Manfred Mann

The real concern should be not that Herbert Farnworth is not in the game days 17, which have not yet been selected. The concern should be that he is not even in the squad!!

Last night’s performance by Dominic Young has established this young giant as one of the most exciting prospects that Jamaica has seen in years.

I am sorry that you feel that way. But I want you to know that Herbie Farnworth has the makings of a champion centre. The Australian TV commentators love him. It is only a matter of time before we start to think of Herbie in the same glowing terms that we previously thought of Sam Burgess, James Graham and John Bateman as NRL super stars.

Yes. Either in place of Watkins, or in place of Hall with the versatile Farnworth moving to the wing. . You are correct.

Good point. My bad oversight.

You may be almost correct about the three quarters, but Herbie Farnworth is one of the few good performers at the Brisbane Broncos, and is knocking on the door of international selection. Watkins had an unlucky time with injuries at Gold Coast, but is doing okay with Salford. Ryan Hall is past his best but did reasonably as a substitute with the star studded Sydney Roosters three quarter line. Joe Burgess did reasonably well when he moved to South Sydney. That not overly impressive three quarter line would do sufficiently well in support of a star studded forward pack, playing with a selected star full back and star half back. The forward pack, with Luke Thompson selected in place of Sam Burgess, as suggested by the estimable TRL commentator Dunbar, would be a very good international standard. So the low bar you set of being impressive only by comparison with Jamaica is just flat wrong, even ridiculous. That England team could well be top 4.

Yes. You are absolutely correct.

That is ridiculous comment. On current form: Sam Tomkins is the best full back in Super League. Herbie Farnworth, George Williams, John Bateman, Eliot Whitehead,, Tom Burgess, and Ryan Sutton are currently top rated NRL players. Before his injury so was Josh Hodgson. Sam Burgess was a super star of the NRL before he retired. Gareth Widdop was a star in the NRL.

Best British team to have played in the NRL in the past five years: Sam Tomkins Ryan Hall, Kallum Watkins, Herbie Farnworth Joe Burgess, Gareth Widdop, George Williams Sam Burgess John Bateman, Elliot Whitehead James Graham, Josh Hodgson, Tom Burgess Interchange: George Burgess, Ryan Sutton, Joe Greenwood, Dan Sarginson With the exception of Sam Burgess, all these players could take the field for England today and perform extremely well.

If James Graham does retire at the end of this season, I would hope that he could land a commentary contract with Fox League, where is already a regular alongside Benji Marshall on NRL 360 every Tuesday night. Retired player Sam Burgess is already on the Fox League payroll, but James Graham is at least 25 IQ points smarter than Sam, and also has a good sense of humor.

Possible British representation in the NRL in 2021, by position: Ryan Hall, Oliver Gildart, Herbie Farnworth, George Williams, Ryan Sutton, Elliot Whitehead, John Bateman, Tom Burgess, Josh Hodgson, Luke Thompson Interchange: James Graham

I feel sorry for Ryan Hall. He should have been playing for the Roosters from Round 1 this season, but he apparently has not fully recovered from his knee injury. So Matt Ikuvalu is on the wing.

Sticky should have felt vindicated in his decision to sign George WIlliams after his first game performance. If Williams can keep it up he will become a prominent talking point in the NRL, even though his halves partner Jack Wighton is the team's top player.

No, you don't have that right. Brett Morris is the first choice right winger, ahead of Ryan Hall. If the Roosters did not sign Josh Morris, they might move his twin brother Brett Morris to the centres, thereby leaving the wing spot available for Ryan Hall. The Roosters want to sign Brett's brother Josh because they want a top quality centre, and because each brother wants to play with his twin brother before they both retire.

It is starting to look as though Ryan Hall will have his work cut out trying to make the Sydney Roosters starting side in 2020. This is because it looks as though the Roosters will be able to sign the current Cronulla star Josh Morris, to play in the centres as a temporary replacement for Latrell Mitchell, alongside Josh's twin brother Brett, who normally plays on the wing. This will mean that only if there is an injury to one of the Morris brothers will Ryan Hall get the call to play in the NRL team,. Even if that does not happen, the Roosters are planning to try playing Angus Crichton in the centres, with Brett Morris as one first choice winger, along with Daniel Tupou. Ryan Hall looks being used by the Roosters merely as cover for the injuries to others. It's a sad end to an illustrious career. https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/02/29/robinson-still-hopeful-morris-will-end-up-with-premiers/

John Bateman winning the Dally M second rower of 2019 was an amazing achievement for a player in his first year in the NRL.

What does all this discussion have to do with Brits in the NRL?

For an English back to have success in the NRL very soon will depend upon either Brett Morris or Joseph Manu or Latrell Mitchell being injured for the Sydney Roosters in the preliminary final next week, and also the Sydney Roosters winning their way into the Grand Final. In that case Ryan Hall will certainly get a call up for the Roosters and play in the NRL Grand Final. Otherwise we will have to wait until 2020, and hope that Ryan Hall gets a chance with the Roosters then, or that Kallum Watkins can improve his form greatly, especially in defence.

Brisbane fans will be either sad or angry after that performance.

If Canberra wins the NRL Grand Final this year, or even makes the ultimate game, there will be huge pressure for the club to retain Aiden Sezer. That will create problems for George Williams getting a run every week, because nobody in his right mind will move the star no. 6 Jack Wighton to centre in place of either goal kicking captain Jarrod Croker, or lethal strike weapon B.J. Leilua.

Kallum Watkins missed two one on one tackles, going high and getting fended off, and both of these misses led directly to tries by Newcastle. It was an embarrassing performance by Kallum Watkins. If he does not improve massively next year he will not be playing many more games in the NRL It will be interesting to see if he gets selected to play the final game of the Titans' season next week.

After this weekend’s round the top 4 is clear: 1, Melbourne Storm 2. Sydney Roosters 3. Canberra Raiders 4. South Sydney Rabbitohs. This means that British players will be very important for teams 3 and 4. Bateman and Hodgson are two of the most important stars for Canberra. The Burgess brothers are very important for South Sydney, and Sam is the captain. Whether Ryan Hall plays for the Sydney Roosters in the finals is an open question. In Hall’s absence with a knee injury, Brett Morris has played very well. Trent Robinson has a selection dilemma. However I am very confident that Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters will be the Grand Finalists

Shaun Johnson injured his PCL not his ACL and is out for 6-8 weeks. He is not out for the World Cup.