England Squad

[Davo5]

14 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

The one that is a mere shadow of the guy who turned up at Salford mid '18 season, he was different then and played well, but not so much when he went to Wigan, he did OK in the first few games at the Tigers but as at Wigan the opposition coaches found him out, as those do who see him and play against him week in week out in the NRL they will just nullify him in the international arena.

At Wigan in his 2nd season & at Wests he had no forward platform to work with.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, UTK said:

Saints have now confirmed Walmsley is out of the World Cup.

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2022/09/13/alex-walmsley-injury-update/

That's really sad news. I was looking forward to seeing how he went against the elite.

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Davo5 said:

At Wigan in his 2nd season & at Wests he had no forward platform to work with.

OK.

[SydneyRoosters]

8 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

If he's that good a 7, Doueihi moves to 13.

He's not, so he was shifted.

 

Doueihi’ a 6 and has never played 13 and never will because he doesn’t have the size or running Hastings has.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, Davo5 said:

At Wigan in his 2nd season & at Wests he had no forward platform to work with.

Hastings at Salford versus Williams at Canberra. Who was the better player?

[Jughead]

Gutted for Walmsley, not just from a selfish fan perspective. At 32 that was probably his last chance at a World Cup. 

[MattSantos]

2 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Doueihi’ a 6 and has never played 13 and never will because he doesn’t have the size or running Hastings has.

You need help.

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, UTK said:

Saints have now confirmed Walmsley is out of the World Cup.

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2022/09/13/alex-walmsley-injury-update/

That’s a hammer blow to Englands WC hopes,we just don’t have a player who can replace his go forward.

[SydneyRoosters]

8 minutes ago, UTK said:

I think he's a decent player, in fact I want my club to sign him next year as he would improve the Knights immensely. This does not change the fact that he has failed at international level before and England has multiple options of a similar or better talent available who have been successful with England before.

Saying he is one of the best halfbacks in the game is just dribble, he's not even in the top 8 of halfbacks in the NRL. 

Practically every rugby league has failed at international level at some point in the career so that statement makes 0 sense. The fact is he was incredible this season and is easily one of the best half backs in the game this shouldn’t be a debate.

[DavidM]

Unfortunate for Walmsley and England . It weakens our pack strength and options but on the positive side though I think it’s an area we are strong and we can absorb it more than some other spots 

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

That's really sad news. I was looking forward to seeing how he went against the elite.

Once again, this is the real shame here.  Yes, I am disappointed for England that we don't have Walmsley available but for players who want to test themselves internationally against the best players our sport offers them nothing.

Walmsley made his international debut 5 years ago and he has only ever played against Australia once - off the bench in the 2017 Cup Final.

[Davo5]

3 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

Hastings at Salford versus Williams at Canberra. Who was the better player?

Or more relevant Hastings at Wests or Williams at Wire this year.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Practically every rugby league has failed at international level at some point in the career so that statement makes 0 sense. The fact is he was incredible this season and is easily one of the best half backs in the game this shouldn’t be a debate.

Define one of the best half backs in the game. 

I wouldnt put him top 10.

[SydneyRoosters]

9 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

Can't disagree with this.

Only thing i'd add is that Sydney Rooster needs more abuse; to say Hastings is one of the best half backs in the game is surely trolling.

Go watch soccer you idiot. 

[MattSantos]

Just now, Davo5 said:

Or more relevant Hastings at Wests or Williams at Wire this year.

I'm using Sydney Roosters timeframe of Hastings winning a MoS

[MattSantos]

Just now, SydneyRoosters said:

Go watch soccer you idiot. 

Ive asked you in a separate post, define one of the best 'half backs' in the game. Would that be top 3? Top 5? Top 10?

[SydneyRoosters]

Just now, MattSantos said:

Define one of the best half backs in the game. 

I wouldnt put him top 10.

1-Cleary

2-DCE

3–Hughes

4-Hynes

5-Hunt

6-Moses

7-Reynolds

8-Hastings

he can be better than any of those players on his day top 8 is definitely classed as one of the best.

[MattSantos]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Once again, this is the real shame here.  Yes, I am disappointed for England that we don't have Walmsley available but for players who want to test themselves internationally against the best players our sport offers them nothing.

Walmsley made his international debut 5 years ago and he has only ever played against Australia once - off the bench in the 2017 Cup Final.

Yep. 

[Davo5]

2 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Unfortunate for Walmsley and England . It weakens our pack strength and options but on the positive side though I think it’s an area we are strong and we can absorb it more than some other spots 

Are we strong there,don’t think we have another player who can bend/break the line & get quick PTB like Walmsley does.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, SydneyRoosters said:

1-Cleary

2-DCE

3–Hughes

4-Hynes

5-Hunt

6-Moses

7-Reynolds

8-Hastings

he can be better than any of those players on his day top 8 is definitely classed as one of the best.

Wow. 

He can be better than Cleary, DCE, Hughes, Reynolds...

I'd also throw in Townsend and Ilias and Walker and all the 6s that could play 7 pretty well too as worthy of discussion when discussing Hastings.

As mentioned before, he's a very decent player, but as per your own rankings, 8th now classes you as one of the best in the game at that position. You're clearly only looking at NRL talent, so by those numbers, hes literally bang average.

Just wow.

[SydneyRoosters]

2 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

Wow. 

He can be better than Cleary, DCE, Hughes, Reynolds...

I'd also throw in Townsend and Ilias and Walker and all the 6s that could play 7 pretty well too as worthy of discussion when discussing Hastings.

As mentioned before, he's a very decent player, but as per your own rankings, 8th now classes you as one of the best in the game at that position. You're clearly only looking at NRL talent, so by those numbers, hes literally bang average.

Just wow.

No I’m not only looking at nrl talent but  Lomax, Williams and Croft are Definitely not better than him. Walker and Townsend are close but ilias only nearly scrapes the top 20.

[Harry Stottle]

As it has been intimated Walmsley's international carrear as been very short lived he is probably no definatley our best forward of the last 6 years or so, I was really looking forward to seeing him playing against the best of the rest in the world, just to see how he rates against those, we know how good he is in our comp I would have loved to see him confirm the status he receives here.

[Balmain1969]

14 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Doueihi’ a 6 and has never played 13 and never will because he doesn’t have the size or running Hastings has.

Doueihi is 6'3 and almost 100kg, its his defence stopping him from playing lock. Watching the games Hastings played 13 he was still playing first receiver most of the time with Doueihi on the right and Brooks on the left. 

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, SydneyRoosters said:

No I’m not only looking at nrl talent but  Lomax, Williams and Croft are Definitely not better than him. Walker and Townsend are close but ilias only nearly scrapes the top 20.

Ok. So, i appreciate that this is subjective... but 8th is not one of the best players at that position. 

You're a troll 

[Dunbar]

10 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

1-Cleary

2-DCE

3–Hughes

4-Hynes

5-Hunt

6-Moses

7-Reynolds

8-Hastings

he can be better than any of those players on his day top 8 is definitely classed as one of the best.

Wests Tigers finished bottom in 2022 and Hastings couldn't get a place place in the halves when they were at full strength.  He isn't one of the top 8 halves in the competition.