Just because it's someone's choice, that doesn't mean they can't be criticised for it. There is such a thing as a wrong or stupid choice.

While I certainly agree that the press have relished it, it's not an unimportant issue on the eve of a World Cup tournament that might be very important for the future of the professional game in this country. The players concerned let the England team down and blew their responsibility. Therefore we have every right to be irritated with them.

Hock should watch the Sam Burgess documentary and cringe. That's a lad that's been through hell and worked tirelessly to succeed.

Hock has just as much natural ability but not even 1% of Sam Burgess's class.

I’ve always thought that Hock is a talent, at his best a very good player, but what IMO makes him different from some of the names mentioned in posts on this thread is WILLPOWER, the mental ability to stop the feeling of what he wants to do, and change it for what should be the overriding thought for what he should do, and do that. I think most world class people and sports people have this capability; it may be called strength of character.

I agree with the majority of posts on this thread.

I would go further however. I think that the team should not just go without booze for the tournament but they should go without sex too just like the old prize fighters did.

I mean Hock should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. Never mind looking within the England ranks - why not take the lead from the best players in the world.

Look at his opposite number in the Australian team, Greg Bird. When he finished his degree in Philosophy at Sydney University he joined a Benedictine Monastery and only leaves for matches and training. But Greg is not the only one who dedicates himself to his career in such exemplary fashion.

Just look throughout the whole of the NRL for more shining examples for our Gaz to follow.

I'm off on my high horse now...

That's very well put. I wonder what some of the people who thinks it's ok for players to break the squad rules and have a "few" beers do for a living themselves?

Maybe they blindly follow the rules too - who knows. Personally I don't drink - but I prefer not to judge others who do - providing they can perform on the pitch (or in the office if you prefer)

Steve McNamara had a duty to put out the best England team. He's only had 4 years to prepare for this game. He failed. If anyone seriously thinks that Lee Mossop/the other Burgess is better than James Graham or that Brett Ferres/Ben Westwood is better than Gaz Hock then go ahead, be my guest. I went to the game on Saturday and it was so obvious that England wouldn't sustain their good start because the bench wasn't good enough. That is solely down to McNamara. He chose to leave out better players. And whilst we are at it Micky Mac should have been out there too because Widdop wasn't up to it (meaning that Sinfield was moved to hooker to accommodate him).

When you manage a team you have to find ways of managing all of your disparate resources - not just the ones who are good little boys.

And I'd forgotten about Carl Ablett. Enough said surely...I rest my case.

He chose to leave out the "better players" as they had not conformed to Team instructions.
What happens if he lets them get away with it? They all go out on the Razz this week as the coach won't do anything to me etc.?
And if he did then would it be a case of you didnt pick those players last week so why pick on me this week?
It's got absolutely nothing to do with whether Gaz Hock is better than Brett Ferres, Ben Westwood or whoever. It's got everything to do with trust, preparation, team ethic etc.

Your so Wrong on this one it's untrue.

But I know what I'd have done and apart from naming & shaming the individuals by issuing a statement on the Monday/Tuesday as to what had happened then I would have done exactly the same as McNamara.
Oh, and the same as IL & SW earlier this year!

Ablett, Ferres and Westwood have all been better than Hock this season.

So because others have transgreesed it's ok for our management to let it go?
Not once, not twice but again & again?

I must have missed the bulletin were greg Bird disobeyed Team instructions twice in the lead up to a game and was still selected because he's one of the Better players?
I'm sure the whole of the NRL is littered with players who have not maximised their potential due to off the field issues and an inability to "Focus" on their careers.
Lets call that alright then and tell the rest of the players to do the same?

I'm not sure many of them will be playing in the few weeks upcoming though?
Becuase coaches want players they can TRUST, players that will obey team instructions, players that dont think theyre untouchable and can get away with what they want to as someone will always give them a 2nd,3rd 4th,5th,6th etc chance!
Because when it comes to World cup semi finals, Finals or CC Finals & Grand Finals you don't get a 2nd chance.

Wether they have or they haven't Brian that's not the point.
Gaz Hock was selected, he disobeyed Team instructions etc. and paid the price so for my money I would have selected absolutely any 2nd rower who would have obeyed team instructions that Qualifies before him and if that meant going down to Champonship level then I would have!

Because as soon as you let a player "Get Away" with something then the Rot sets in & your only going to go down a slippery slope.

I've underlined the bits that suggest you are not a fit and proper person to comment on this thread and be taken seriously.

What the Aussies' bad boys do is their own business, but I'll tell you now, I bet none of them - including Bird - were so p*ssed a few days before this Test match that they were physically unable to get out of bed the next morning.

The mind boggles that you can actually belittle the British players who did everything in their power to be as ready for one of the most important games of their lives as they possibly could. That you can mock them for not getting slaughtered on the eve of a very, very important international competition. That you can call on the head coach to dispense with team discipline on the off-chance that one of his more wayward talents might unexpectedly deliver a performance (and not get sent off).

Are you on some kind of 'working class hero' kick? Are you another of these guys who fawn over the rebels among us, regardless of how much or how little they actually have to rebel against? Maybe you're one of those advisers Gareth has been relying on for the few years to ensure that his career ends up totally on the rocks?

Sorry, but your last two posts on this thread were pathetic and you should retract them straight away.

I agree, the point I was making as that Hock was lucky to be selected in the first place and as such should have being doing everything he could to justify his selection instead of being an idiot and letting his teammates and the England staff down.

And the England fans.

Discipline.

I'd argue that McBanana didn't drop the players, it was the players' decision to go boozing that got themselves dropped.