Bennett ready to fire for finals: Boyd

Brisbane skipper Darius Boyd has provided a rare insight into Wayne Bennett's mindset ahead of the NRL finals.

And the news isn't good for Sunday's NRL elimination final opponents St George Illawarra.

In his 13th season under Bennett, Boyd said the seven-time premiership-winning coach was primed to take his game to another level as Brisbane strive to break their 12-year premiership drought.

In his 25th season at the helm, Bennett had already loomed as Brisbane's finals X-factor.

Players have rallied around him in the messy fallout since the Broncos board knocked back his request to stay on until 2020.

But Boyd, who has opted to play his entire career under Bennett, warned the wiley 68-year-old would also be dipping into his sizeable bag of tricks for the upcoming finals.

"I think his game lifts to another level and it is what is needed at this time of year," Boyd said of Bennett's finals mindset.

"It's his excitement around the group or his intensity. He comes up with a few different things around training or our gameplan that we haven't seen before.

"And I notice over the years in certain games against different teams he comes out of his shell a bit more.

"But that's what finals are all about. The big dogs come out to play, whether you are a player or a coach."

Former Brisbane skipper Kevin Walters said Bennett - in his 33rd overall NRL season - may yet prove the difference in the Broncos' 2018 premiership quest.

Walters said Bennett's staggering 64 game finals experience spoke for itself.

"His finals experience is second to none," he said.

"And there isn't too much this time of year that Wayne hasn't experienced as a coach.

"At this time of year it is important you get all the little things right in your game and that is where Wayne Bennett comes into his own.

"I think he will have the Broncos primed and ready for a big performance on Sunday."