With the World Cup on the horizon later this year, we thought we’d give you, our readers, the chance to pick your starting XIII for the opening game against Australia in the autumn.
Each week, we’ll be putting forward several contenders for each position in Wayne Bennett’s starting line-up, and asking you to vote for who you think should get the spot.
Team so far: Zak Hardaker (Castleford); Greg Eden (Castleford), Michael Shenton (Castlef0rd)..
Kallum Watkins (Leeds)
The man who has the shirt at the moment – and undoubtedly the frontrunner to take our shirt in this side. Watkins has been a mainstay of the England side for many years and is almost certain to make the plane again this year: does he take the number four shirt for you?
Greg Minikin (Castleford)
Minikin has fluctuated between wing and centre this season, but Daryl Powell has said in the past he sees the former York flier as a centre – but do you? If so, he’s perhaps got a great chance of continuing the Castleford monopoly in our side and playing centre alongside team-mate Michael Shenton..
Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield)
The Huddersfield captain is one half of a dynamic wing-centre duo, perhaps the best in Super League, with team-mate Jermaine McGillvary outside of him. He has plenty of international experience – more so than some of the other men on this list. But can he oust the favourite Watkins in this particular side?
John Bateman (Wigan)
A surprise choice to some perhaps – but Bateman has played his fair share of centre in an England shirt before. To that end, could Wayne Bennett be tempted to throw the highly-rated Wigan forward in the back-line and give an extra bit of beef to his three-quarter line? It’s not impossible.. but is he your centre?
