: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:01 pm  

~ No1 Saints Fan ~ wrote:

I think the training squad should help, because the players will have more time together to gel.

Hopefully that does help but I don't think we have more top quality players fighting it out for places in the team will we see a massive improvement. Too many players now know they are pretty secure in their places at the moment and that not good imo.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:07 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

You're almost there.

We saw "the quality" of the Leeds and Saints players in Australia. What's below it is even worse.

It's how we raise the standard all the way through the game, from academy, reserve, NL and Superleague that is the problem.

I just hope this new initiative works.

Forwards wise, we arent far away. Its the backs that we are so far behind with. You look at academy level and we compete in the backs, yet then the young aussies step up their development, in the main, physically and I dont understand why our kids cant develop the same. Ours are just runts compared to them

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:08 pm  

The biggest problem with last year was we didn't play anywhere were near our potential. We had a decent squad, that could have given anybody a match and we played like schoolboys.

The main weaknesses in our squad such as lack of depth and lack of talent in a few positions didn't even come into the equation because we were so poor.

Hopefully the newly announced action plan can improve on things.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:14 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

You're almost there.

We saw "the quality" of the Leeds and Saints players in Australia. What's below it is even worse.

It's how we raise the standard all the way through the game, from academy, reserve, NL and Superleague that is the problem.

I just hope this new initiative works.

I don't agree with your first comment. I don't think we saw the quality of the players. I don't think we even played up to 50% of our potential.

I do agree with the rest of your argument though. The team as a whole still isn't of the same standard as Australia. We don't really have the backs to compete with them, and this is magnified when the PTB is slowed down to NRL standards.

The quality of our backs is a problem that will take a while to solve, but we should at least be giving them a close game. Our forward line IS impressive, and we are good enough to compete and at least give ourselves a chance at causing a shock now and again.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:24 pm  

Take your blinkers off.

That team looked o.k. on paper. I was in a swimming pool with Alex Murphy in Dubai on our way out to Aus and we were discussing the team. We came to the conclusion that it was the worst a backline ever to represent England.

The wonderful forwards struggled against PNG, and were murdered by the Aussies.

I agree squad selection was problem (1 fullback, 4 props and million second row), but we need to face facts that at present we (as a game) are not producing quality players.


Lets just hope the next crop of players are better and there are more of them.

As you probably know the academy/reserve level has been a major concern of mine for years, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:29 pm  

jonnythesaint wrote:

I agree, we was half decent when the GB team was dominated by Wigan players.

was we?

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:33 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

was we?

Half decent, yes.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:36 pm  

Where is this time going to come from to spend together, currently they have no free weekends and how is like 2 days jogging around a field and having publicity pictures and interviews for sky sports news going to improve the England team?

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:41 pm  

Bill_Barlow wrote:

Where is this time going to come from to spend together, currently they have no free weekends and how is like 2 days jogging around a field and having publicity pictures and interviews for sky sports news going to improve the England team?

It'll give them more time to form their cliques and slag each other off behind their backs.

: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:46 pm  

jonnythesaint wrote:

Half decent, yes.

Glad you were listening to my drunken rant in the Gold Coast!

PS

Were further behind Now than we were 15/10/5 years ago!