Rugby league's longest club-coach partnership has ended with Brisbane mentor Wayne Bennett informing the Broncos playing squad this morning  he will leave the club at the end of the season.

Bennett, who won six premierships with the club, has been the only coach of the team, which entered the first-grade competition in 1988.

The 58-year-old has not lost the zest for coaching and his resignation will add to the nervousness of Canterbury's Steve Folkes and St George Illawarra's Nathan Brown, who need to have strong seasons to preserve their positions.

Bennett is expected to coach the New Zealand team in the centenary World Cup in October-November.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported exclusively two weeks ago that Bennett would officially announce his plans at today's board meeting of the Broncos.

His position with the Broncos owner, News Ltd, had become untenable.

Bennett was contracted until the end of 2009. However, he requested a meeting with the Broncos' board last night, in which he asked members to accept his resignation - "something the board reluctantly did", a club statement said this morning.

An announcement has been made at the Broncos' Red Hill headquarters - but Bennett was nowhere to be seen, with a club spokesman saying he would not comment to the media this morning.

In a statement released to media this morning, Bennett said he informed members of the Broncos' board on December 10 last year of his intention to resign at the completion of this season.

"I was requested to take a 'cooling-off period', which I agreed to," Bennett said.

"If my position had not changed by the end of January 2008 it was agreed that my intentions would be made public after the scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, February 5.

"Last night I officially informed the board of my resignation."

Bennett said his time had come as coach of the Broncos - but not as a coach - indicating he would seek other coaching opportunities next year.

Bennett told his players of his decision before training at the club's Red Hill headquarters where a swarm of media was gathered this morning.

Several of the players expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision.

"Wayne told us this morning," fullback Karmichael Hunt said.

Boom forward Dave Taylor was one to express disappointment.

"I'd be happier if he was staying at the club," said Taylor, who recently extended his contract to the end of next year.

Bennett has also coached the Queensland Origin side to several series wins and coached Australia 16 times between 1998 and 2005.

- with Daniel Sankey and AAP