Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sat Nov 09, 2019 11:49 am  

Bennett lifted England when he first arrived but has taken us as far as he can now. Agree with others that it is clear he doesnt watch SL.

England could do with a morale boosting mid season game against a smaller nation, it will be tough to sell tickets for the Ashes tour based on what weve seen the last 2 weeks.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:36 pm  

If you want to visualise the shocking decline of British RL go to Twitter, search ‘Andrew Ferguson’ ‘@AndrewRLP’ and see the charts he’s just put up of cumulative points v Aus and NZ. They rather support my point.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:54 pm  

Dally wrote:

If you want to visualise the shocking decline of British RL go to Twitter, search ‘Andrew Ferguson’ ‘@AndrewRLP’ and see the charts he’s just put up of cumulative points v Aus and NZ. They rather support my point.

That's an indictment on coaching in this country. We just don't produce players with a high enough skill level.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:59 pm  

puroresu_boy wrote:

That's an indictment on coaching in this country. We just don't produce players with a high enough skill level.

To some degree I agree - from what I’ve seen skill and creativity are actively coached out. The fundamental problem though is a lack of kids playing the game. Until or unless we increase the number 10 fold we’ll keep losing.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:12 pm  

I don't think skills are necessarily the problem. I just think our backs, in particular don't develop enough physically between 18 and 25. You can probably count on one hand the number of backs we've had in the last 20 years who could match the opposition's physicality. It looks men against boys at times.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:15 pm  

Of the Ashes series I have seen both in England and Aus. I would select the 1984 team as the worst. Captained by Noble with Hanley on the wing and Schofield at centre. Lost 3-0. 1979 team out here ran it close also losing 3-0.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:27 pm  

Until the RFL and Super League come to understand that they need to develop the game at the grass roots in London, Birmingham, Leicester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast, there will be not enough talent emerging in the future for England or Great Britain to become a successful international competitor.

I would hope that we will soon see the return of franchising, with a Super League team from London and at least one of the other big cities mentioned above, as this would greatly help this process of grass roots development of talent.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Mon Nov 11, 2019 12:48 am  

Too many has been's and never was players from the NRL playing in Super League, because certain clubs have been to lazy to develop British talent

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:54 am  

Sinfield's comments on Bennett's contract scare me slightly: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/50367304 ""Look at this series and the players that are missing," he added. "There's Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Burgess, James Roby, Luke Gale, Kallum Watkins, Tommy Makinson, Mark Percival." Is he deluded!!?? SOL - Soon to retiire SB - Medically retires Roby - Although for me a better option than Hodgson, is close to the end of his career Gale - Hasn't played for 2 years Watkins - has never recovered from injury. I will give him the other 2, as well as people like Tom Johnstone, Manfredi etc. Sounds like he might get a deal to the World Cup due to his last performance in getting to the final.

Sinfield's comments on Bennett's contract scare me slightly: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/50367304 ""Look at this series and the players that are missing," he added. "There's Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Burgess, James Roby, Luke Gale, Kallum Watkins, Tommy Makinson, Mark Percival." Is he deluded!!?? SOL - Soon to retiire SB - Medically retires Roby - Although for me a better option than Hodgson, is close to the end of his career Gale - Hasn't played for 2 years Watkins - has never recovered from injury. I will give him the other 2, as well as people like Tom Johnstone, Manfredi etc. Sounds like he might get a deal to the World Cup due to his last performance in getting to the final.

Re: Is this the worst GB team in history? : Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:01 pm  

Freddie Miller. wrote:

Of the Ashes series I have seen both in England and Aus. I would select the 1984 team as the worst. Captained by Noble with Hanley on the wing and Schofield at centre. Lost 3-0. 1979 team out here ran it close also losing 3-0.

I agree that both those teams performed badly. But, they had many players who were far better than thei4 current equivalents. For, example 1979 included Eric Hughes, John Woods, John Holmes, Roger Millward, George Fairbairn, David Topliss, Steve Norton, George Nicholls, Mick Adams, Doug Laughton, etc. Even 1984, a weaker squad in my opinion, included Mick Burke, Keith Mumby, Schofield, Hanley, Tony Myler, etc - players head and shoulders above anyone in our current back line.