Tonka

I think the tackling stint they usually have to put in puts them in the forwards.

I'm sure I have read before that there are not hugely greater player pools in Aus to over here, however, it always strikes me that they have far more players to choose from. Assuming we accept that all the full backs PST listed are (classy!) world class full backs (which I think most of them are), there are more of them than there are British full backs to choose from at all in SL. I started watching RL in about 1993-94 and I first noticed this when I looked at the two test team lines ups for Wembly in 1994 (GB v Aus). I remember thinking that, man for man, we were as good as them, but that for most positions we often didn't have a second or third equally good player, whereas the Aussies just did. This hasn't changed. The irony is not lost on me that we did win that one with JD's dart to the corner - I nearly wet my pants when he scored and I think I'm going to look it up on You Tube after this. As for coaching styles, natural ability etc, I don't have a clue what we coach them here but the better Aussie full backs seem to me to run with a greater [vision/pace/freedom/fluidity?]. The closest in modern times to me is Sam Tomkins, who can beat one or three defenders at will and plays with his head up. Defence questionable yet though for an international. The first player to wow me like that was Brett Mullins, who just seemed to be able to rip holes everywhere. Steve Menzies used to do a similar thing and the two of them in the same team was very dangerous. Real strike players. I agree with the first post that we don't have the abundance of class from full back, but I don't know why. I suspect coaching is a factor. I'll also hop off the fence and say that the NRL is the superior competition, although I think that if you plonked 4 or 5 SL teams in the NRL they would learn to swim pretty quickly. Or perhaps drown a horrible gargling death. The inequality between us and Aus makes victories all the sweeter, but they are too few and far between. My number one (sporting) wish is to see the Four Nations tournament very evenly contested each time and GB v Aus reinstated, with GB taking the spoils at least a third of the time. Scoring some great long range tries from full back.

And what if having worked out a fair way of ascertaining what a catchment area was and working out how each club fared we realised it was a completely useless statistic...

Don't often have a go at individual players but Fielden was absolutely dreadful, in every respect. I felt nervous every time he had the ball (that's if he hadn't already knocked on by then). If Wigan could have put in one or two big hits in reply mid-way through the second half yesterday they would have much increased the chances of it swinging back their way, and you want the senior props putting that sort of work in. When is his contract up? I suspect he's a really decent bloke but he is no way up to it at the moment...

Perhaps they should just give up now if nobody can be arsed.