Brilliant...... news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 100857.stm

Brilliant...... news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 100857.stm

McBanana strikes again...

Ive no problem with James Graham being captain, he will lead from the front. We need someone to be in the refs ear for 80 mins as lets face it Cameron Smith will be doing the same.

I personally think it's a shrewd move. One definatly trying anyway.

Giving him this responsibility may calm him down and force him into a new mind set. Harnessing his tremendous talent to playing and setting the example.

For all my McNamara head shakes, I would have to say I see what he's doing with this. Either a spectacular fail or a fantastic piece of mind management!

Seeing as he spends all his time talking to the referee anyway making him Captain should reduce the number of penalties he gives away.

In terms of whether he is worthy. Well, in my opinion, a Captain should be:-

1) An excellent player
2) An automatic first choice
3) A leader vocally; and/or
4) A leader by example

Say what you like about James Graham but he ticks those boxes. It also has the added advantage of winding the Wiganers up who are now no doubt burning effigies of Graham on the basis that 'Lockers' should have been made captain.

The same 'Lockers' who had the captaincy taken off him and shared around the club?

And the same Lockers who was pushed forward by the rest of the leadership team to firstly collect the shield and then to captain on GF day.

Everyone knows who the real captain still is, even if he is rubbish at making speeches.

I just don't understand Graham tbh, quality player and all but I would have given it to Lockers. Can't really see the reasons why it wasn't.

nice act for the fans that one. Local lad to pick trophy up first. Suppose it had to be 1/5th of the Captain

I think it is a good choice.

Like people have said good choice as he will lead from the front and his passion will help spur everyone on hopefully.

I would have given it to Westwood

Good luck to him, at least he's a player who can hold his own against the Aussie forwards and will earn their respect.

I'd of given it to Lockers or Ellis.

Do you know anything about their ability to be a captain? Ellis doesn't strike me as the vocal type. Seems a very quiet, calm character. O'Loughlin was basically replaced as captain of Wigan in favour of every senior player being called a 'member of the leadership team'. He strikes me as an Andy Farrell kind of captain, one who stands hands on hips looking at the floodlights as the Aussies stroke over the 15th conversion.

Compared to Graham who would throw his dummy in the air to try and put them off

then throw his losers medal into the crowd like at this years GF!

Its a good choice. He'll lead from the front, he will show loads of passion and wont accept any slacking from his team. Ellis and O'Loughlin are both senior players who have respect of the team, but they are not inspirational leaders.

Its a positive move.

Engalnd should have follwed Wigans lead and had a group of captians.

I heard the Leeds players wanted some more stuff to sell on ebay so asked him

Right off the irony scale that Sally

Seems pretty straight forward to me.....The captain, who is the best player and most respected by the opposition, gets injured and is replaced by the second best player, and the second most respected in the squad....Seems logical.

McNamara does know that the England captain doesn't have to be a prop.

Personally I think O'Loughlin would have made a better captain. I don't see Ellis as a leader, and Burgess is too young. I won't complain about Graham being selected though, as in my mind he would have been behind O'Loughlin.

No chance of that - only the finalists get a medal in 4 Nations...

[url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/10/19/RUGBYL_England_Nightlead.htmlComments by a couple of his team mates.[/url