Don't understand your logic here. Manu got the better of Mitchell so you think putting Bateman, a genuine second rower, up against him will be a good move?
Surely you'd put your best centre (Percival) up against him? Manu plays on the right & Percival plays on the left so I think they'll be up against each other.. should be a great battle.
Bennett is the Sam Allardyce of RL, if he can keep the game tight (by playing some dogs who are supposedly defensively sound as opposed to genuine exciting players who can win the game for you) then he will because a close game looks like a great effort and from some people’s perspective the gap between the 2 hemispheres looks small, and also keeps Bennett in his cosy little job at the rfl. Take the World Cup final for instance, 6-0 but England never looked like scoring a try with the players they had on the pitch.
I saw the Kiwi team which had Manu at #4.
In the past few years Bennett has picked Bateman at centre, I wouldn't be surprised to see him do it again. I'm not saying I agree with it, but he may do it again.
http://www.rugby-league.com/article/...for-first-test
Percy, not in Team.
https://twitter.com/ILaybourn/status...63646238900225
Here we go again square pegs in round holes.We'll be whining about it saturday teatime.
Learned comment from The Don
Does this mean Lomax 6, Ratchford fullback?
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Baffles me.
Lomax should be at 6, Tomkins at 1.
Myler at 7 as he's the only 7 in the squad (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)
Wouldn't bother me either Percival or Gildart at left centre as I rate both of them
Connor right centre
You can't throw someone it at scrum half, particularly when they've got Johnson who is rather good. It's daft. It's a specialist position and a key role. Don't see the Aussies chucking Tedesco in at 7.
Tomkins has been very good at fullback for Wigan this year & like it or not, deserves to start there.
Lomax has had a good season for us at 6 so play him there.
I'd put Williams on the bench with 3 forwards.
If you read my post from last Thursday in the England France thread, Percival was told a couple of days before the France match that barring injuries/illnesses his game time would be limited. It may have had an impact on his motivation for the game. Marsters and Manu up against Connor and Gildart, very happy I lumped on NZ
What doesn’t make sense is Gildart playing when he didn’t even make the squad in the first place. Lyne and Percival were both in the squad before him and Gildart only got in because of Burgess’ injury yet he starts ahead of both? And Lomax at 1 with Tomkins at 7 is just bizarre.
Good luck New Zealand
Ive got no problem with Gildart at centre lads. I know it will upset a few on here but i think Percival is one of the most over rated players in the league. He can do some great things but then be average the next week and i doubt his character in big games, sadly.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Sounds like Lees had a good game against PNG, picking up players player and man of the match.
Paul Anderson has sounded him out for praise.
http://www.totalrl.com/anderson-salu...tling-knights/
I'm made up for Lee's, he's a young tough player, not yet the finished article, who could have a big future at Saints. Well done lad.
Todays Test will be a tough test. Maguire has set his sights on winning it, so expect no holds barred in this one. Hope the England lads can hold them and go on to beat them.
I see Bennett has gone again with Connor over Percy, he must want Connor to really wind the Kiwi's up, in that regard, Connor is world class
I liked the remark about his intimidation because Saints need a player who will do that .
Who’s the clown who does RedVee’s twitter? Labelling multiple NRL winning Wayne Bennett clueless for not picking a Saints player is the latest in a string of Rose-tinted embarrassing tweets from them.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club