I agree Hodgson has been a little disappointing, but as he's arguably the only world-class player in our squad, talk of not even having him in the 17 seems crazy.

I thought Hodgeson starting 9 and moving to 13 with Clarke at 9 worked well and is the way to go forward.

I'm a big Liam Farrell fan but he didn't seem to involved enough in the Scotland game - the game plan of keeping it up the middle doesn't suit his strengths so I think we go for Adding Graham to the pack to replace Faz.

I thought Gale was v poor 1st half and would have been subbed if we had a replacement, but improved in 2nd. Toss up between him and Widdop.

Lomax had slightly better 2nd half and more involved - would have liked to see Ratchford get some time, but unlikely to happen now.

Sarge is best at Fb but I'm concerned he would get targeted with high bombs and come up with errors.

I agree. Hand on heart, I think I'd trust Ratchford under the high ball more than Sarge.

I agree, we could put any 17 out there on Sunday and the Aussies will win the game.
If we keep it close (under 12 points) then many will be satisfied. We just don't compare with the Green and Gold.
Our only chance is if the Aussies want a final with some atmosphere. They are basically selecting their final opposition.

It does feel that way with how things have gone so far.

I really hope we see some fire and passion at the weekend though, really get stuck into them and try knock them off their game. The problem is, Bennett is trying to get us playing the safety first grind style play that the Aussies do and we are are a far inferior version of that and will lose to them playing it every day of the week. I think we have to be bold and chance our arm a bit, chances are we still lose but it would give us our best hope of the win.

I agree we have to get up and smash em. We have to get them riled up. Also, Thurston appeared to be playing with an injury v NZ. We should get up and hit him every time he passes or kicks.

Whilst we need more direction and linking from the halfbacks, we also need more energy and aggression.

Having sat through England's torpid displays so far and having seen Australia's second gear display against NZ, I would say that it really doesn't matter who England pick as they have no chance.

Bennett has not been able to motivate the team to perform in either game yet. My strong suspicion is that like most Australians who come over to Britain looking for easy money, he will bail when the going gets tough.

Get a British coach, who can motivate players, in the job for the World Cup before this freeloader does any more damage to our game.

agree about the halves, a few more wide running angles from the back rowers would help and options to try and open up the possibility of a bit of space out wide, they haven't had a great deal to work from so far to be fair. we have to look to find our centres more as we know Hall and McGillvary can finish. I just don't think it really fits in with Bennetts game plan to play a bit more off the cuff, but is our only outside chance of getting the points we will need to win imo.

The fact that Bennett got the gig suggests he was the best candidate for the job.
Nobody really rated McNamara but, he was doing just as well as Bennett and he was a fair bit better with the media but, who do you think would be up to or wanting the job.
Looking at the top of SL (which should be where the better coaches are), we have Wane, Smith (who is unlikely to take the job again), Radford & Cunningham (neither are anywhere near ready and are just finding their way as SL coaches or Powell.
So realistically Wane or Powell and do either of them want the job ??
Outside them you have Betts or Harris and they wouldn't be an improvement.

So, please tell us which British coach we should appoint.

I'd have left it with McNamara. Failing that give it to Kevin Sinfield or Paul Sculthorpe or someone recently retired. It's only a part time job and they could have Brian Noble there to help out. Professional sportsmen at the top of their profession don't need a lot of coaching. Keep them fit and happy, organise them and let them play.

Coaching at International level is a Bobby's job. The reason we don't beat Aussie isn't down to coaching. It is down to the fact that they are better. Bennett might be a legend in Aussie but he will be a failure here. The only chances we have is if they play poorly, couldn't care less or if we get some dodgy decisions. None of which Bennett can influence.

I agree regards McNamara, he did a decent job and can count himself unlucky not to still be in charge. For me, the England job is absolutely a role that could be taken up by a British SL head coach like a Wane or Powell part time. It's what Bennett is doing now.

If we stuck with McNamara we would've lost to Scotland.

It's all about the mental side at senior level. We need to be mentally better than them on the day, as they are more skillful. Same in most sports.

You'd give the job to a someone with no first grade coaching experience as opposed to Bennett, wow.

Yes. Without a doubt. As I said international coaching is a Bobby's job.

Bennett is supposed to be the Alex Ferguson of RL coaching. Take a look at Alex Fergusons international record. Or Jock Steins. Or loads of examples.

Do you get the idea that Bennett.is in this for any other reason than to get back at Australian selectors for not giving him the job?

Daryl Powell & Dennis Betts as a part time role. It is only a part time job to be fare would top both there pension funds up as well (Dennis is already doing it).

Bennetts motivation may be up for discussion but, his pedigree as an International coach is not and as for Sinfield or Sculthorpe.
Great players they may have been but England coach, not yet and maybe never.

Also if the post is a "bobby's job", why haven't we won anything of significance since the 60's (apart from the series against the Kiwis last year)

Just as with the round ball game, people always say we want an English coach and in an ideal world I would agree but, we should always appoint the best coach for the job and not because they are English.

Powell would be a good shout.
He has Cas playing some great stuff and he's had a few good seasons at Cas and remember that he searve his "apprenticeship at Fev after taking the Leeds job too soon but, would he want the post, maybe not.

There's a simple reason. We haven't been anywhere as good as the Aussies. I'm afraid the modern myth of the super coach is all pervasive. The team that has the best players usually wins. Nothing to do with coaching at international level. Whereas at club level it very much is.

we won a test series against NZ in his last set of matches, came within a whisker of making a WC final and beating both sides away from home in the two years before that so i don't see how you come to that conclusion.

If we get well beaten against the Aussies at the weekend i don't even think you can argue Bennett has taken us backwards since. He may be a great coach, no disputing his record, but i've seen absolutely nothing to make me think he has made a difference yet.

And Japan in the Union world cup or, Iceland in the recent football debacle.
A top coach is the person who can get the best from their players. Get them in the right frame of mind and have them achieving 9.5/10 performances when they take the field.
Of course, if the coach of both teams does this then, it will come down to ability or maybe a game plan ?

You see it in lots of sports where a group of players enjoy playing and will do anything for their team, something instilled by the coaching staff and the players themselves.
Although they have to have some ability in the first instance, it certainly isn't just down to how good they are.
Also, certain players perform better with other individuals around them, again, something which a decent coach will spot.

Just because a team has the "best" 13/17 players does not mean that they will win and it's naive to think so.

Can't see many changes from the original line up vs NZ. Percival and Williams did enough, but that's it for changes I think.

Lomax
McGilvary
Watkins
Percival
Hall
Williams
Widdop
Hill
Hodgson
Graham
Whitehead
Bateman
Burgess

Clark
Burgess
Burgess
Cooper

We're not exactly playing worse than under McBanana, so if anything Bennet's taking us sideways, not backwards. I wonder if Bennet wasn't Australian would such a fuss be made after two competitive games?

It was his "work" in front of the camera that has caused the biggest problem.
We are supposed to be trying to get more exposure and become "friends" with the media but he acted like my kids used to do, if they didn't want to be somewhere.
Having said that, if the guy can achieve World Cup success, which is why he was appointed, then, anything will be forgiven.
It was embarrassing though.

I was making the point that international coaching and club coaching are very different. Rugby League games tend to be won by the better team on most occasions. In football it is possible to organise your defence and hope for a set piece goal and win with only 20% possession. You can't really do that in RL. If you only have 20% possession you lose. Hence my belief that coaches can only achieve so much in RL.

If we are saying that motivating the team is the coaches primary focus then I really don't see Bennett being of much use to England. I hesitate to say it because I'm a Wigan fan, but Shaun Wane is really the obvious choice. Mind you, I rather hope he doesn't get offered the job, I'm sure he doesn't need the aggravation. And because of Australia's clear superiority in quality and quantity of choice he would be very unlikely to succeed.

Didn't McBanana get criticised for exactly the same thing in the last tournament?