England made a lot of errors today but still competed. That's real progrsss. The fact we ain't got players to fill a couple of key positions is all that cost us. Bennett can't do anything about that.

Hope he goes. How can you go to a world cup with only 2 centres and 2 wingers then play an undersized 2nd row in the centres?Heighington and T Burgess had no place in that team along with Brown .The team played great today and almost did enough but had zero threat on the left. This perception that the nrl is so far ahead is bollox it's just last year's performances in superleague counted for nothing.Bennett is a rude blinkered dinosaur and can go tiddle himself as far as I'm concerned

The Burgess lads should go over there to sort out their ball retention...

Slightly stunned by any one that wouldn't want bennet to stay on

That's about as close as we have being to beating them in as long as I can remember, we were a couple of % away from beating them today

A couple of errors at crucial times (tom burgess)
Bateman not being able to pass a ball (his defence and effort were outstanding though) so it's cruel to point a finger at him
Losing S O'L, he could have being the difference today

Regardless of the Bateman, lomax and brown selection issue, he worked with what he had and nearly got us there

Perhaps with more time he will
I hope he stays on

For what its worth i hope Wayne Bennett stays on as coach.

Good post.

Its become a bit of a cliche in the modern game, but you really do have to "earn the right" to play the expansive stuff, and you do that by running hard, completing your sets and earning field position. You can try to give the ball air from off the back foot if you want, but it generally doesnt end well. 99% of what England did yesterday was perfect for a test match. But having done the groundwork they panicked when they got a chance to attack.

I really don't think it's coincidence that we have more NRL based players in the England setup than ever and us being able to compete like we did today

Finding world class players in a few key positions is more important than who the coach it.
If you're an English centre, full back or half back, you'd like to think they'd be training the house down this pre season because those positions are still wide open.
George Williams in particular has a lot of work to do, he's got the raw talent, but is too one dimensional at the moment, I hope he gets more responsibility at Wigan next season so he can become a more rounded player, because chances are he won't just be able to pass the ball 5 yards to Liam Farrell, or grubber kick for Joe Burgess to chase whilst playing for England.

Wouldn't bother me if he stayed on but I would prefer Powell to be in the job.

Very true, with the large increases in the NRL salary cap year after year and England’s good showing in the final, I expect a few more of the England squad to be playing in the NRL in the next year or two.

Jermaine McGillvary's value will have gone off the scale after his efforts in the WC.
Along with Widdop, England's 2 stand out performers.
Gale also improved as the tournament went on and perhaps if he had been given the no 7 shirt and chance to find his feet at international level, things may have been a little different.
Left centre was our biggest issue though and with our opposition knowing that our left edge was so impotent, it made their defending somewhat easier.

whats in it for bennett now going forward?

is he really interested in winning the series next year against new zealand??

and by the time the word cup comes round its another 4 years so i think he is odds on to go.

betts maybe step up for now? not sure who else would take the job from england anyway