THE second time Garth Brennan ever met Phil Gould was at the McDonald’s at Gosford, but there would be no time to split a McHappy Meal.

Told by one of his two coaching idols, Wayne Bennett, that he would have a diminished role at the Newcastle Knights in late 2011, Brennan gave Matthew Johns permission to see what else might be out there.

A few days later the other coach whom he aspired to emulate gave him a call.

After an initial meeting at Penrith Panthers HQ, the pair agreed to meet halfway, Brennan driving 45 minutes south from Newcastle and Gould an hour up the M1 from Sydney for a meeting that would last no longer than five minutes.

Round 20

The quickly-agreed-to outcome was that Brennan would work for Gould at the Panthers as the club’s under-20s coach.

He would spend five years and win three lower grade titles at the foot of the mountains but it was the regular meetings with Gould that in the long run may prove most valuable.

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Five games into his NRL coaching career at the Gold Coast Titans, Brennan returns to Penrith this Sunday buoyed by two wins on the trot and by the memories he forged in Sydney’s golden west.

There will be catch-ups with friends, a beer or two after the game and another informal ‘meeting’ with Gould, although this one far less awkward than their first.

Garth Brennan poses with his family and the last piece of silverware he won at the Panthers, the 2017 Intrust Super State Championship title. Photo: Mark Metcalfe Source: Getty Images

“Everyone in rugby league would have to admit that ‘Gus’ can be a rather intimidating figure in the game, there’s no doubt about that,” Brennan tells foxsports.com.au.

“When I first met him there was that feeling but he made me feel really comfortable at the club and been not just a mentor but a really good friend to me since the time I went down there.

“He’s been a great support to me.

“There were two guys I looked up to as a young coach coming through and that was Wayne Bennett and Gus.

“When Wayne got the job at Newcastle it was something I was really excited about, thinking I might have had a chance to work under Wayne but it wasn’t meant to be.

“I got to work under Gus and it certainly made me into the coach that I think I am today.”

Often triggered by an e-mail sent by Gould at 3am as he contemplated the current state of rugby league and the Panthers’ place in it, the pair spent hours dissecting the more intricate aspects of the game.

With a background in the police force, the ability to manage men is something that Brennan has long considered a strength but the ability to pick the brain of one of rugby league’s smartest minds was an opportunity he remains thankful for to this day.

Considered an outsider by some, Brennan’s lower grade credentials and high-profile support saw him chosen as the Titans’ third head coach in the club’s history. Photo: Jason O'Brien Source: Getty Images

“He’s got a really good balance between a man manager and a student of the game,” Brennan says.

“He knows his stuff about footy. There wouldn’t be too many smarter guys in the game than Phil Gould but he also related very well to the players and his staff.

“He’s got that really good mentoring relationship and really good man management skills. It just makes him the complete package as far as a coach goes.

“Dealing with different individuals under different circumstances in my policing days that was something that I related really well with but Gus really helped me with the intricacies of the game.

“We spent many days and emails and text messages talking football and styles of play and things like that, which was a fantastic education for me.

“When you love your footy and you’re a student of the game, to have the luxury to sit down and talk football with Phil Gould …

“It’s something that I’m still a little bit humbled by, the fact that I had the opportunity to work with such an icon of the game.”

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When Neil Henry was sacked as coach of the Titans late in the 2017 season a host of influential figures within the NRL stepped forward to sing Brennan’s praises.

There was an exhaustive process of selection but many were convinced from the outset that the job was destined to be Brennan’s.

Since getting the nod last October he has maintained regular contact with Gould, who has shared his insights into the trappings that can befall young coaches and offered his encouragement after each of Gold Coast’s three wins to date.

Penrith Panthers general manager Phil Gould continues to advise Brennan, including such things as how to best handle the media. Photo: Toby Zerna Source: News Corp Australia

Whichever way the result goes on Sunday there will be handshakes exchanged but Brennan is not waiting by the phone for a heart-to-heart in the build-up.

“I heard from him after the Broncos game but I probably won’t hear from him this week,” Brennan admits.

“He’s just there in case I need to bounce any questions off him.

“Obviously after the Dragons game you start to question yourself as a coach sometimes. That’s what coaches do, they’re always trying to challenge themselves in certain ways so it’s good to have someone like Gus to have a chat to sometimes.

“We talk regularly, either by text or on the phone so I’m looking forward to getting back there to challenge ourselves against a team that’s a real premiership threat this year.”