Re: Sam Burgess : Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:29 pm  

nikos wrote:

surely Chris Hill?

Assume this is a joke?!

How he has gone and Watts has been left at home is an absolute disgrace.

He has been a great servant to the game but like Jammer, Locky, Sam etc his time is up.

I think there are a few candidates but one I feel may be a dark horse is Elliot Whitehead. He seems to be well liked and respected by all the players and coaches is at the top of his game and has a bit more experience than JB and fairly good with the media.

I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing him till the World Cup and then JB succeeding after that for the next cycle.

Re: Sam Burgess : Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:50 pm  

nikos wrote:

surely Chris Hill?

He shouldn’t even be playing nevermind captain

Re: Sam Burgess : Fri Nov 01, 2019 3:17 pm  

doesn't anyone 'get' sarcasm these days......?

Re: Sam Burgess : Fri Nov 01, 2019 6:12 pm  

nikos wrote:

doesn't anyone 'get' sarcasm these days......?

I got it

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:08 am  

jonh wrote:

Assume this is a joke?!

How he has gone and Watts has been left at home is an absolute disgrace.

He has been a great servant to the game but like Jammer, Locky, Sam etc his time is up.

I think there are a few candidates but one I feel may be a dark horse is Elliot Whitehead. He seems to be well liked and respected by all the players and coaches is at the top of his game and has a bit more experience than JB and fairly good with the media.

I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing him till the World Cup and then JB succeeding after that for the next cycle.

Good summary on Elliot Whitehead but I see a little problem. Josh Hodgson is co-captain of Elliot's team.

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 7:11 am  

Freddie Miller. wrote:

Good summary on Elliot Whitehead but I see a little problem. Josh Hodgson is co-captain of Elliot's team.

I don’t see that as a problem, it’s hapoened plenty of times before where a club captain has been overlooked for a team mate internationally. Sinfield and Peacock for example.

Different team, different set of players different coaches.

Hodgson in particular has also suffered a little in a losss of form in a GB/England shirt. Think he will be fighting for his spot after this tour.

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 3:56 pm  

I don’t think it matters how Hodgson plays under Bennett tbh, he’ll be selected and it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see him named full time captain if James Graham calls it quits.

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 3:59 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I don’t think it matters how Hodgson plays under Bennett tbh, he’ll be selected and it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see him named full time captain if James Graham calls it quits.

Wouldn't be surprised if Bennett goes soon anyway.

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 7:25 pm  

moto748 wrote:

Wouldn't be surprised if Bennett goes soon anyway.

Think he’s contracted until the end of 2020 looking at reports I can find. If he is I doubt the RFL will send him in his way. They need to look at it though, if they don’t think he’s the man for the 2021 World Cup then the man they do want in charge needs to be put in place ASAP.

Wane would be my choice. He’s got the perfect character for it and whilst he won’t have us playing off the cuff rugby, he’s never sent a team out to play as conservatively as Bennett looks to have done these last two weeks.

Re: Sam Burgess : Sat Nov 02, 2019 7:27 pm  

As I understand it Burgess is in a bit of legal trouble in Australia.

I also think that Souths were getting a little tired of the perceived power he held at the club, his relationship issues and the fact the NRL judiciary seemed to have targeted him and the number of games he was missing because of that.

I also believe that the medical staff have told him it will take 2 years for his shoulder to recover.

Now I love a good conspiracy theory but I don’t think it is beyond the realms of all possibility we will see him in SL in 2021.

I do believe he is injured, and is in need of a very long recovery period.

Getting medical sign off for 2 years which means it would coincide with the end of his current contract means Souths can lose his wage from the cap and also look to chase a replacement in Fafita or Arrow who are both off contract next year and potentially on the market for a move prior to 2020.

I’ve no doubt Souths have an insurance policy in place against medically forced retirement so whilst Sam gets a pay out for his wages Souths are covered.

He is only 30 and I think a year on the sidelines could potentially see him back and with his brother here and no doubt Locky due to retire who knows.

2+2 does equal 5 doesn’t it?