I’m confused. England beat a very good Kiwi side and rather than praise the performance of the team we are going to slate players mainly because they play for our closest rivals?

Everything right there that is wrong with and holding the spirt back,

Got to love rugby league “fans”. Killing the game from the inside.

Maybe it's because he knows what he is doing?

Thats what was said before the game kicked off so we are entitled to have an opinion about a very average player if he is on a central contract and gets selected automatically rather than on merit no matter who he plays for.
As for Bennett, in the main he still has his scruples but he went a season at Brisbane without 2 proper half backs thinking he knew better and they came up far too short of the top teams, now Brisbane have moved him on.

Dont be confused, im just one person voicing an opinion, you know, like you have done for years with Wane? I have never rated Lomax and would prefer Ratchford at 1 if Tomkins must play 7.

The pounding Williams and Tomkins are getting on social media is pathetic. I thought both had solid games and took pretty good options throughout. Sams long kicking game found the men at times but they’d dropped their wingers/fullback so far back that’s akways going to happen. I thought he organised well, brought others in to play and scored a try. As for Williams he tested the line on a few occasions without going over board, he defended well as usual and he showed good composure towards the end of the game getting the ball in to touch to take time out the game.

Fans here are so biased towards their own teams that they love to kill our own players. All I heard in the days leading up to the games was how the superstar Joseph Manu and Masters in the other centre would have our two on toast. Well our lads more then held their own and I’d say both got the better of their opposite number. I hardly noticed that Manu was playing which says a lot about how well Jake Connor played.

We’re so down on our own lads it’s untrue! We love to build up these NRL lads like they’re gods whilst slating our own yet we produce plenty of players who are more then capable of going to the NRL and not only holding their own but dominating, like guys like Graham, Burgess and Whitehead are doing.

Couldn't agree more NK. The parochialism in rugby league is embarrassing. Anyone would think we had lost that test to the Kiwis... You know, like those amazing players from Australia did 2 weeks ago!

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.