GB debutants

[DavidM]

3 hours ago, roughyedspud said:

Jesus Christ..

Tom Johnstone ? Yeh he’ll be in 

[roughyedspud]

Definitely over Regan grace..

[JoneslessBishop]

We have far too much talent to resort to Austin or Hastings. We are not Scotland or Ireland! That is not way to be GB, mimicking their heritage stance, as opposed to picking their players!

But as GB we need to legitimize the concept with some British non-English players. Grace, Knowles, McIllorum and Flower would not harm the squad. Odd one on the bench and more v PNG or against NZ if we win the 1st test big. 

Its not like we are playing Oz, where any slight weakness would definitely be exposed.

Lets strengthen the concept now, so Oz buy in in 4 years. Then if the above players or new Celts haven’t developed take a more English squad, but the above this year, for me, is a nice balance.

 

 

[paulwalker71]

4 hours ago, roughyedspud said:

Jesus Christ..

Great Britain & Ireland & Israel

 

[TBone]

13 hours ago, foozler said:

I would expect Regan Grace to be in the squad. And Ben Flower as well. So two bona fide Welshmen. Other than that, I struggle to think of non English players, so Scots and Irish, who are not heritage players.

Parachuting in Australasian players who have a British granny is not my preferred way of filling a squad.

 

Is that working on the principle that you can never have too many props? 3 x Burgess, Graham, Hill, Walmsley, Thompson, Taylor. Can’t see flower getting past many in that list.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Regan Grace is also behind Ryan Hall, Tommy Makinson, Jermaine McGillvary, Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley and Tom Johnstone.

People are suggesting Grace and Flower simply because they are Welsh born.

We need to pick the strongest available squad, regardless of where players were born, just as the great Kevin Sinfield said in a recent interview.

[yipyee]

1 hour ago, JoneslessBishop said:

We have far too much talent to resort to Austin or Hastings. We are not Scotland or Ireland! That is not way to be GB, mimicking their heritage stance, as opposed to picking their players!

But as GB we need to legitimize the concept with some British non-English players. Grace, Knowles, McIllorum and Flower would not harm the squad. Odd one on the bench and more v PNG or against NZ if we win the 1st test big. 

Its not like we are playing Oz, where any slight weakness would definitely be exposed.

Lets strengthen the concept now, so Oz buy in in 4 years. Then if the above players or new Celts haven’t developed take a more English squad, but the above this year, for me, is a nice balance.

 

 

Mcillorum is English

Flower isn't even the best prop at Wigan and probably 12th in SL

Grace is defensively naive and only has pace, he's lucky he's Welsh as there are over 10 better English wingers

Knowles is ok and may progress to be international level but would still struggle to dislodge the English pack.

 

[yipyee]

Union take enough players for 2 teams, they have a second team that plays midweek. This would work and you could then have a quota from each country.

[Damien]

12 minutes ago, yipyee said:

Union take enough players for 2 teams, they have a second team that plays midweek. This would work and you could then have a quota from each country.

This is professional sport and the best squad should be picked regardless of where a player comes from. If that means the squad is all English then so be it. I'm firmly against any idea of a quota and such selections will turn this tour into even more of a farce and do nothing but devalue the jersey.

[Quinskolar]

Wot? No Eddie Battye? 

[JoneslessBishop]

1 hour ago, yipyee said:

Mcillorum is English

Flower isn't even the best prop at Wigan and probably 12th in SL

Grace is defensively naive and only has pace, he's lucky he's Welsh as there are over 10 better English wingers

Knowles is ok and may progress to be international level but would still struggle to dislodge the English pack.

 

And England is part of GB, unlike Australia. 

I have heard Flower described as one of the standout forwards in SL by commentators this season. However none of you analysis is far fetched, but it based on merit. I’m suggesting a squad based minimally on representation not merit to legitimize the concept. That is clear from my post.

[JoneslessBishop]

1 hour ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Regan Grace is also behind Ryan Hall, Tommy Makinson, Jermaine McGillvary, Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley and Tom Johnstone.

People are suggesting Grace and Flower simply because they are Welsh born.

We need to pick the strongest available squad, regardless of where players were born, just as the great Kevin Sinfield said in a recent interview.

This is a representative squad of nations, not a national team. If it’s the latter we have 2 national teams and it’s pointless duplication. Given the opposition we can afford a little indulgence in the direction of representation.

[JoneslessBishop]

Alit of people are talking up London’s Scotland full back alex Walker at the moment. Assuming Widdop starts in halves then he is not a bad squad shout

[Saint Toppy]

41 minutes ago, JoneslessBishop said:

Alit of people are talking up London’s Scotland full back alex Walker at the moment. Assuming Widdop starts in halves then he is not a bad squad shout

Doubtful he'll get a spot unless he has an absolutely spectacular season with Lomax, Tomkins, Hardaker & Coote all well ahead of him at the moment.

[JoneslessBishop]

1 minute ago, Saint Toppy said:

Doubtful he'll get a spot unless he has an absolutely spectacular season with Lomax, Tomkins, Hardaker & Coote all well ahead of him at the moment.

Maybe one for the next tour 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

1 hour ago, JoneslessBishop said:

This is a representative squad of nations, not a national team. If it’s the latter we have 2 national teams and it’s pointless duplication. Given the opposition we can afford a little indulgence in the direction of representation.

No you pick your strongest squad or it cheapens and disrespects the jersey, and Scotland’s Alex Walker was born in Hertfordshire 

[yipyee]

5 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

No you pick your strongest squad or it cheapens and disrespects the jersey, and Scotland’s Alex Walker was born in Hertfordshire 

Life isn't about strongest or best for job it's now about representation.

What day is it today?

[foozler]

8 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

 

People are suggesting Grace and Flower simply because they are Welsh born.

 

Er, that is kind of the point of the Great Britain side, players from across the British Isles, as opposed to just England.

If all you are going to do is take a squad of England players all born north of the Wash plus a few Aussie ringers and put them in a red, white and blue jersey, then IMO that is absolutely pointless, and lacking any credibility whatsoever.

It has been a long haul to get proper momentum behind the England RL brand, and at a point where things are starting to come together, it gets parked for some stupid Nigel Hall nostalgia trip.

I normally have a lot of time for Headingley's favourite Lancastrian, but I think he is very wrong on this one.

[foozler]

Two years out from a World Cup, it should be England touring as England, getting important game time together as England and hopefully getting some more wins. As things stand, with the scarcity of international fixtures, if the Aussies nil England in the series next year (which would not be unprecedented), England could head into the World Cup not having one a meaningful Test match in two years.

[GeordieSaint]

Sinfield was on the radio stating we aren’t taking quotas from across each ‘nation’. Must have mentioned “iconic shirt” about 20 times in 5 minutes though.

[damp squib]

4 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

Sinfield was on the radio stating we aren’t taking quotas from across each ‘nation’. Must have mentioned “iconic shirt” about 20 times in 5 minutes though.

Radio Presenter: "So Kevin you've mentioned this Iconic Shirt so many times we'd better have a look at it and see what all the fuss is about!"

KS: Erm....