England train-on squad, moment of truth?

[roughyedspud]

As for centres...id go with watkins on one side,playing in the middle 8s has brought him back into some form imo...had a poor SL season but how much of that is down to leeds general poor form..id say loads..

On the other side....good knows..erm...you all know me for picking 2nd rowers at centre so how about joe greenwood? 6'4" and 105kg...strong in defence & knows where the tryline is..

[Scubby]

As for centres...id go with watkins on one side,playing in the middle 8s has brought him back into some form imo...had a poor SL season but how much of that is down to leeds general poor form..id say loads..

On the other side....good knows..erm...you all know me for picking 2nd rowers at centre so how about joe greenwood? 6'4" and 105kg...strong in defence & knows where the tryline is..

 

Think you need a lie down lol. Currie was the obvious choice at centre to be fair. He has the pace of an outside back and is a natural wide runner. Big blow.

[Spidey]

Think you need a lie down lol. Currie was the obvious choice at centre to be fair. He has the pace of an outside back and is a natural wide runner. Big blow.

If Currie is an international class centre - how come he plays Second Row for his club

Pick centres at centre. We've had enough back rowers covering for England

Anyway. Currie is Irish

[Scubby]

If Currie is an international class centre - how come he plays Second Row for his club

Pick centres at centre. We've had enough back rowers covering for England

Anyway. Currie is Irish

 

Andrew Johns played hooker for 3 years in the Kangaroos test side. Chris McKenna was a second row selected at centre for Australia 2002.

 

You get your best players into the 17. Centre is a weak area for us no getting away from it.

[Viking Warrior]

bateman at loose forward for me he has the pace and skill to play in that position

[Wellsy4HullFC]

No I genuinely wouldn't. Picking Ellis isn't going to develop England as a side for the future and to be honest, I think Whitehead and S Burgess in the second row is a far better option than Ellis.

Good job he's been playing loose then!

Seriously, we've been developing the England team for the future for years. How about we pick a team for the now?!

[GeordieSaint]

Good job he's been playing loose then!

Seriously, we've been developing the England team for the future for years. How about we pick a team for the now?!

Lol; noted about LF but I'd still not pick him in front of the likes of Bateman and S Burgess who could play that position as well. Ellis whilst great in SL and previously in the NRL has never cut it at international level and isn't going to develop the side for next year's World Cup and beyond.

[GaryO]

Andrew Johns played hooker for 3 years in the Kangaroos test side. Chris McKenna was a second row selected at centre for Australia 2002.

You get your best players into the 17. Centre is a weak area for us no getting away from it.

I must have missed it Scubby, pray tell me the last time Curry was selected and played solely at centre, to the best of my knowledge he gas played as a wide running second row, Wire have employed numerous players in the centre berths but not Curry, quite frankly without having another centre along side of him in his wide out role how do you know how he would play there, there is a good reason that that we struggle at centre it is that it is a very difficult position to be accomplished at both defensively and on attack, on his own Curry is unproven that he can do the job.

Saying that, if he was available would I have him in my team, absolutely, at the position and style we have come to admire him for.

[Scubby]

I must have missed it Scubby, pray tell me the last time Curry was selected and played solely at centre

 

He was in the centres for round 4, 5 and 6 in SL 2015. He was centre in round 1 and round 2 this year. Also played in the centres in 2014 IIRC.

[Allora]

Andrew Johns played hooker for 3 years in the Kangaroos test side. Chris McKenna was a second row selected at centre for Australia 2002.

 

You get your best players into the 17. Centre is a weak area for us no getting away from it.

Chris McKenna played every game as a centre in the NRL in 2002 bar one as a second rower.

He played the bulk of 2001 in the NRL as a centre.

[JoneslessBishop]

Given Ratchfords end of season form and his ability to deputise for Lomax at FB, as well stand off and Centre, I'm cutting Roby as I already have two hookers, and Hodgson could still spell at LF with Clark off the bench.

Will allow Bennett to have a really good look at the likes of Sneyd, Williams/ Gale without having to rely on them. Could also mean an extra winger could be added at the expense of one of them or Sargison, but given Charnleys off and Manfredi out, who could that be? Lineham? Form is important, and GF experience should stand him in good stead for big games?

Lomax

Hall

Watkins

Cudjoe

McGilvery

Smith

Widdop

Graham

Hodgson

G Burgess

Whitehead

Farrell

S Burgess

Clark

T Burgess

Hill

Bateman

Ratchford

J Burgess

Sarginson

Sneyd

Gale/ Williams

Cooper

Ferres

[GeordieSaint]

<Snip>

 

Lomax

McGilvary

Watkins

Percival

Hall

Widdop

Gale

Graham

Hodgson

G Burgess

Whitehead

S Burgess

Bateman

 

Clarke

Hill

T Burgess

Ferres

 

Cudjoe

Ratchford

Williams

Watts

S Taylor

L Farrell

Cooper

[JoneslessBishop]

We seemed pretty aligned there Geordie. Whilst Smith isn't fashionable, he really seems to turn up in the big games. See last test v NZ last year and last few games against Wire and Hull. His drop goals could be invaluable as well. Similarly Sneyd did enough in Cup final to show he has the temperament, and whilst Williams struggled last year in the tests I think he will have benefited from that. That's what puts them ahead of Gale for me. Whilst he has excelled in SL, not as much evidence as the others to suggest he can.

No wingers in the rest of the squad? Watkins, Cudjoe and Percival move out wide if necessary. Latters fitness always a concern.

[GaryO]

He was in the centres for round 4, 5 and 6 in SL 2015. He was centre in round 1 and round 2 this year. Also played in the centres in 2014 IIRC.

 

As i said i must have missed it, thanks for the correction, as a matter, what was his squad number?  

[GaryO]

We seemed pretty aligned there Geordie. Whilst Smith isn't fashionable, he really seems to turn up in the big games. See last test v NZ last year and last few games against Wire and Hull. His drop goals could be invaluable as well. Similarly Sneyd did enough in Cup final to show he has the temperament, and whilst Williams struggled last year in the tests I think he will have benefited from that. That's what puts them ahead of Gale for me. Whilst he has excelled in SL, not as much evidence as the others to suggest he can.

No wingers in the rest of the squad? Watkins, Cudjoe and Percival move out wide if necessary. Latters fitness always a concern.

 

 

[GaryO]

We seemed pretty aligned there Geordie. Whilst Smith isn't fashionable, he really seems to turn up in the big games. See last test v NZ last year and last few games against Wire and Hull. His drop goals could be invaluable as well. Similarly Sneyd did enough in Cup final to show he has the temperament, and whilst Williams struggled last year in the tests I think he will have benefited from that. That's what puts them ahead of Gale for me. Whilst he has excelled in SL, not as much evidence as the others to suggest he can.

No wingers in the rest of the squad? Watkins, Cudjoe and Percival move out wide if necessary. Latters fitness always a concern.

well I completely differ, if Gale had been employed at Wigan and used in the same roll as he is at Cas I would think that Wigan would have won the league at a canter, and perhaps the CC and the GF to boot

[Scubby]

As i said i must have missed it, thanks for the correction, as a matter, what was his squad number?  

 

He's injured so this hypothetical. His squad number was 17 and now 12 for 2016. 

[JoneslessBishop]

It's all about opinions Gary, and I don't dispute your logic, but I'm just suggesting there is more evidence that the other half backs can perform at this level (Smith and Sneyd) or that some development has already taken place that can benefit the England team (Williams).

We probably have 6 games max before the World Cup, and the 4 Nations in itself is a big prize. I therefore suggest, and suspect Wayne Bennett will elect, that in that context Gale is a bit of a risk

[GaryO]

It's all about opinions Gary, and I don't dispute your logic, but I'm just suggesting there is more evidence that the other half backs can perform at this level (Smith and Sneyd) or that some development has already taken place that can benefit the England team (Williams).

We probably have 6 games max before the World Cup, and the 4 Nations in itself is a big prize. I therefore suggest, and suspect Wayne Bennett will elect, that in that context Gale is a bit of a risk

 

JB pray tell, how does he prove himself at that level if he does not get the opportunity, are you Steve Macnamara in disguise, he had him in the squad last year and chose not to use him.

[JoneslessBishop]

History of non use is not as compelling evidence as history of use. Don't be offended by others having different oppionions to you, especially when they have taken time to explain them

[Scubby]

I think Gale deserves his chance in the France test. He should be part of the squad and right in the mix for selection. With Widdop, Williams and Hodkinson in the squad it will be very competitive for places. 

[JoneslessBishop]

France tests does give the likes of Gale a chance. Not much scope for a new coach to experiment, so I feel he'll err on the side of tried and trusted, but with quite a lot of positions pretty nailed on, half backs is where he could maybe try something new. Could still probably select from full trainon squad for France game

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

Johnstone has been below par in the second half of this season too.

 

Johnstone missed 9 games with injury.  He came back to score 3 tries in the final 4 games.

[JoneslessBishop]

So Paul Anderson is the new full time assistant coach. Does that impact who gets selected? Cudjoe now a definite? Brett Ferresless likely?

[Scubby]

Johnstone missed 9 games with injury.  He came back to score 3 tries in the final 4 games.

 

Fair enough I didn't realise he was injured just noticed he wasn't scoring. Shame as he was looking like a real bolter. 2017 could be his breakthrough year with a mid-season test and the World Cup.