Tomkins



Charnley

Reed

Watkins

Hall



Widdop

Sinfield



Peacock (if he can be tempted out of retirement - Crabtree if not)

Roby

Graham

Ellis

Farrell

S Burgess



G Burgess

Crabtree (Mossop if Peacock stays retired)

Hock (Westwood if Hock isn't playing consistently)

Burrow

Tomkins

Briscoe

Cudjoe

Watkins

Hall

Widdop

Sinfield

Graham

Roby

G Burgess

Ellis

Farrell

S Burgess



Burrow

Westwood

Crabtree

Hill

It's good to see the England team finally have some selection issues, over who is better rather who on earth have we got. Sam Burgess and James Graham are the best all round forwards in team, in fact, Jammer should be given back the captaincy, the aggression he's shown down under would really set the right inspiration. Running S Burgess out wide would see him at his most destructive, so he needs to be second row/loose forward. However, O'Loughlin and Farrell are also quality forwards, the first is a great defender, the second has great movement and hands, to the point he really needs to be in the team.



Loose forward should be between Burgess and Farrell, I see where the Burgess and SBW comparison comes from, but Burgess - while more powerful - isn't as good a passer of the ball. Then going back to Farrell's movement and handling, he could really add a new dimension to England's attack. So the option could be to spell them both, or - even though he plays second row for Wigan - move Farrell into the loose forward position. Maybe, I'm seeing something that nobody else does, but he could be the sort of creative/less robust loose forward we haven't seen for a while.



To think a player of O'Loughlin's calibre could miss out, that says how far the team has progressed, and at least there is some quality to bring in if injuries occur. One thing I notice, watching England, the forwards get too caught up fighting for every last inch forward. If you watch the Aussie forwards, they're looking for that big initial contact, followed by a quick play the ball. This is what Jammer is so good at, and what gave England such a good start in the first four nations game in 2011. It's speed rathe than physicality England are lacking, in the forwards anyway.

Depends if youe picking it from your own personal thoughts or what the majority of RL fans/Media think.....personally as a Giants fan Lunt, Brough and Cudjoe would be shoe-ins - even the Leeds fans i were speaking to yesterday said we'd have to go some to find a better centre pair than Watkins and Cudjoe - Brough has proved time and again with Mcnamara in the stand just how good he is and Lunt is on fire at the moment, scoring and creating for fun.



Brett Ferres wouldnt be far away either but he's probably too far behind Farrell, Hock, and whoever Leeds are playing at 2nd row in the week leading up to the games.



1.Tomkins

2.Charnley

3.Cudjoe

4.Watkins

5.Hall

6.Widdop/Brough

7.Brough/Myler

8.Graham

9.Roby

10. one of the Burgess lads

11.Farrell

12.Ellis

13. another burgess



14.Crabtree

15.Lunt

16.Hill/Mossop

17.Westwood/Hock

Tomkins, Charnley, Cudjoe, Watkins, Hall, Sinfield, Brough, Mossop, Roby, Graham, Westwood, Farrell, Sam Burgess. Subs: Lunt, Hock, George Burgess, Crabtree.

Cudjoe has improved beyond all recognition over the last few years, he should be given his chance to impress in the origin match. Watkins, Cudjoe and Reed are the best options we've had since Gleeson.

If I was picking the team it would be much different from the SMc team no doubt. I would go with



Tomkins

Charnley

Watkins

Atkins

Hall

Widdop

Brough

Morley

Roby

Graham

Westwood

Farrell

Sinfield



Lunt

Burgess (S)

Burgess (G)

Ellis



To be in the squad but

miss out, Hill, McIllrum, Crabree, Briscoe, O'Loughlin,

1 - Tomkins

2 - Hall

3 - Cudjoe

4 - Watkins

5 - Charnley

6 - Brough

7 - Widdop

8 - Graham

9 - Roby

10 - S. Burgess

11 - Farrell

12 - Ellis

13 - O'Loughlin



14 - Lunt (or Burrow as he offers a completely different skill set)

15 - G. Burgess

16 - Hill

17 - Hock (or Westwood if he picks up his form)



Was undecided as to whether it was worth having 2 props on the bench as graham and sam burgess can put in the big minutes.



Honourable mentions to ferres, goulding, mcclorum and crabtree

Tomkins

Charnley

Watkins

Reed

Hall

Widdop

Brough

Graham

Roby

Crabtree

Westwood

Sam Burgess

O'loughlin



Farrell

George Burgess

Ellis

McIlorum



Ellis must prove his worth in the 2nd half of the season however!

Same with Roby.

1. Tomkins

2. Charnley

3. Reed

4. Watkins

5. Hall

6. Widdop

7. Brough

8. Graham

9. Roby

10. Crabtree

11. S. Burgess

12. Ellis

13. O'loughlin



14. G Burgess

15. Mossop

16. Hock

17. Lomax



There are 2 players i can't make my mind up over. Hock, can be a liability, also can be one of the best back rowers in the world. The other is a shout which i doubt many will agree with. As much as i can't stand the bloke - Ryan Bailey. I just have a feeling he could be exactly what we need against NZ and Australia, someone to get up their noses, wind them up and put them off their game, exactly what he does for Leeds every week and what most of us complain about every week. Put simply both Australia and NZ are better than us but history has shown, however good they are if we put then off their game we have a chance.



I need a drink now.

Sam Burgess plays 80 minutes for Souths - no way should he be on the bench or at prop. His mobility and ability to read the game means he'll be vital in defence as well as attack (BTW whoever described James Graham as more 'agile' than Burgess clearly hasn't seen either of them play). Ditto Ellis, who's never a bench player either - if he's fit and in form pick him.



Reed has been playing left centre the last year or so, so if he's picked I'd keep him there with Hall. Atkins is great physically, but like Hardaker his poor passing would make him an easily nullified threat. Reed is nowhere near as fast, but manages to make space for his winger because he always has the option of passing - meaning the defence can't just put numbers on him. Haven't seen enough of Cudjoe.



The bottom line is our centres need to be a threat if we're to have a chance of dragging Aus/NZ out of position out wide. If the ball always dies with our centres, they'll be able to just muscle up in the middle knowing they can easily cover. The other vital thing then is quick ball to give Reed/Watkins/whoever the chance to run at their opposition one-on-one.



I do agree about Hock - he could be an absolute disaster or a huge plus, all dependent on his ball control and avoiding the red mist. I'd pick him simply because I don't think there's any point going for a 'grafter' - as far as the pack goes its all or nothing as far as I'm concerned.

I agree in what you are saying regarding the centres, but we also need pace and power to challenge the back line of Aus/NZ. Craft and guile will come (hopefully) from the halves and Sam to generate room for the outside backs. To me, Atkins and Watkins have the attributes to get us over the line. Maybe they aren't the best passers of a ball, but regarding Atkins, you can't deny him something, with an avarage winger in Riley posting figures like he has in the past three years, outside of him. And he scores some himself.



Getting around Hodges is easier said than done, but if anyone is going to it from left centre, I'd back Atkins. Cudjoe is coming of age, but lacks a bit of killer instinct for me, Reed is too slow and not a real threat.



Anyway, it's a great debate to have, rather than the old 'shoe-in' Gleeson and Senior selections. We are getting better, and getting closer. I personally can not wait for the WC. My seat for Cardiff is booked, and my England jersey ironed and hung up ready! Bring on the Aussies!