‘I wish I could play again just to be around him’: McKinnon’s tribute to Bennett

Alex McKinnon’s desire to climb out of his wheelchair and run on to a rugby league field has never been greater than it is right now.

Now, as Bennett prepares to lead the Rabbitohs to a grand final against Penrith on Sunday, McKinnon wishes he could strap on the boots to play under the master coach one last time. “To be able to see him now with the energy, the passion and the drive that he’s got, it actually makes me miss playing because I know what it’s like to be in this situation to be coached by him. It really makes me want to play again, to be around the guy, because he’s that special.”

Then Knights players Dane Gagai, Korbin Sims, Willie Mason and Darius Boyd share a joke with Bennett and McKinnon.“What gave me so much confidence wasn’t the amount of times he called or the amount of things he did. It was the effect that a simple thing could have. A simple question. A simple piece of motivation. Wayne gave me a kick up the arse when I needed it. He gave me direction and challenged me at a time when I had nothing and I was at my darkest days.

“I am probably biased ... but to be able to move on to different clubs and to turns things around to give them that little edge to win comps or get to the last day, it’s a special achievement. In my eyes [a win] would cement him as the greatest ever. It is believed the Storm players were imitating the “From The Area” crew , a Mt Druitt-based group that many members of the Panthers squad are part of and that inspires the younger generation to chase their dreams.

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