Martyn Sadler Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Robert Elstone isn't pleased. And I don't blame him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I'm not surprised by Bennetts comments, he's just stating the obvious with the food chain in RL right now. Also a fact of having our national team head coach based over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuutaisrambo Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 What an idiot..... makes SL look defensive and delusional..... that press release by Elstone makes SL look far worse than anything Bennett Said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled Wiganer Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I think it was ridiculous for the GB coach to say what he did, and right for him to be called out. We know how limited Sutton is, because we have seen him over here for years. That he has settled into the NRL with such ease is not a reflection on his becoming a better player, but more that any average SL forward could get into an NRL side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 40 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said: I think it was ridiculous for the GB coach to say what he did, and right for him to be called out. We know how limited Sutton is, because we have seen him over here for years. That he has settled into the NRL with such ease is not a reflection on his becoming a better player, but more that any average SL forward could get into an NRL side. They'll still keep peddling the myth that it was the coaching he received in Australia that made him the player they think he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 33 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said: I think it was ridiculous for the GB coach to say what he did, and right for him to be called out. We know how limited Sutton is, because we have seen him over here for years. That he has settled into the NRL with such ease is not a reflection on his becoming a better player, but more that any average SL forward could get into an NRL side. This. Elstone is fully justified in his comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdesert Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 48 minutes ago, Damien said: This. Elstone is fully justified in his comments. I think they both are. Sutton is only 23 and his improvement was/is on the up. I’ve always liked him and he certainly punches above his weight but he is now surrounded by a stronger squad and is just doing exactly what the coach is asking. Simple rugby. Whether he would have developed better at Wigan is debatable but the odds would be in the favour of the NRL imo. I think Elstone frustration will be that promise to keep the best here. If Clubs can’t compete with what Aus offers, then keeping players is a tough ask. For any young player I would say ‘grasp the opportunity’. By the same token there must be players who don’t quite crack it in the NRL and drop into the lower leagues we can target Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled Wiganer Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 11 minutes ago, Lowdesert said: I think they both are. Sutton is only 23 and his improvement was/is on the up. I’ve always liked him and he certainly punches above his weight but he is now surrounded by a stronger squad and is just doing exactly what the coach is asking. Simple rugby. Whether he would have developed better at Wigan is debatable but the odds would be in the favour of the NRL imo. I think Elstone frustration will be that promise to keep the best here. If Clubs can’t compete with what Aus offers, then keeping players is a tough ask. For any young player I would say ‘grasp the opportunity’. By the same token there must be players who don’t quite crack it in the NRL and drop into the lower leagues we can target On Sutton, he is doing nothing he didn’t do at Wigan. On Bennett, what he says damages the game here in perpetuating to the outside world an “official” perception that SL is a feeder competition. He can think what he likes, and may even be right, but to use some of the very limited time he has as GB coach to undermine the northern hemisphere game is shockingly stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdesert Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Just now, Exiled Wiganer said: On Sutton, he is doing nothing he didn’t do at Wigan. On Bennett, what he says damages the game here in perpetuating to the outside world an “official” perception that SL is a feeder competition. He can think what he likes, and may even be right, but to use some of the very limited time he has as GB coach to undermine the northern hemisphere game is shockingly stupid. He’s more consistent, that is for sure and he plays a more energetic game now. We should expect him to improve given his age. SL is good, but it’s not as good and one statement doesn’t undermine our game at all imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSaint Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Sutton was always a good prospect at Wigan. He’s continuing to improve in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjonn Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Elstone is right and to right to come out publicly. His problem is the conundrum of allowing the stronger financial clubs to be able to pay the salary the top players deserve or to keep them longer in SL... against so many SL teams that have limited financial resources that we restrict the stronger clubs to the determent of keeping the top talent longer in our competition. It's a real catch 22.... to add - if the drain isn't fixed then why would Sky or whatever broadcaster pay a good price... eventually may as well just show NRL.... especially if SKY focuses on building up that brand here and finding other things to fill air-time, i.e. more soccer (womens or other leagues), netball, etc etc etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lounge Room Lizard Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 SL is and for many years to come standard wise on and off the field way behind the NRL. The best players in the World play in the NRL whether Elstone likes it or not. It will attract the top English players, whether Elstone likes it or not. SL has little idea where its going or what it wants. The NRL does to some degree and has TV and Sponsorship Contracts that dwarfs SL. Elstone needs to sort SL and its clubs out instead of crying over what Bennett says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBone Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 54 minutes ago, scotchy1 said: Elstone is absolutely right. Whether he needed to come out publicly is another matter. Bennett was entirely wrong to make those statements in his position. SL absolutely should never accept being second best, Elstones words however will be hollow if we dont address the problem. To even start addressing the problem the salary cap would need to be at least three times as high as it is now. Otherwise the drain of top player will keep increasing as in the NRL they will get more money. On top of that there is increased public profile and they will play with better caliber players and play less games per season. Obviously its not for everyone but I’m sure more will be taking that path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 5 minutes ago, TBone said: To even start addressing the problem the salary cap would need to be at least three times as high as it is now. Otherwise the drain of top player will keep increasing as in the NRL they will get more money. On top of that there is increased public profile and they will play with better caliber players and play less games per season. Obviously its not for everyone but I’m sure more will be taking that path. It doesn't need to be three times as high at all. It does need to be higher undoubtedly but just as important is making the competition much more attractive and a better standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Hard luck if he doesn’t like it , Bennett’s saying it how it is really if your doing well there and he’s the coach picking the side . Improve SL to anywhere near NRL level then rather than being over sensitive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Prince Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 20 minutes ago, TBone said: To even start addressing the problem the salary cap would need to be at least three times as high as it is now. Otherwise the drain of top player will keep increasing as in the NRL they will get more money. On top of that there is increased public profile and they will play with better caliber players and play less games per season. Obviously its not for everyone but I’m sure more will be taking that path. Yes... especially if the NRL expands. And they do that because there is no relegation. And they still limit the number of games, and their players get a good pre season. We don't have the money and they do. If we expand the money will spread thin, as would salaries, and the best will go to Aussie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 15 minutes ago, DavidM said: Hard luck if he doesn’t like it , Bennett’s saying it how it is really if your doing well there and he’s the coach picking the side . Improve SL to anywhere near NRL level then rather than being over sensitive But we’ve seen some players chosen for England who were selected simply because they play/ed in the NRL when we had better players in SL. Heighington and McQueen spring to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 1 minute ago, Rupert Prince said: Yes... especially if the NRL expands. And they do that because there is no relegation. And they still limit the number of games, and their players get a good pre season. We don't have the money and they do. If we expand the money will spread thin, as would salaries, and the best will go to Aussie. If you paid SL teams £10 million a year they’d still want a thirty game season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 16 minutes ago, deluded pom? said: But we’ve seen some players chosen for England who were selected simply because they play/ed in the NRL when we had better players in SL. Heighington and McQueen spring to mind. Well true , if you’re doing well as an Englishman . Those two were left field anyway and not even pulling any trees up week to week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdesert Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 1 hour ago, TBone said: To even start addressing the problem the salary cap would need to be at least three times as high as it is now. Otherwise the drain of top player will keep increasing as in the NRL they will get more money. On top of that there is increased public profile and they will play with better caliber players and play less games per season. Obviously its not for everyone but I’m sure more will be taking that path. We can increase the salary cap by 10. Imo it’s a red herring. CEOs will only pay what they can afford and the majority can’t afford a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled Wiganer Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 I know the debate is potentially a wide one, but the narrow point here is that it is not the place of the English coach to “sell” the NRL as opposed to SL to his players and the outside world. We know that their spine players and backs are much better, but that our forwards are a match for them (indeed, Sutton is just plain wrong about Sutton, so his particular example is a poor one). Bennett speaks to the press AS ENGLAND COACH very rarely. To waste his and our time with ill informed snipes is a disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooleboy Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 6 hours ago, Martyn Sadler said: Robert Elstone isn't pleased. And I don't blame him. Let's see what he does about it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 1 hour ago, DavidM said: Well true , if you’re doing well as an Englishman . Those two were left field anyway and not even pulling any trees up week to week But were still selected purely because Bennett thought they were better than anyone running around in SL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clogiron Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Playing in the NRL means they are up against better players every week and need to produce every week, you can't honestly say that over here, our product is very poor in comparison, defensively especially you only have to look at some of the scores seen over here to appreciate that. Whilst Bennett is over there he is obviously going to have more of a insight into those who are playing there. If Elstone is so aggrieved about this he wants to ask why SL clubs employ so many Aussie coaches especially the successful ones then do something about altering SLs position as a poor cousin of the NRL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayCee Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 At least it got RE into the public arena with a statement. I was beginning to worry he was going to slip into the background after an initial splash. My blog: https://rugbyl.blogspot.co.nz/ It takes wisdom to know when a discussion has run its course. It takes reasonableness to end that discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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