NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett has ripped into the NRL and Penrith over what he claims are illegal tactics used to protect star player Nathan Cleary.
Bennett is furious over Penrith placing middle forwards in front of the NSW Blues star as he is kicking, stopping opposition players being able to pressure him.
The seven-time premiership coach claims the tactic is premediated as he has it from a 'very, very reliable source' that the Panthers 'practice it at training'.
He had a meeting with the head of the referees committee Jared Maxwell earlier this week to complain about what he believes are clear illegalities.
Wayne Bennett has ripped into the NRL for 'leaking' a private conversation they had after he raised concerns over Penrith performing illegal tactics to protect their star playmaker
Bennett slammed the NRL on Friday for leaking the meeting, but admitted he has it from a 'very, very reliable source' that the Panthers 'practice it at training'
Bennett now claims the NRL leaked the contents of this meeting and widened his rage to include the league at a fiery press conference on Friday.
'I do it in privacy and I do it without talking to any media outlets whatever and then all of a sudden you are getting a fair bit of information about it,' he said.
'That is what disturbs me most about all this stuff is that we have got no confidentiality in our game whatsoever and I think it is pretty poor.'
The Panthers play the Rabbitohs on Saturday night in their qualifying final that is set to become a grudge match.
Bennett raised the concerns particularly in reference to the sides' recent meeting where the Rabbitohs spilled three towering bombs from Cleary which turned the tide of the game - with the Panthers coming back to win 25-12.
He also raised similar complains during the State of Origin series last year, alleging NSW were using similar tactics to protect Cleary against his Queensland side.
Bennett claims the Panthers are illegally stopping opposition players from pressuring Cleary kicks, allowing the star playmaker extra time
