ENGLAND boss Shaun Wane isn’t the only one who is glad NRL sensation Herbie Farnworth is a Pom!
Waney said exactly what I did at full time, he has been by far and away the best player across the England-Samoa two match Series.
I said in last week's column I thought he deserved man of the match in the opening game, overlooked by the impressive George Williams.
However, not even the most one sided boxing judge could have given it to anyone else this weekend!
Burnley-born Farnworth, 24, was a class above as England again demolished the visitors 34-16. He scored two outstanding individual tries, before laying one on a plate for Saints’ Jack Welsby.
I’ve known Herbie since he was about 13, when he used to play against my son Jake, for Wigan St Patrick’s then later Newton Storm.
I can honestly say he was a freak back then, and was always destined to become the player he has.
He was always head and shoulders (literally!) above anyone else, with early traits of the skill, footwork and pace that has just blown away Samoa this last fortnight.
It showed how much he backed his own ability, shunning every Super League Club Scholarship programme he was approached by, choosing to go to Australia as a 17-year old to develop his skills Down Under.
If only we could use him as an example and scrap false promises to 14-15 year old kids, and leave them to play and develop for whenever they are ready.
It was a good job he headed down under and signing for the Brisbane Broncos before moving to new NRL franchise, the Dolphins.
I say a good job, as his uncle Brian Foley, who I know very well from my own junior pathway…was a scout at Wigan!
He even turned down opportunities at Manchester United and Burnley. United I get but the Super Clarets, come on!
He’s certainly bought into the Aussie lifestyle too with the tash and mullet, but the prize Pom will be looking to inspire England to a home Ashes win in 2025, as a three test series against the World Champions has been confirmed for the first time since I was part of a Great Britain side that completely bombed it in 2003.
England are now seven wins in a row since that heartbreaking RLWC semi final loss to a different look Samoa side.
However, everyone knows, players and fans alike next year will be a totally different proposition.
Not so much a different proposition in the Betfred Super League, as Saints will again be fighting for silverware with the usual suspects, Wigan, Warrington and Hull KR to name the obvious ones.
Still, to have only named the signing of three backs in Sailor, Feldt and Murphy, I still think we are 2/3 players short to genuinely challenge these sides next season.
On the positive, we have some cracking youngsters waiting in the wings, like young George Whitby, who made his debut during a tough 2024 campaign and Harry Robertson, who showed what a star talent he can become.
Let’s hope Eamonn and Wello have a few more early Christmas presents to unveil to the Saints faithful.
This is my last column of the year, so I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, one that sees silverware on its way back to the Totally Wicked Stadium!
Title sponsors Betfred have early predictions as follows- Wigan 7/4, Wire 4/1, Saints 9/2, HKR 11/2, Leeds 10/1, Catalans 12/1, Leigh 20/1, Huddersfield, Salford and Hull FC all priced at 40/1, followed by Castleford 66/1, while new boys Wakefield bring up the rear at 100/1.
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