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Great Britain to pick strongest possible side


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In what shouldn’t in anyway be news, Wayne Bennett has said he will pick the strongest available side for Great Britain. This is excellent news but something that should be an absolute given. My current team is below, if Gareth Widdop can return from injury I expect him to play, but put him at 18th man for now.

1 Coote

2 Makinson

3 Connor 

4 Atkin

5 Hall

6 Austin

7 Hastings 

8 Graham 

9 Roby

10 Burgess 

11 Whitehead 

12 Bateman

13 Burgess

14 Burgess

15 Thompson 

16 Hodgson 

17 Currie 

18 Widdop 

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No Coote, Hastings or Austin thanks.

Rugby Union the only game in the world were the spectators handle the ball more than the players.

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39 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

In what shouldn’t in anyway be news, Wayne Bennett has said he will pick the strongest available side for Great Britain. This is excellent news but something that should be an absolute given. My current team is below, if Gareth Widdop can return from injury I expect him to play, but put him at 18th man for now.

1 Coote

2 Makinson

3 Connor 

4 Atkin

5 Hall

6 Austin

7 Hastings 

8 Graham 

9 Roby

10 Burgess 

11 Whitehead 

12 Bateman

13 Burgess

14 Burgess

15 Thompson 

16 Hodgson 

17 Currie 

18 Widdop 

I would find it very difficult to muster up any enthusiastic support for that team.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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1 minute ago, Bleep1673 said:

And it is England, not GB anymore

i know its been ridiculously quiet and with no promotion but...you do know GB are touring at the end of the year dont you?

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9 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I would find it very difficult to muster up any enthusiastic support for that team.

I take it in that case you watch absolutely no international sport, as sportsmen and women represent countries other than their place of birth in every sport. It’s a bit sad you have an issue with that. 

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14 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

I take it in that case you watch absolutely no international sport, as sportsmen and women represent countries other than their place of birth in every sport. It’s a bit sad you have an issue with that. 

Maybe my reaction was a little knee jerk.  Let me clarify.

I have stated on these boards that heritage and identity is a complicated issue and people should absolutely be free to represent countries which are not their place of birth.  I have used my own circumstances to highlight this.  My wife is Italian and so my daughter (born and being raised in the UK) is half Italian.  Should she be talented enough to participate in international sport then I would be comfortable with her choosing England (Great Britain) or Italy and it would be her choice based on her own feelings and preferences.

I think grand parents is more complicated.  My grandmother was Irish but I feel very little affinity (sport wise) with Ireland as both my parents were born and bred in the UK.  I accept that other people see things differently.

From the team you listed, Jackson Hastings, Lachlan Coote, Blake Austin and Euan Aitken all qualify for Great Britain through grand parents. As Coote and Aitken have both played for Scotland maybe they do have some commitment... Blake Austin on the other hand has already played for Portugal.  I am not sure about Hastings as he hasn't played international Rugby League yet.

I don't like the idea of opportunistic changes of nationality... for me heritage and identity is absolutely something to be respected, what I don't see it as though is a moving target when opportunists arise.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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I've no problem with this if they are the best players available. The whole thing is a hit show anyway so it doesn't really matter who we pick. It's not a proper tour and we aren't even playing Australia. Blake Austin is better than Lolohea so we cant complain even though he is the most Australian man who ever lived, at least Coote played for Scotland and has a Scottish name.

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Coote

Makinson

Connor

Percival

Hall

Lomax

Sneyd

Graham

Roby

Walmsley

Whitehead

Bateman

S. Burgess

 

T. Burgess

Thompson

Watts

Hodgson

 

I'm not against Austin/Hastings on principle, but both need to show a bit more yet. If Austin shows he can dominate in the big games then he comes into contention, but he's not done a thing yet. I like Hastings a lot, but again, what has he done? International rugby is a different beast.

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1 hour ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

In what shouldn’t in anyway be news, Wayne Bennett has said he will pick the strongest available side for Great Britain. This is excellent news but something that should be an absolute given. My current team is below, if Gareth Widdop can return from injury I expect him to play, but put him at 18th man for now.

1 Coote

2 Makinson

3 Connor 

4 Atkin

5 Hall

6 Austin

7 Hastings 

8 Graham 

9 Roby

10 Burgess 

11 Whitehead 

12 Bateman

13 Burgess

14 Burgess

15 Thompson 

16 Hodgson 

17 Currie 

18 Widdop 

Coote probably worthy of a place on his performances so far, especially given no other British Full Backs have really done anything of note this year so far. Maybe the form of Hardaker or Tomkins will improve over the next few months ?

Who's Atkin at 4 ? If you meant Euan Aitken then no thanks, done nothing at all in 2019 (to be honest can't even remember seeing him play this year).

Austin - Is he really a better 6 than Lomax this year ? plus Austin is completely unproven at anything other than club level where as Lomax has already shown he can play test rugby

Hastings - We have a serious lack of any other real quality at 7 in SL at the moment so why not go with Hastings.

I think the only other notable omission from your list would be Walmsley who's probably been the outstanding prop in SL so far this year.

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1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

Coote probably worthy of a place on his performances so far, especially given no other British Full Backs have really done anything of note this year so far. Maybe the form of Hardaker or Tomkins will improve over the next few months ?

Who's Atkin at 4 ? If you meant Euan Aitken then no thanks, done nothing at all in 2019 (to be honest can't even remember seeing him play this year).

Austin - Is he really a better 6 than Lomax this year ? plus Austin is completely unproven at anything other than club level where as Lomax has already shown he can play test rugby

Hastings - We have a serious lack of any other real quality at 7 in SL at the moment so why not go with Hastings.

I think the only other notable omission from your list would be Walmsley who's probably been the outstanding prop in SL so far this year.

Can you suggest a better centre than Aitken?

Hastings and Austin are certainly the best half backs, who do you believe is better?

I agree Walmsley is in contention, we are strong in the front row.

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32 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Hastings and Austin are certainly the best half backs, who do you believe is better?

Lomax is having an excellent season and comfortably outplayed Austin in the Saints-Wire game earlier in the season. We play twice more in the regular season though plus potentially the cup, play offs and grand final. Plenty of time for either to prove to be the better option in the big games and for others to play themselves into contention. Way too early for picking teams for end of season internationals.

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3 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

even though he is the most Australian man who ever lived

Don't be silly that was Chips Rafferty!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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42 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Can you suggest a better centre than Aitken?

I'd have Gildart, Connor and Percival ahead of him. Will be interesting to see if Watkins plays himself into form at the Titans as well.

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7 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

In what shouldn’t in anyway be news, Wayne Bennett has said he will pick the strongest available side for Great Britain. This is excellent news but something that should be an absolute given. My current team is below, if Gareth Widdop can return from injury I expect him to play, but put him at 18th man for now.

1 Coote

2 Makinson

3 Connor 

4 Atkin

5 Hall

6 Austin

7 Hastings 

8 Graham 

9 Roby

10 Burgess 

11 Whitehead 

12 Bateman

13 Burgess

14 Burgess

15 Thompson 

16 Hodgson 

17 Currie 

18 Widdop 

Graham , warrior though he is , is looking more n more busted . I think Thompson or Walmsley is pushing hard for that starting spot on form . I hope and think Widdop will be fit so he’ll be in there , he could even be captain . Him or Sam you’d think . Otherwise I’ve no moral or quality objections to this team . It’s not England , it’s in some ways a heritage team in itself . I could never not support a Lions team because I don’t  like the personnel . If you’re committed , you’re giving everything for the jersey give them every support and go and win 

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Came up with a GB 17 v New Zealand and then a theoretical alternative 17 for PNG, which shows the strength in depth these days

 

Widdop

Makinson

Connor

Gildart

McGillvary

Lomax

Tomkins

Graham

Hodgson

Burgess T

Whitehead

Bateman

Burgess S

 

Interchange

O’Loughlin

Walmsley

Thompson

Hill

————————

for PNG:

Coote

Grace

Percival

Watkins

Hall

Williams 

Gale

Watts

Roby

Sutton

Currie

Greenwood

Knowles

 

Interchange

George Burgess

Taylor

Milner

Ratchford

Can’t bring myself to pick Hastings and Austin but they’d certainly add depth too.

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