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England 17 for the opening game


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I am amazed at the inclusion from so many, of Cudjoe. I have no dislike of him, on the contrary, but if he is amongst the best we can come up with in the threequarters then I would go with Hannibal ( for gods sake!!) and say stay at home and let the other three Nations contest the comp alone.

No disrespect to Cudjoe but in the strictest of terms he is NOWHERE near to being good enough! That said then, I would probably expect to see McNamara take him!

Same goes for Myler too.

Eastmond simply cannot be risked. It is clearly obvious that he needs time to recover from his injuries and another player will, albeit reluctantly, have to take his place.

Burrow would seem the obvious alternative but in Wigans first finals match V Leeds, I took particular notice of when Wigan lost their cohesiveness in that match and surprisingly that was when Deacon left the field. I don't know whether he played in the semi as I was away on holiday, but he did and does possess all the experience required and as someone else noted, is probably the best long kicker we have. Just a thought.

I also thought that Burrow had an excellent game in the same match. Robinson has to have some some claim also and he can do Hooker well to, if necassary.

No one can deny that Sinfield had his finest rep games at hooker in last years comp, but can he repeat it?

S/O for him and, the team would be suicidal, again a possible cue for Mac?

I know he will be a squad member but Lunt and Roby would take the hooker roles for me, both have impetus and dynamism and those qualities are what are required to upset the Aussies and the Kiwi's.

Tomkins (S) would have been my F/B with Eastmond fit, but I fear he will have to now be in the halves, no fears there the lad has the greatest quality any R/L player can have in abundance: Heart; and one of a lion at that.

If its not to be Widdop then there is only one other choice, love or hate him, but the most reliable, wholehearted and vastly experienced Paul Wellens quite simply, has to be there.

First named being first choice.

Wellens/Widdop

Goulden/Hall

Gleeson

Shenton

Briscoe

Tomkins

Deacon/Burrow

Burgess

Lunt

Fielden

Ellis

Tomkins

O'Loughlin

Roby

Morley

Westwood

Graham

others

Sinfield

Hall

Atkins

Robinson

That is I believe as good a twenty three players as we can muster presently. Coley, Bridge, Crabtree, Brown, Murrell all have claims too and I would have no argument with any of those being included.

Yet the coach could surprise us all with his choices and really nothing he does would come as a surprise, a

shock, possibly, but not a surprise.

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It's taken me till half time in the GF but here goes.

I've gone with club partnerships in the backs as I feel very few of our backs are world class and so this will give us some missing cohesion.

Tompkins

Goulding

Gleeson

Senior

Hall

Brown

Robinson

Morley

Sinfield

Graham

Ellis

Burgess

O'loughlin

Fielden

Lynch

Westwood

Roby

Players who may be sorry to miss out.

Shenton would play him outside Senior but I feel he isn't experienced enough as Gleeson or Senior to play with a relatively junior international winger as Hall or Briscoe.

Briscoe, see above, although I would play him outside senior also.

J. Tompkins, gives away a few too many penalties and I feel the experience of Westwood would prevail.

Flanagan, if only for confidence of playing in the NRL, not saying he is any better than the other back rowers we have but the fact he plays against the opposition week in week out could be in his favour.

Pryce, I'd have no quams playing him outside Gleeson.

Carvell, Crabtree, I just feel Lynchy deserves a crack at them and can't see how either of the two aforementioned players offer any thing better. Maybe Crabtree's offload game?

Widdop, not seen enough of him to pip Tompkins and Tompkins plays with Goulding and Gleeson so would hopefully link better.

Have fun ripping it apart. :lol:

"Rugby league is a simple game played by simple people. Rugby union is a complex game played by w@nk*rs"

Laurie Dailey

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cant understand those who dont want Graham....Yes he can winge a bit, but he has made more yards than any other forward in the league this season playing in a weakened team. Senior has been a good servant, but think its time to replace him with the likes of Shenton..Bound to say this, but Wellens, even with shortage of pace, has been as good as any full back this season..

Saints Fan from 47 through good and bad times

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Shame Danny Brough decided to declare himself for Scotland. Would have had a real shout given the injuries. My team would be:-

1. S Tomkins

2. Hall

3. Atkins

4. Gleeson

5. Goulding

6. Sinfield

7. Burrow

8. Morley

9. Clarke

10. Burgess

11. Ellis

12. J Tomkins

13. Sinfield

14. Lunt

15. Graham

16. Flanagan

17. Crabtree

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It's taken me till half time in the GF but here goes.

I've gone with club partnerships in the backs as I feel very few of our backs are world class and so this will give us some missing cohesion.

Tompkins

Goulding

Gleeson

Senior

Hall

Brown

Robinson

Morley

Sinfield

Graham

Ellis

Burgess

O'loughlin

Fielden

Lynch

Westwood

Roby

Players who may be sorry to miss out.

Shenton would play him outside Senior but I feel he isn't experienced enough as Gleeson or Senior to play with a relatively junior international winger as Hall or Briscoe.

Briscoe, see above, although I would play him outside senior also.

J. Tompkins, gives away a few too many penalties and I feel the experience of Westwood would prevail.

Flanagan, if only for confidence of playing in the NRL, not saying he is any better than the other back rowers we have but the fact he plays against the opposition week in week out could be in his favour.

Pryce, I'd have no quams playing him outside Gleeson.

Carvell, Crabtree, I just feel Lynchy deserves a crack at them and can't see how either of the two aforementioned players offer any thing better. Maybe Crabtree's offload game?

Widdop, not seen enough of him to pip Tompkins and Tompkins plays with Goulding and Gleeson so would hopefully link better.

Have fun ripping it apart. :lol:

I thought Senior was retired.

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1 Widdop

2 Hall

3 Gleeson

4 Atkins

5 Briscoe

6 S Tomkins

7 Robinson

8 Morley

9 Sinfield

10 Graham

11 Ellis

12 Westwood

13 O Loughlin

14 Fielden

15 Lynch

16 Roby

17 Burgess

squad: Shenton, Burrow, J Tomkins, Lunt, Crabtree, Flanagan, Goulding

"surely they've got to try somthing different now, maybe the little chip over the top?2

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