Jesus Sup, two novels there in defence of Kearney, are you a relative or his paid personal fluffer? You should get a job as a script writer in hollywood as it appears all you're missing is a sweeping Hans Zimmer score.
Some odd stuff in their too - so Luke and Blair are big egos but they're co-captaincy material?
People scratch their heads about Taylor and McKendry? Um no, they're good players who are able fill ins when our superstar pack has got a few injuries.
Johnson is all about the selfish plays, but that's what makes him awesome, he's an off the cuff player.
As for all this likelihood of the young half doing this and that, I repeat this again - this is not a development tour, it's a Kiwi tour, it should be the best players available in this country.
And as for Benji, you're talking about a player from 4 years ago, it appears you, much like Kearney and Nikau haven't watched Benji play a game of league in the last two seasons.
And, if you'd have watched Benji over those past two seasons that's he's nothing like the selfish player you're suggesting he is.
You wax lyrical fairly well yourself, the score from Titanic comes to mind.
Marshalls playing style has changed, agreed on that. When there is a history between player and coach, sometimes its best to move on. Perhaps Kearney is once bitten (he nearly lost his job over a bunch of dickheads that disrespected him, the Jersey, and fans by taking a bunch of sleeping pills on the eve of a WC final).....twice shy now. Benji may play a different game....but can Kearney really afford the influence in camp of someone he's had negative experience of ? Obviously Benji had nothing to do with the WC, but that experience has likely hardened Kearney's resolve to look at personality type as much as form.
Perhaps he is intolerant, perhaps he's going too far, but he's changed this team for the better no question.
He does have the experience of picking on form above other considerations (he allowed SBW to bugger around then take Tohu's first cap because of the pulling power and fan pleaser aspect of that decision).
Those type of decisions (bending to fan pressure and a players status) back fired on him horribly, he nearly lost his job over the party culture of that playing group....it made him look weak and out of touch within his camp.
Loose cannons can be reigned in by giving them responsibility, that's where I was coming from with Luke and Blair sharing the leadership.
Mckendry and and Taylor were selected ahead of more dynamic players in the past.....those selections were unpopular at that time, that's the swings and roundabouts of coaching.
This tour is about team culture, looking forward. They can afford to take risks and back thier model ts working for them.
