Brilliant.

So because you don't agree with the squad you're going to support a different country?

Is that because you like Guinness or are a big fan of the Corrs?



Let's be honest, some of the players in that squad are a ing joke but to turn your back on supporting your country because you don't agree with it is an embarrassment.
I hope my club's players have great tournaments for whatever country they represent but ATEOTD I'll be behind whatever England team takes the field 100%. Some top quality players in that squad, it's just a shame there are some BARLA standard ones in there too! (No offence to BARLA btw!)

Spot on. Don't fully agree with the squad but if you didn't agree with your clubs matchday 17 would you then supprt the other side

I'm only a casual RL follower so I have no idea if it's a good squad or not. I just hope we're competitive in the group game against Australia (not 52-4 like in 2008!) and that we can finally beat NZ in a semi final (having lost in 2000, 2008, 2013).

Having watched England and Great Britain since 1990 I'm not expecting anything, just hoping.

It's been a long process tbh but my minds made up. I have not been enthused by the international game since the side 2000's tbh. Wayne Bennett as coach was the last straw. If you can't find a British coach to coach the national team of RL's second biggest comp then whats the fecking point.

Even if I believed for one moment that Bennett actually gave a stuff I'd still be against it on principle. At least when Tony Smith had the job he knew the British game. Then to rub salt into the wound they appoint Betts as his assistant - seriously the mans a waste of space. Wheres the inspiration and the passion all Betts ever does is blame.

If I'm crazy fine but I've ha enough - not stopping you am I? I hope it works out for you but it won't.

Lomax was always going to be in the squad - would look a bit daft of one of the RFL's ambassadors wasn't in it!

What I want to know is what messers Anderson, Betts, Sculthorpe and Wellens bring to the party. Betts' side finished bottom and Anderson got fired from Huddersfield. Wellens and Sculthorpe have no experience or coaching at a high level unless I've missed something. Bennett, by surrounding himself with these buffoons hasn't done himself any favours, imo.

Seems like those were RFL appointments to me.

The other 3 have spent large parts of the season resting up, whether that be sidelined or on the pitch, so I expect they're quite fresh.

Bennett is the wrong man for the job.Seems negative about our chances and puts down the players in the Superleague.This squad it seems has been picked by someone who has ignored a whole season ? Mcnamara was a poor choice and I was glad to see the back of him and on paper Bennett has all the experience in the world but every interview I see or media I read from him is negative and basically I get the impression he couldn't care less?
In my memory of international RL we have more than matched Aus in forwards but their centres and wingers always seemed as big as our 2nd rowers, yet fast as well and their half's make key plays at key moments. Fine margins .They are not unbeatable but certainly deserve respect .I feel Bennett doesn't believe we can win.He may be correct but picking players on 2 years ago form certainly doesn't help.Another few year wasted but if/when we flop at least he will go.

Singo is in the Ireland squad.

Yes, I mean what has Wayne Bennett ever achieved? The old we match them in the forwards argument is ridiculous. Only Sam Burgess and James Graham would get into the Austrailia squad. That doesn’t mean we have no chance of winning, Leicester city won the premiership after all, but if we do it will be an incredible achievement from Wayne Bennett, who has already won a World Cup with New Zealand.

Wahey! There it is. Phew, thought no one was going to match how our forwards are as good as the aussies. They aren't and never have been.

Regards

King James

Our packs of years gone by have certainly been much stronger than this current one - whether they were a match or better than Aus is debatable, but what's certain is the likes of Peacock, Morley, Ellis, Sculthorpe, Farrell, McDermott, Fielden, Newton, Cunningham would have walked into the current pack - even blokes like Joynt and Anderson would be certainties.
For all James Graham has been a fantastic player, he'd get nowhere near the Aus team on current form. Burgess would get in the squad, but I don't even think he'd be a guaranteed starter currently.

The pack is least of concerns. What is worrying is the comparisons of halves and centres, and probably fullback now as well.

Has always been the way. You can't beat the best without quality half backs.

England lag so far behind. Thurston can quit rep football but Australia but it doesn't kill Australia.

Bennett's public persona has always been as a permanently downbeat, negative person. From all accounts once away from the media he's very different, and a lot of what he does is instill belief in players.

Personally, I just don't think we have enough quality players, regardless of the coach.

I thought it was an often quoted theme on this forum that a half back can't perform behind a beaten/dominated pack.

I agree, but on paper looking at all the squads we have an opportunity to at least make the WC final again for the first time since 1995 which would be a step in the right direction.

If we can make it playing some good rugby and compete in the final then i think that would be a good result.

exactly.

I never said Bennett was a poor coach I said he wasn't the right guy for our national side.

Regards

King Dong

Getting like football this, every forum you go on all the posters are happy to say their best players aren't going to the WC so they can have a full preseason or get over injuries etc. Shows the mentality of the modern day fan - club first, country second - and I feel that is the case with a lot of players these days too. More so for football, especially when it comes to friendlies, but see more and more of it happening in RL, so it's no wonder England/GB never do anything in tournaments.

I think it's two-fold; some of it is sour grapes - in that the same people saying they are glad their best players aren't involved would be lauding their inclusion were it to have happened.

Secondly, I think lots of people have lost interest in England RL because we've had years of crap coaching, strange selections and failure to perform - and now we have an Aussie coach who seems to be doing the job against his will, and can't summon up an ounce of enthusiasm for the media or supporters to latch onto.

yep. I appreciate what a good club coach Wayne Bennett is before people jump in with that, it's undeniable, but never saw him as a good fit for the England coaching role. I knew he would have us playing the grind style but that will never beat Australia because they simply play that style miles better than anybody else. We need a passionate coach next, someone who when he gets the best group of players together for short periods makes them feel like they would run through brick walls for the shirt and is aware to what each player actually brings to the table.(Bennett selecting Brown and Ratchford shows he isn't really watching) Yes, i'm talking about Shaun Wane as that man with hopefully Daryl Powell as assistant.

For all the stick McNamara got, from the turn of this decade when we had a poor group of players in general and were as low as i can ever remember on the international stage. he built us back up and got us within hair of a WC Final, 4 nations final away from home and a series victory over the Kiwis it actually feels we have taken a step back with Bennett so far.

That said, i really hope we can go well in this WC and will be fully behind all the lads chosen to represent us.

I'd prefer it the other way around.

yeah, Think you could have it either way really but we all know Powell would do the proper coaching, and just thinking for Figurehead you want Wane, he would be great in the media talking England/GB up to the max complete opposite of Bennett.

McDermott will probably in the mix for the job too, be interesting to see who they go for it's a big call with the international calendar looking pretty decent for the next few years.