Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:11 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

The Sydney Roosters bound Wigan star Joseph Burgess has done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be dropped. He has received little ball and no opportunities to run far with it.

The problem is in the halves.

Matthew Smith is a proven incompetent. The successful combination of Daniel McGuire and Robert Burrow needs to be employed immediately.

You mean the same Burrows who has been playing hooker?????

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:30 pm  

People keep repeating, Bateman's no centre, like it's a mantra (and because facile parallels with Sam Burgess and the RUWC are too tempting?). Well, watching the game back on TV last night, I'd say Bateman can certainly be criticised for some individual errors; it could be argued he partly at fault for Nightingale's try, he didn't manage to keep Widdop's (rather ill-directed, to be fair) diagonal kick in play on the touch-line in the first half, and he lost the ball in contact once or twice. What I didn't see was him being a 'poor centre' by failing to release his winger when he had him outside him space. Because this didn't happen. Bateman had a busy game (surely saw a lot more of the ball than Watkins, who was criminally under-used), but that's hardly his fault. he made decent ground with the ball in hand. Watkins and Burgess should have seen more of the ball anyway, but that's a reflection of how the team were directed. Or weren't.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:33 pm  

And I'm one of many who was delighted to see Whitehead in the England side, and yet he's offered nothing. Ferres, on the other hand, had a busy afternoon, and was superb in defence.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:07 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

The Sydney Roosters bound Wigan star Joseph Burgess has done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be dropped. He has received little ball and no opportunities to run far with it.

The problem is in the halves.

Matthew Smith is a proven incompetent. The successful combination of Daniel McGuire and Robert Burrow needs to be employed immediately.

You mean the same Burrows who has been playing hooker?????

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:13 pm  

I'd switch Hall and Burgess over so Burgess will play on the same side as who he's played with all year, stick Hall with his team mate and we know he can play on the right too.

: Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:34 pm  

Hardaker

Burgess
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall

Williams
Smith

Graham
Hodgson
Hill
Westwood
Bateman
Oloughlin

Roby
Burgess
Cooper
Ferres

Williams and smith have played together all season, and whilst smith has been quiet, they can just slot in and work off their partnership.

Westwood brings experience and aggression which I don't think whitehead provides, and Farrell is not up to the job I don't think. Bateman is but he is a second row and not a centre so he goes in for Farrell.

However it wouldn't surprise me one bit if we had exactly the same 17 as the last 2 tests.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:38 pm  

So bring in smith because he is average and quiet but plays for Wigan. I've no doubt thats what Mac will do sadly.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:52 pm  

Hardaker
Hall
Watkins
Cudjoe
McGillvary
Widdop
Gale
Graham
Roby
Hill
Farrell
Ferres
O'Loughlin

Houghton
Westwood
Burgess
Cooper

[Ex-Swarcliffe Rhino]

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:02 pm  

TBF using already established pairings is the way to go. Smith despite his obvious polarising effects on other teams fans has formed a good solid halfback pairing with Williams this year in a pretty dominant team, he knows him inside and out, what he can / cant do and the confidence of playing at home, in front of his own crowd and a familiar playing partner really is the way forward, he will have more confidence in being vocal with Smith than perhaps being more timid around the NRL Superstar in Widdop perhaps being a little overawed by him and leaving a little more decision making to him than he probably should have.

Using tried and tested partnerships surley should be a no brainer.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:04 pm  

Towns88 wrote:

Luke Gale has been the most consistent, influential English half back in super league this year. A real poor decision from Mac to overlook him for the first two tests. An actual centre should be playing too, not a makeshift.

same with Danny Brough in 2013, McNamara has previous in not selecting form players over his "club England" mates.