Bennett will give us the best shot at World Cup glory
Players are desperate to deliver for one of game’s ‘greatest coaches’ whose new contract is in doubt
Debate is seemingly raging over whether Wayne Bennett should be given a new contract to remain as England coach. His deal with the Rugby Football League is due to expire after the Great Britain tour but, as captain, I would like him to stay.
There are so many positives that Wayne has brought to this group, both collectively and individually, during his four-year tenure.
This is an environment that players are desperate to be a part of. They will even postpone surgery to be involved with England or Great Britain, something Jack Hughes, for example, has done to be part of this tour. If you asked anyone who has been part of the squad, even when they are not picked, they respect Wayne and want him as coach.
We are a results-based industry but it is important to stress that we are talking about England. This Great Britain tour that Wayne has also been in charge of has been a one-off and I do not know if there are any plans for it to continue.
If we do tour again then a warm-up game or a mid-season Test is important because nothing quite replicates that game speed, the pressure of getting your pass right, and even wearing the kit and singing the national anthem. With England, we have an Ashes series on home soil against Australia next year and then a home World Cup 12 months later. To have the best chance of success would be with Wayne at the helm.
He has won seven league titles in Australia and is one of the greatest coaches in RL history.
As players, we could not care less about how he acts in press conferences. It is all about how he interacts with the group and his track record speaks for itself. Tomorrow against Papua New Guinea is about ending the tour with a win and we will look to build on the positives from the latest defeat by New Zealand. Blake Austin was deployed on the wing in Christchurch and had a couple of difficult moments which could have made for a nightmare evening. But he reset himself and had an outstanding game – I think he topped the metres made and showed no fear. Ash Handley has flown out to join the squad but it seems Blake may keep his spot. Either way, Kevin Sinfield, who is high up at Leeds and the RFL, clearly rates Ash.
Rugby league is the national sport in Papua New Guinea and the people here are fanatical about the game. They have been so welcoming this week and it is quite humbling. I know what an incredibly passionate side they are, especially on home soil.
Despite the three successive defeats, morale is high. We went for dinner together the other day and spent the evening talking about how we would fare in other sports. Zak Hardaker, a promising footballer in his youth, was saying he could convert at least 30 out of 50 penalties against David de Gea. I do not think he would score 30 penalties past me, never mind De Gea!
The lads are united and now we need to finish on a winning note. Nothing less will do.
James Graham was speaking on behalf of Dacia, proud partners of the Great Britain Rugby League Lions and the England national teams.