Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:28 pm  

Better start giving some new players a go eh if you want them to be ready for the next World Cup.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 7:50 pm  

brearley84 wrote:

ashes in 2019? how many games and what country is that played in?

that would be a good one to focus on for sure

Its a 3 test series in Australia like the old days not sure if there are any other games but it would be nice if we could play any of PNG/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga before the series begins.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 7:54 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

Its a 3 test series in Australia like the old days not sure if there are any other games but it would be nice if we could play any of PNG/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga before the series begins.

Should be a 5 game tour:
Samoa
Fiji
New Zealand
Tonga
Australia.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:11 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

Its a 3 test series in Australia like the old days not sure if there are any other games but it would be nice if we could play any of PNG/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga before the series begins.

Has that been confirmed? The three test series against Australia, I mean.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 9:38 pm  

2 good reasons to keep Bennett:

1). The players seem to want him.
2). Schofield says he should go.

Number 2 is a good enough reason on its own

Re: Wayne Bennett : Mon Dec 04, 2017 11:52 pm  

Trainman wrote:

2 good reasons to keep Bennett:

1). The players seem to want him.
2). Schofield says he should go.

Number 2 is a good enough reason on its own

To be fair to Schoey, he usually raises some pertinent points, and his thoughts on the state of our game are never far from the truth, particularly around creativity and half back play - his main problem is how he gets his message across and the fact the he often slates the current game and talks as though his era were much better against the Aussies - bar the odd result, they weren't really, and they were on a much more level playing field with the Aussies than today's players.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:39 am  

In Schofield's day we were still bringing in RU outside backs of quality, and we still never beat Australia. We haven't had access to that source for over a decade.

What we haven't seen is a halfback (6 or 7) come through with the natural ability of a Schofield or Gregory. In fact I'd say that's part of the problem, we rely on someone magical turning up despite poor development. In Australia every year there's at least one new halfback with real potential somewhere. They don't all make it, but they at least have a pathway. You won't see a new kid in the NRL who can't at least pass and kick accurately, unlike some of the 'halfbacks' starting in SL.

I've said it before, but I'd love the clubs/RFL to pay for someone like Andrew Johns to run a halfback clinic with Academy players once a year. Even better would be to provide decent coaching to them throughout the year, but as ever money would be the issue.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Tue Dec 05, 2017 2:27 am  

Muggins wrote:

Has that been confirmed? The three test series against Australia, I mean.

No. There's talk of us going around the Pacific Islands instead. Either way expect us to be going down south that year.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Tue Dec 05, 2017 12:39 pm  

and talks as though his era were much better against the Aussies - bar the odd result, they weren't really, and they were on a much more level playing field with the Aussies than today's players.

disagree somewhat. 1982 we were blown away out classed in every department, the young lions team of 84 including Schofield were also well beaten but were starting to claw the gap back, 86 we were beaten by they best international term ever assemble, we played well in the first test and played some cracking rugby, we were well beat in the second test and robbed blind in the 3rd. 88 injury hit squad was competitive in every game and famous win in the 3rd. 1990, 1992 (including world cup final) through to 94, all those serious were were not only competitive but we could and should have won one if not all, 1990 was the won we really lost rather than Australia won. Schofield was at the helm for all those serious. we also had Andy Gregory, Shaun Edwards, all time greats, plus pretty good world class halves around like Derek Fox, David Hulme, and Darryl Powell. we really have struggled to produce not more that 5-6 really and i mean really good halves in 20 years of super league. we have had players who look the part but he don't kick on not at international level.

Re: Wayne Bennett : Tue Dec 05, 2017 1:39 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

Its a 3 test series in Australia like the old days not sure if there are any other games but it would be nice if we could play any of PNG/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga before the series begins.

nothing confirmed about these ashes you talk of