he did this week, I don’t know why he played like he did last week,” Bennett said.
“He was the key to it.”
Discussion about this post