Balance in the GB squad - your choice?

[Lowdesert]

Full-backs - J Lomax, L Coote

Wings - R Hall, J McGillvary

Centres - J Connor, Z Hardaker, O Gildart

Five-eighths - B Austin, G Williams

Half-backs - J Hastings, J Trueman, G Widdop

Front-rowers - J Graham(c), C Hill, T Burgess, A Walmsley, L Thompson

Hookers - J Hodgson, D Clark

Second-rowers - J Jones, E Whitehead, J Bateman, J Hughes

Loose-forward - J Philbin

This is what we had, pre Tour start.  Quite easy to pick out an overload in halves - 5 plus Lomax who is a good HB and imo this is where we (GB/England) are not sure.

Centres & Wings? - Ok, I can see where Hardaker got a go as cover for FB and maybe Wing for his ability in the air. On form, Connor is lucky to be there also.

So, to me, WB has arguably selected the best halves, by form, but has limited quality available on the wings barring Grace (had a good season whatever we think).

One Centre who started last season well, Lyne, has dropped away and Griffin, who’s had a good season, isn’t in favour.

So,  to strengthen that squad, an unfair but honest choice could’ve been to replace Trueman with another back.  I’d have had Griffin in.  I’d have also binned Coote for Hampshire, who can also cover the wing.  

 

 

 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Percival was injured but he’d have been in the side, though wouldn’t have been a starter as he never had been under Bennett.

I wouldn’t have taken Trueman personally, nothing against him personally but it would have been purely a numbers thing but looking at it, we’re thin on the ground for threequarters that qualify. 

[Allora]

[Lowdesert]

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Percival was injured but he’d have been in the side, though wouldn’t have been a starter as he never had been under Bennett.

I wouldn’t have taken Trueman personally, nothing against him personally but it would have been purely a numbers thing but looking at it, we’re thin on the ground for threequarters that qualify. 

Shame he was injured as, in the form team, he’s played with confidence.

 

[Lowdesert]

24 minutes ago, Allora said:

I trust  you’re  dressing differently to when this was drawn?

Hampshire is a good player and scored a good few tries this year.  Probably his best year on the pitch and he’s an academy rep.  Versatile back who can cover FB, Wing or in the halves.

Griffin has suspect defence at times, but he’s a threat with the ball and makes good yards especially after contact.  IMO he deserved a shot.

[Allora]

11 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

I trust  you’re  dressing differently to when this was drawn?

Hampshire is a good player and scored a good few tries this year.  Probably his best year on the pitch and he’s an academy rep.  Versatile back who can cover FB, Wing or in the halves.

Griffin has suspect defence at times, but he’s a threat with the ball and makes good yards especially after contact.  IMO he deserved a shot.

I thought it was Wayne Bennett.

[MZH]

Given the options we had available (or more to the point, unavailable), Griffin could have done a good job. He has flaws in his game no doubt, but he's had a really good season. Big, strong, reasonable pace and a good engine on him. If nothing else he could have helped out the forwards by doing some hard yards.

[Lowdesert]

1 hour ago, MZH said:

Given the options we had available (or more to the point, unavailable), Griffin could have done a good job. He has flaws in his game no doubt, but he's had a really good season. Big, strong, reasonable pace and a good engine on him. If nothing else he could have helped out the forwards by doing some hard yards.

Had a good season.  Both those I’ve mentioned have scored tries in indifferent/losing  sides. Connor has scored 4 times - other clubs distractions excluded.

 

 

[Tommygilf]

The whole point of playing as GB should be that you can pick Welsh and Scottish players (and Irishmen too so long as they don't sing GSTQ). 

We don't have a dearth of three-quarters in this side - Reagan Grace should have certainly been in as should Aitken who is NRL based and has represented Scotland. 

The balance of this squad is all wrong - demonstrates some poor research by the coaches/selectors and is ultimately England in disguise.

 

[Hullfan]

Get this Bennett as far away from England/GB as possible he's finished. Was a sham from day one

[GeordieSaint]

On ‎15‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:03, Lowdesert said:

<Snip>

The tour is now done. Looking forward for England is key now. So as you are looking at choices, here's a list of personnel who should be in contention per position right now or looking out for the next 5 years IMO (italics are those who should retire):

Fullback - Tomkins, McIntosh, Shaul, Hardaker, Walker, Evalds, Welsby, Ratchford, Farnworth

Wing - McGilvary, Johnstone, Makinson, J Burgess, Handley, Senior, Lineham, Charnley, Manfredi, Hall, Davies

Centres - Connor, Griffin, Gildart, Percival, Watkins, Newman, Bibby, Lynne, King, Sarginson, Shenton

Stand Offf - Lomax, Trueman, Sutcliffe, Abdull, Austin, Williams, Widdop

Scrum Half - Richardson, Sneyd, Hastings, Gale, Myler

Prop - English, Taylor, Bowden, Matongo, Mulhern, Singleton, Oledzki, Walmsley, Thompson, Lees, Cooper, Philbin, Partington, Hill, Graham, T Burgess, G Burgess, Sutton, Watts

Hooker - McShane, Leeming, Cunningham, A Smith, Clarke, Powell, Hodgson, Roby

Second Row - McMeeken, Whitley, Mellor, Jones, Ashworth, Ashurst, Currie, Hughes, Greenwood, Farrell, Whitehead, Bateman

Loose Forward - Ward, (Knowles), Livett, Smithies, C Smith, Milner

Plenty of talent available - I'll have missed a few names and more will come to the fore as well. It needs to be harnessed the right way though by the right coach. Whoever that is... who knows: Wane, Powell, Watson, Trent Robinson (!)... not up to me to decide but there's plenty of players that can be selected from to balance a squad.

[Lowdesert]

32 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

The tour is now done. Looking forward for England is key now. So as you are looking at choices, here's a list of personnel who should be in contention per position right now or looking out for the next 5 years IMO (italics are those who should retire):

Fullback - Tomkins, McIntosh, Shaul, Hardaker, Walker, Evalds, Welsby, Ratchford, Farnworth

Wing - McGilvary, Johnstone, Makinson, J Burgess, Handley, Senior, Lineham, Charnley, Manfredi, Hall, Davies

Centres - Connor, Griffin, Gildart, Percival, Watkins, Newman, Bibby, Lynne, King, Sarginson, Shenton

Stand Offf - Lomax, Trueman, Sutcliffe, Abdull, Austin, Williams, Widdop

Scrum Half - Richardson, Sneyd, Hastings, Gale, Myler

Prop - English, Taylor, Bowden, Matongo, Mulhern, Singleton, Oledzki, Walmsley, Thompson, Lees, Cooper, Philbin, Partington, Hill, Graham, T Burgess, G Burgess, Sutton, Watts

Hooker - McShane, Leeming, Cunningham, A Smith, Clarke, Powell, Hodgson, Roby

Second Row - McMeeken, Whitley, Mellor, Jones, Ashworth, Ashurst, Currie, Hughes, Greenwood, Farrell, Whitehead, Bateman

Loose Forward - Ward, (Knowles), Livett, Smithies, C Smith, Milner

Plenty of talent available - I'll have missed a few names and more will come to the fore as well. It needs to be harnessed the right way though by the right coach. Whoever that is... who knows: Wane, Powell, Watson, Trent Robinson (!)... not up to me to decide but there's plenty of players that can be selected from to balance a squad.

I see your giving McGilvaray another term and slipped in Watkins too.  

Plenty to go at there mate but probably easier to rule out players than pick them.

[GeordieSaint]

26 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

I see your giving McGilvaray another term and slipped in Watkins too.  

Plenty to go at there mate but probably easier to rule out players than pick them.

I don’t think McGilvary is done (like Hall) and who knows what Watkins is going to do in the next two years. Neither would be in my team next year if everyone is fit though.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

2 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

The tour is now done. Looking forward for England is key now. So as you are looking at choices, here's a list of personnel who should be in contention per position right now or looking out for the next 5 years IMO (italics are those who should retire):

Fullback - Tomkins, McIntosh, Shaul, Hardaker, Walker, Evalds, Welsby, Ratchford, Farnworth

Wing - McGilvary, Johnstone, Makinson, J Burgess, Handley, Senior, Lineham, Charnley, Manfredi, Hall, Davies

Centres - Connor, Griffin, Gildart, Percival, Watkins, Newman, Bibby, Lynne, King, Sarginson, Shenton

Stand Offf - Lomax, Trueman, Sutcliffe, Abdull, Austin, Williams, Widdop

Scrum Half - Richardson, Sneyd, Hastings, Gale, Myler

Prop - English, Taylor, Bowden, Matongo, Mulhern, Singleton, Oledzki, Walmsley, Thompson, Lees, Cooper, Philbin, Partington, Hill, Graham, T Burgess, G Burgess, Sutton, Watts

Hooker - McShane, Leeming, Cunningham, A Smith, Clarke, Powell, Hodgson, Roby

Second Row - McMeeken, Whitley, Mellor, Jones, Ashworth, Ashurst, Currie, Hughes, Greenwood, Farrell, Whitehead, Bateman

Loose Forward - Ward, (Knowles), Livett, Smithies, C Smith, Milner

Plenty of talent available - I'll have missed a few names and more will come to the fore as well. It needs to be harnessed the right way though by the right coach. Whoever that is... who knows: Wane, Powell, Watson, Trent Robinson (!)... not up to me to decide but there's plenty of players that can be selected from to balance a squad.

There’s some proper rubbish names in that lot, plenty that have no place being near International honours. Our depth is appalling. 

[Scubby]

We have got to go exciting and ambitious. This kind of outside back line might not be the actual Ashes one, but it would be exciting at least and has players in position.

1. Tomkins 2. Makinson 3. Gildart 4. Percival 5. Johnstone 

We have to be capable of scoring long range tries.