Gaskell backs Lomax for leading England role
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS’ Lee Gaskell has known Jonny Lomax for more than a decade and insists it is now time his former St Helens team-mate was handed England’s No6 jersey.
They were half-back partners for Saints in the 2011 Grand Final aged just 20 and 21 respectively.
Although Gaskell moved onto
Salford and Bradford before settling at Huddersfield, Lomax remained at Saints and developed into one of Super League’s finest.
He has earned England honours largely at full-back under Wayne Bennett but new coach Shaun Wane may well select him where he shines so brightly for the reigning champions.
Gaskell heads back to his hometown with Giants tonight and will be in direct opposition against his old pal.
“If I was England coach, Jonny
would definitely be my six,” he said, speaking before Wane’s squad announcement that duly saw high-profile half-backs Gareth Widdop, Jackson Hastings and Blake Austin all dropped.
“I think Jonny prefers playing there as well. I don’t think anyone deserves that six shirt more than him. It’s great to see him going so well but he’s been doing it for so long now you expect it.
“Yet he’s always been underrated. Every time he’s played year in, year out he’s always so consistent and probably doesn’t get the plaudits he deserves. People are raving about him now but I think he has always been of the highest standard and by far the best player in Super League for the last couple of years.
“It’s the way he goes about his business, too; it’s not surprising to me he’s the best in the league.”
Trying to keep Lomax quiet will be one of Huddersfield’s primary aims tonight.
The Giants, though, must also look at themselves; their winning start to the season came unstuck against Wigan Warriors on Sunday, conceding four tries when Australian half-back Aidan Sezer was sin-binned to lose 42-10.
Gaskell said: “We had good intent about us for 35 minutes and led but then turned into the Giants of last season.
“We gave away too much easy ball, took too many soft options, which wasn’t good enough and neither was conceding four tries after that yellow. We can’t sulk, though, and have to respond.”