Is this the same Wayne Bennett that won six premiership titles at Brisbane (they have not won one without him) and became the most successful Grand Final coach in history?

It is fair to say that you prefer one player over another. I admire Ratchford as having that ability to make something from nothing but he also has a few mistakes in him so you takes your pick..... I admit that I thought our backs were a bit lightweight but they stood up brilliantly considering the way that the Kiwis were steaming in. We just seem to be the worst winners in the world. Why can we not just say how good the Kiwis are and measure our performance accordingly? Well done to the team.

There were some decisions that were questioned Gildart/ Connor over percival, makinson over johnston but I think those players picked played well. Makinson does have the ability to raise his game. The team went well for a first outing together. Hodgson was below his usual standard. Any official reason as to why O'Loughlin made a brief cameo?

Repeat of his calf injury.

Thats not the point I was making, he has been making odd choices, over the course of this season with Brisbane it's been his own choice and they got rid. However with England he had a friendly 4 days (?) after a grand final so he couldn't knit the finalists into his ideal team but that wasn't his fault thats just a bad organisation call(again) from people who get paid to know better. Surely they could have waited another week but this years GF did seem to run a week over from the previous years. Bennett in the prematch interview was making it clear he didn't want to pick Tomkins nor Williams, motivational? maybe but he didn't select them last year (Kevin Brown?) and most of the other fans have voiced their opinions on those 2 being selected which is to be expected. But for me the big issue, if it is true, is the legacy of central contracts which forces him into a choice he doesn't want to make. On one hand we want to keep players in league but its at the detriment of the national side and that's what we are trying to improve.

Shame, but it's about time he admitted his body isn't up to it anymore before he does himself some serious damage for his later life.

Seems like its just the troublesome calf muscle that takes him out of games - shame as the rest of his body is coping fine.

If Lockers wants to carry on playing club rugby he simply must give up internationals IMO. I’d have insisted on it when he was signing his new deal or else I’d have probably let him walk away. He needs all the rest he can get and after clearly not being right in the Semi or Grand Final, he should’ve sat out this series.

Agree with this. He’s a legend in my eyes but the end appears to be nigh.

Nail on the head there. Facts dont lie.

Yes, couldn't agree more. Jiffy (was it?) kept banging on about how Connor was doing it all wrong cos he was pointing his shoulder in the wrong direction, or some such, but it looked like he did OK in attack and defence to me. And as for Gildart, well, he didn't see that much of the ball, but again did little wrong, and when he got his half-chance in attack, boy, did he take it!

i wonder how this will pan out with regard to selection for Anfield? Is Widdop out for the series? I wonder who'll play in the backs next week.

Yeah Widdop not in the squad. The only change I’d make is Joe Greenwood in for Lockers with Thompson starting and Greenwood on the bench. We can’t start messing about with the combinations now and I think the spine went reasonably well. Josh Hodgson continues to look like he wants to impress English crowds a little too much but he improved as the game went on.