“I wouldn’t have tried to hire him if I didn’t think he could handle[NRL head coaching],” Bennett said. “I know he is one of the most outstanding players I’ve ever coached,someone I regard as a very close friend. You have to remember that guy played with half a leg,with one leg.

“He got staph in it and couldn’t train most of the time. He was an absolutely outstanding leader. Ben Hornby,they were great friends and still are great friends.

“I know Dean Young well enough to know he wouldn’t have applied for the job if he didn’t have the qualifications and the ability to do it.”

Wayne Bennett on Dean Young

“Between those two guys,they were great for me personally during my three years at the Dragons. I’m quite sure he is capable.[Laughing] He coached the Dragons pretty well when I was there. Ben Hornby is in the same category.”

Also competing for the Parramatta role is former Roosters assistant Ryles,who knocked back the Dragons job to complete his coaching apprenticeship under Craig Bellamy at Melbourne. Hannay,currently the assistant to Billy Slater at the Maroons,has held interim head-coaching roles at Cronulla and North Queensland.

“With the exception of[former South Sydney coach] Jason Demetriou,who was in the mix[at Parramatta],they are all assistant coaches,” Bennett said.

“No one has more qualifications than Dean in that department. That’s the challenge for the people selecting it,they have all been assistant coaches. It’s not my prerogative to make their decision for them.

“They have to make a decision on who they think is the best person to coach their club. If it’s Dean,I would be absolutely elated for him. If it’s the other guys,I’d be pleased for them.”

Bennett said he could envision the day he would go up against Young in the opposition coaching box.

“I know Dean:I’d want to win and he’d want to win,” he said. “We would still be great friends after it. There would be no stupidity in the game or trying to get one up on each other,neither of us are made of that stuff. That’s one of the qualities I love about him.”

While Bennett knocked back the Eels,he was full of admiration for the western Sydney franchise.

“It’s a wonderful club,it was the club of the ’80s,” he said. “It’s had some success over its time and they have had some lean years. They’re a bit like the Dragons,they didn’t win a premiership for a long time until Dean played in that premiership team.

“Those clubs have been through the Super League war,the reduction of teams,all of that type of stuff. They have survived and are stronger than they have ever been. It’s a credit to them,there’s nothing there you wouldn’t want to coach.”

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