Re: Your England Team : Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:11 pm  

Bateman took a bang to the head early doors and probably wasn't right afterwards. Would go some way to explaining a below par performance. Size is not an issue with him much as it wasn't with Billy McGinty all those years ago.

Re: Your England Team : Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:55 am  

DannyT wrote:

Bateman took a bang to the head early doors and probably wasn't right afterwards. Would go some way to explaining a below par performance. Size is not an issue with him much as it wasn't with Billy McGinty all those years ago.

dont think he was poor thought both packs negated each other with some very good defense

Re: Your England Team : Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:11 am  

First comment I have is regarding the Burgess twins. They simply make too many basic errors at this level. When a game is going to be as tight as Test matches should be their ability to lose focus and poor ball retention will always kill us. It was the same in the World Cup Semi.

Sarg was woeful needs dropping. Bateman unfortunately is nullified at this level in the pack due to the size and strength of the opposition. Percivall for me is also too lightweight for this level so I would like to see Bateman playing centre.

Apart from the interception I thought Widdop played reasonably well and Gale did ok too, however I think we missed a trick not playing Williams who is a more natural runner and takes on the line which could have been crucial as the big Kiwi's tired.

Re: Your England Team : Sun Oct 30, 2016 9:41 am  

Madderzahatter wrote:

Hodgson didn't really stamp his authority on the game for me, especially when he came on for that second spell. Just didn't get it in his hands enough. Widdop and Gale just too pedestrian for me, a far cry from and Edwards and Gregory combo. Just far too predictable near their line and neither a game-changer.Thought Cooper did well when he came on. If we'd had a Newlove or Senior out there at centre I'd feel much more confident of us doing something.

Had we had a Newlove or Senior out there we would have been out of sight by half-time , sadly what we have is nowhere near that quality

Re: Your England Team : Sun Oct 30, 2016 11:06 am  

We lost too much intensity when Graham and Hill went off, Gale was ineffectual and Sarginson bombed two tries.

Overall kicking game was poor - too many kicks to their full back and they were allowed to lie on way too much in the tackle, I have never seen second rows take so long to get off the grounded player.

The game was there to be won as I did not think NZ were that good (certainly nowhere need as good as previous NZ teams) but we just lacked that final composure to close the game out and made too many basic errors at key times. Play like that against Australia and they will wipe the floor with us.

Re: Your England Team : Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:36 pm  

Bennett needs to shake the mentality that just cos you ply your trade in the NRL, doesn’t automatically make you the best player in that position. Diabolical that the current MOS, Lance Todd and Harry Sunderland trophy winners weren’t on the pitch on Saturday.

Re: Your England Team : Mon Oct 31, 2016 6:56 pm  

nikos wrote:

Bennett needs to shake the mentality that just cos you ply your trade in the NRL, doesn’t automatically make you the best player in that position. Diabolical that the current MOS, Lance Todd and Harry Sunderland trophy winners weren’t on the pitch on Saturday.

His comments pre game were pretty alarming, he said he is expecting the NRL players to all lead the SL players, can some explain to me how any of the Burgess' or Cooper or Whitehead or Widdop or even Hodgeson are better leaders than Chris Hill? Or arguably Luke Gale?

Re: Your England Team : Mon Oct 31, 2016 7:04 pm  

His arrogance knows no bounds. He'd pick 17 NRL-based English players if he could even if SL ones are better. Sarge will be in the team now until he retreats back to SL.

Re: Your England Team : Mon Oct 31, 2016 7:11 pm  

leedsnsouths wrote:

His comments pre game were pretty alarming, he said he is expecting the NRL players to all lead the SL players, can some explain to me how any of the Burgess' or Cooper or Whitehead or Widdop or even Hodgeson are better leaders than Chris Hill? Or arguably Luke Gale?

Did he say that?

That is extremely alarming. As you point out how can young lads teach a stunning player like Chris Hill any lessons regardless of the league they play in? There are a number of reasons why Hill, Roby, Hall, Lockers etc haven't gone over to the NRL over the years and it isn't because they're not good enough (very far from it).

You can only hope that sort of comment has been mid interpreted.

Re: Your England Team : Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:04 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Did he say that?

That is extremely alarming. As you point out how can young lads teach a stunning player like Chris Hill any lessons regardless of the league they play in? There are a number of reasons why Hill, Roby, Hall, Lockers etc haven't gone over to the NRL over the years and it isn't because they're not good enough (very far from it).

You can only hope that sort of comment has been mid interpreted.

I took the comment as more a mentality and approach to games in the NRL. Bare in mind we are playing the best players from the NRL, Bennet to me was saying that we need to be more consistent and play for 80 minutes, that the England players playing in the NRL can bring some of that mentality and approach to the team and the others followed that lead. It wasn't anything sinister, well that's how I took those comments.