Advertisement

To have the best chance of success we need Wayne Bennett at the helm - I want him to stay

Debate is seemingly raging over whether Wayne Bennett should be given a new contract to remain as England coach.

His deal with the RFL is due to expire after the Great Britain tour but, as captain, I would like him to stay on, absolutely.

There are so many positives that Wayne has brought to this group, both collectively and individually, during his four-year tenure.

I have been around the international set-up for a long time and this is an environment that players are desperate to be a part of.

Lads will now postpone surgery to be involved with England or Great Britain and that is something Jack Hughes, for example, has done in order to be part of this tour.

I can only speak for myself but the impression I get from the rest of the playing group is that they all feel the same about Wayne.

I think if you asked anyone who has been part of the squad under him, even when they are not picked, they respect him and want him as coach.

We are a results-based industry but it is important to stress that we are talking about England here.

This current Great Britain tour that Wayne has also been in charge of has been a one-off and I don't know if there are any plans for it to continue.

I think 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.

Wayne Bennett speaks to Luke Thompson - Credit: getty images
Wayne Bennett is a rugby league legend Credit: getty images

To have the best chance of success in those tournaments would be with Wayne at the helm.

He has won seven NRL titles and is one of the greatest coaches in rugby league history.

The side of Wayne that he portrays to the media is hugely different to the guy that we see every day in camp.

You could probably say that about most coaches but, as players, we couldn't care less about how he acts in press conferences.

It's all about how he interacts with the group and his track record at NRL, Origin and international level speaks for itself.

This weekend 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 to 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 and that is why he is here.

Rugby league is the national sport in Papua New Guinea and the people here are fanatical about the game and you can see how much it means to them.

They have been so welcoming this week and it really is quite humbling.

It is my first time in PNG but Joe Philbin is on for his hat-trick, having played here for Ireland and England Knights.

I have faced the Kumuls elsewhere a handful of times in my career and know what an incredibly passionate side they are, especially on home soil.

Despite the three successive defeats, morale among the lads is high.

We went for dinner together the other day and spent the evening talking about how we would fare in other sports.

How many points could you win playing tennis against Novak Djokovic?

If you got a five-second head start against Usain Bolt, would he catch you in a 100-metre sprint?

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 don't think he would score 30 penalties past me, never mind De Gea!

Jake Connor fancied himself on penalties too, while Josh Hodgson was talking about taking on Ronnie O'Sullivan at snooker and Alex Walmsley was keen on getting in the boxing ring.

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