Bennett's wishes granted

[Caboosegg]

All the complaints about McBananna however he was improving the squad (albiet slowly)with English born players.

this cannot be good for English RL,

1.players motivation to try obtain a spot in the squad - you could be the best winger in SL but Bennett would prefer the NRL player who is a aussie....

2.crowds, i want to watch a English England team play not a bunch of none english NRL players in a england shirt, its about national pride in the sport.

3.how is this building up for the england squad? Bennett was brought in to move england to the next level, a short term fix with none english NRL players isnt the way, he should be looking at the current and up and coming english talent base for more than just what he can poach for the broncos.

[Owd Codger]

Blake Austin available for England


http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_228 ... gland.html

At this rate there will be NO English born players in the squad, only Aussies with heritage going back to the convicts!!!

What a farce?

What about players from England like Bobby Fulton, born in Warrington playing for Australia.

Any different?

[josie andrews]

Blake Austin available for England


http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_228 ... gland.html

At this rate there will be NO English born players in the squad, only Aussies with heritage going back to the convicts!!!

What a farce?

What about players from England like Bobby Fulton, born in Warrington playing for Australia.

Any different?

I'm not bothered about the Aussie team, I'm bothered about the England team!

As much as I want it to be successful, I want British born players not someone who's great grandfather went to school, played in his garden & shook hands with an English man back in the day!

[old hooker]

I dont agree with overseas players being selected for England but everyone else does it.Lets face it we do not have a wealth of talent particularly in the backs so if we want to win a major tournament we may have to pick the likes of Hodgkinson and Austin.

[moto748]

Austin is a talent but still a work in progress. Hodkinson is deeply ordinary (decent goal-kicker, though).

I would be mightily unimpressed with an England team full of NRL players."More than half"? Even Sam B hardly merits automatic inclusion on this season's form. And I can't imagine he's thinking about Hardaker.

So, automatic choices: Graham and Hodgson. Probables: Sam B, Widdop. Possibles: Whitehead, the Burgess twins.

[Owd Codger]

How can players born here, but playing in the NRL not be considered for selection?

It is players players born in Australia who should not be considered!

[moto748]

Nobody is saying players born in England won't be considered. That would be just daft.

I reckon anyway we have enough decent players in SL that we shouldn't need the like of Austin or Hodkinson. Or Reed, for that matter (I know he's injured). Is Austin *that* much better than, say, Sneyd or Gale? I don't think so. Plus, y'know, he's an Aussie...

As I said upthread, I only see two stone-cold certainties for the run-on side in the NRL, Graham and Hodgson.