Hornby, Griffin support Bennett meeting
St George Illawarra captain Ben Hornby and Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin have agreed Wayne Bennett can do anything he wants on his days off after a Twitter frenzy revealed his secret visit to Newcastle on Wednesday.
If Bennett's hit and run visit up the F3 to talk turkey with Knights billionaire owner Nathan Tinkler about his player and coaching roster for 2012 hit a nerve with Dragons players, Hornby certainly wasn't one of them.
Tinkler, who races a string of horses under his Patinack Farm colours, had a marquee at this week's two-day Newcastle race meeting where Knights players were among his guests.
Bennett trained his side at WIN Stadium on Wednesday morning before his overnight trip to Newcastle.
"We didn't know anything about it," said Hornby before Bennett took the side through a closed session at Suncorp Stadium on Friday morning, as he searches for his first finals win at the venue in eight attempts.
"If that's what Wayne wants to do on his days off, we've got no problem with that.
"Obviously he has to plan things."
Asked if it was a "storm in a tea cup" Hornby replied "it always is with stories about Wayne".
While some would see Bennett's actions as neglecting his duty so close to a semi-final that could end the Dragons' season, Griffin didn't see a problem with him using his own time to talk to take care of his personal business.
"He's just getting his mind off the job for a day ... that's not a distraction and it's certainly not an issue for us," he said after declaring his side ready for Saturday's sudden-death collision with Bennett's premiers.
"That's something that's got no bearing on what's going to happen on Saturday night."
Bennett, who refused to comment on his clandestine meeting with Tinkler on Thursday, strolled past a throng of journalists at Suncorp Stadium on Friday looking very relaxed.
He stood on the middle of the field in his familiar pose with his arm crossed watching a few basic warm up drills before the cameras and media were asked to leave.
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