Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 12:27 pm  

The worst halfback pairing in an England shirt let England down there.

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 4:04 pm  

Excellent effort from England but the selection policy was defend at the expense of the attack. The selection of Bateman at centre was indicative of this. A very negative selection. How much more effective would England have been in attack with Jamie Shaul at FB Percival in the centre and Widdop at 6. By the way was Brown playing??

[PopTart]

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:39 pm  

It's easy to say Percival should have played but WB wanted a good defence and no mistakes. The sad thing is he didn't feel Percival or anyone else offered that.
Same with Brown. He didn't have the ball in the right places to do his work. We should have had better options but Williams wasn't up to it so we are left with Brown.

The players that played did their best. Widdop was brilliant at full back. He made mistakes at 6 too.

So close. I thought Burgess had a better game at 13 so it's arguable whether SOL missing made a difference but our attack is better when he is on.

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 6:42 pm  

Tom Burgess didn't play as good

I'm no lover of anything Castleford however I think Shenton should have been in the squad

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 7:21 pm  

djcool wrote:

Tom Burgess didn't play as good

I'm no lover of anything Castleford however I think Shenton should have been in the squad

Said he should have been picked before we went. Ateotd if Bennet thinks Percival is undersized at this level and not a great tackler. I think that's where Shenton would have proved the difference, he's a decent sized Centre, good defense and can put his winger away.

Anyway, result apart that was an immense effort from the boys especially the forwards and in defense. But we just failed to convert pressure into points and a few too many silly errors.

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 7:27 pm  

PopTart wrote:

It's easy to say Percival should have played but WB wanted a good defence and no mistakes. The sad thing is he didn't feel Percival or anyone else offered that.
Same with Brown. He didn't have the ball in the right places to do his work. We should have had better options but Williams wasn't up to it so we are left with Brown.

The players that played did their best. Widdop was brilliant at full back. He made mistakes at 6 too.

So close. I thought Burgess had a better game at 13 so it's arguable whether SOL missing made a difference but our attack is better when he is on.

I think Sam would have got up and played his best game wherever he played tbh. People have picked him out as not being near his best this WC but fail to mention he was injured minutes into the first game, so it was always going to be a gradual return to form I thought. Like you say, SOL could have potentially created a bit more with his ball-handling skills for the side.

Makes you wonder what a Bennet coached side with Powell as his assistant could have done instead of Betts.

[PopTart]

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sat Dec 02, 2017 10:39 pm  

That's a fair comment about Sam B.

Agent in also a good call. Plays left and I think would have done well on that side.
Problem is that was probably his last chance. They need to be grooming a younger one for NZ

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sun Dec 03, 2017 9:02 am  

Willzay wrote:

The worst halfback pairing in an England shirt let England down there.

I don't think Brown added anything to the attack at all and that was surely his last game in an England shirt.
I thought Gale's kicking game was generally good and he didn't let anybody down.
Bateman at centre didn't work for me. Not once did I seem him make a break and if he had done he is not fast enough. I'm faster then him.
Good effort though.

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:23 am  

Awesome game of rugby league that! Whatever the selection opinions people have made the fact is we would have beat the Aussies without the error count. Not one player left that pitch without giving his all and Cameron Smith summed it up at the end when he said that was probably the hardest game he's ever played in.

Re: World Cup Final, where to watch? : Sun Dec 03, 2017 2:24 pm  

Trinity1315 wrote:

I don't think Brown added anything to the attack at all and that was surely his last game in an England shirt.
I thought Gale's kicking game was generally good and he didn't let anybody down.
Bateman at centre didn't work for me. Not once did I seem him make a break and if he had done he is not fast enough. I'm faster then him.
Good effort though.

Agree with this.
Gale improved as the tournament went on and seemed finally to get over playing for the National side, especially his kicking game which had been bang average before the final.
Our left side attack was slow and predictable and Bateman, although he went ok, is just not a centre and Ryan Hall must be hacked off at having to play outside him.
McGillvery was superb and Widdop, although spilling one easy ball, was pure class at FB.
Tom Burgess, although a beast of a prop, spills his load too often or, give away cheap penalties.

Overall though, what an effort.
Everything left on the pitch and the Aussies were rocking at the end, they were knackered but, just managed to hang on.