you f*cking kidding me ginger minge?

Ryan bailey hasn't been selected for top rep honours since 2004 (is that correct?). That's 6 years.

If anything, graham is laughing at baileys pathetic stats.

I have to agree with you on this one.

Lee Briars has had similar dummy spits and It hasn’t effected his leadership in this years European cup where he’s captain and led them to the final. Just seems to me that some people are trying to overdo it with the TMFMISL stuff.

Whilst I’m disappointed that Ryan Bailey isn’t in the squad this year, I don’t let that fact blind the fact that James Graham would make a good captain. You only have to look at his work rate and all that’s been won at the man of steel awards over the past three or four years.

FGB 1 TMFMISL 0

Missed the point (not really a surprise...)

If Bailey can wind him up easily the Aussies will have a field day

Our pack doesn't play as well as Australia as a unit. We have some good individuals, but as a unit they don't do the things that make and save points - getting across in cover (or being in the right place in the first place) to help out in defence, dummy runs and knowing when to make the extra man in attack. We have plenty of forwards who are physically up to it - their stats in taking the ball up will look OK, as will their tackles up the middle. But the overall quality of what they do is way behind Australia.

Do NOT like James Graham, but cant really complain about him being captin, not too other options, and he is a good player, and will lead by example, cant really fault his work rate.

I do get the point made regarding BAILEY though. Think the point was missed.
I do worry that he could get wound up very easily by the aussies and NZ

I'm with Saints fan on this one Loz. The guy ouzes passion and he only gets wound up because he doesn't accept failure. IMO I'd like to see more Leeds players "lose it" like him when we are down in big games. And no, it's not a sign of him capitulating under pressure. It's a sign of pride. Even if he has a quiet game he still puts in 100% and his stats speak for themselves. As much as Leeds fans hate him for his petulance there's no arguing that he's the best prop in the country. And if not wanting to fail is a bad thing you can see why we have been losers for 30 odd years.

Finally. A realistic assessment of our international pack. Never bought into this "we match the Aussies in the pack."

We don't and we haven't.

My surprise at this appointment is not based on his commitment or value to the team.
Indeed IIRC he captained the England academy team to victory over the Aussies.
However, he does not captain his current club, he should not IMV be on the pitch for the entire game and there is in the squad the current captain of the Grand Final winning team who is likely to play for the full 80 minutes.

Hayne has become the latest Aussie to pull out of the the 4Ns because of injury.

Yep and they've called up Lote Tuquri!

No strength in depth.

OK.

So why was Jamie Peacock captain of England?

Did you apply the same stipulations to him WRT his appointment?

How's he been doing since coming back to RL?

What i've seen of him mate he's still a real hand full and will relish facing our backs!

Am I the only one who thinks O'loughlin shouldn't be an automatic pic for the side, let alone captain.

For me, Mcbanana has got it right on this occassion, due to a distinct lack of leadership options in the squad

Another specious argument.
But carry on some time you may hit the spot.

There's nothing specious about my argument.

[uYou said[/u:
[i"[James Graham does not captain his current club, he should not IMV be on the pitch for the entire game and there is in the squad the current captain of the Grand Final winning team who is likely to play for the full 80 minutes"[/i

[uI responded with[/u:
[i"So why was Jamie Peacock captain of England? Did you apply the same stipulations to him WRT his appointment?"[/i

Care to answer why you've applied a particular set of criteria for arguing against the appointment of James Graham as England captain, whilst overlooking the very same set of criteria in the case of Jamie Peacock and his appointment as England captain?

Specious & fallacious but do carry on.

I very rarely disagree with you mate but this one time I do



I think Ellis would have the job superbly, knows the Aussie game & players and is likely to stay on pitch for 80mins

Naive I know but the captain of the current champions might have been the logical call to make...but this is McNamara - worst ever coach of an England/GB touring RL side...carnage

Should McNamara's England touring side avoid losing by a margin of less than 48 points, I assume you'll confirm that not to be the case at all, and furthermore that Tony Smith is the worst ever coach of an England/GB touring side instead?

I'm assuming you've forgotten about his embarrassing RLWC08 record of carnage which included a lot of Leeds players in the squad like Peacock, Sinfield, McGuire, Senior, Burrow, Smith and JJB.

No-one could argue that Graham lacks passion. Personally, I'd agree that he's England's best prop. However, his dummy spits tend to occur in the games in which he's being at his least effective. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single one in which his petulance has had a galvanising effect, either on himself or on his team. Contrast that with Peacock who, in a similar situation, tends to dig deeper. Having said that, it's possible that the captain's role might lead to greater maturity in Graham's on-field demeanour. If so, he's the right choice for me.

Steve Mac failed massively at his long reign at Bulls.

He buckled, he sweated, he was rubbish.

So give him the England gig?

A complete joke. The position is laughable.

We were inept under Smith, I don't know what this 'tard can bring to the party apart from a bigger blow out.

Then look at France's 'coach'.............

European international rugby should be scrapped.

Thats twice youve dodged a perfectly good question

One of the current Champions five captains isn't he?

It's the future and surely McNamara has missed a trick here. Having a new man in charge every week could be invaluable, at least he won't be tarnished by leading the team the previous week.