Bennett tip to teenaged Aitken comes true
When Euan Aitken was a 15-year-old he received a tip from his new イルカs coach Wayne Bennett to stay a centre and not dabble in 支援する-列／漕ぐ／騒動 play.
That conversation has proven prophetic in a way because Aitken, now 27, is 支援する training in the centres under Bennett at the イルカs after playing the entire 2022 NRL season at the New Zealand 軍人s in the second 列／漕ぐ／騒動, where he was player of the year.
Aitken 解任するd a conversation he had with Bennett in 2011 when he was an up-and-comer in the St George Illawarra system.
"He was still 長，率いる coach there and all he told me to do was play a bit of basketball around footy and to stay in the centres, because I was playing a bit of 支援する 列／漕ぐ／騒動 and centres," Aitken said with a grin.
Most イルカs players have a humorous tale to tell about their 最近の 新規採用 by Bennett, and Aitken is no different.
He had called Bennett about the position he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to play, but the coach hadn't saved his phone number.
"He said, 'You want to play 権利 centre?', but he was asking me rhetorically because he didn't know who was speaking," Aitken said.
"I was like, 'Yeah, I want to play 権利 centre.' Then he goes, 'Who am I speaking to?' Once he knew who, we had a couple of good phone calls. Wayne is going to be good for me this year."
Aitken spent last season based at Redcliffe with the New Zealand 軍人s, so the 移行 to the イルカs on a two-year 取引，協定 after 安全な・保証するing a 解放（する） from the final year of his 軍人s 契約 was seamless.
Moving to New Zealand for the newly married Aitken was not going to 控訴 his personal 状況／情勢, and there was the 誘惑する of Bennett, who he thought would get the best out of him.
Aitken is a strong defender and line 走者 and was touted in 2018 as a NSW Origin chance at centre after a stellar 陳列する，発揮する for the Dragons, where he got the better of former South Sydney superstar Greg Inglis in one memorable 陳列する，発揮する.
"I had a 雑談（する） to Wayne and (centre) is where he 手配中の，お尋ね者 me to have a 割れ目 and where he thought it would probably be best for the team. I am excited to be 支援する there," Aitken said.
"It is going to be a good challenge for me because there is 明白に a lot of 競争 for 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs in this backline.
"The short-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 使節団 is to get that 一連の会議、交渉／完成する one game against the Roosters, play centre and hopefully get a 勝利，勝つ against them at Suncorp Stadium."
