England vs Samoa Series

[JM2010]

7 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

Who will we have missing for the games player wise? 

Looks like we’ll probably be missing Radley and Johnstone. Not sure if anyone else is missing 

[philipw]

Squad named. Radley appears to be in

 

Edited September 6 by philipw

[Chrispmartha]

Chris Hill, Really?

[Damien]

26 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Chris Hill, Really?

Laughable to be honest

[Coggo]

Really, Chris Hill?

[Dave T]

Are there any centres in that squad?

Edit: Newman and Farnworth

Edited September 6 by Dave T

[Damien]

As a Wigan fan I don't think Marshall is what we should be looking for when it comes to an international winger, he's just not that standard for me, and I'm not sure Dupree deserves to be there.

Edited September 6 by Damien

[Tommygilf]

Just 1 Leeds player is pretty damning of where the club has gone in the past few years.

[Chrispmartha]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

Just 1 Leeds player is pretty damning of where the club has gone in the past few years.

Harry is lucky to be in aswell, Oledski should be in ahead of Chris Hill though.

Handley would probably be in if it wasn’t for his injury.

[Chrispmartha]

12 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Are there any centres in that squad?

Edit: Newman and Farnworth

And Wardle

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

And Wardle

Thanks.

As an aside, I find the way we present squads utterly uninspiring and difficult to make sense of. Why don't we break down into positions instead of just going alphabetically. 

Maybe it's the way my brain works but I hate alphabetical lists that aren't easy to pull out positions and players. Wire do it like this every week and I hate it.

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Thanks.

As an aside, I find the way we present squads utterly uninspiring and difficult to make sense of. Why don't we break down into positions instead of just going alphabetically. 

Maybe it's the way my brain works but I hate alphabetical lists that aren't easy to pull out positions and players. Wire do it like this every week and I hate it.

It's like when some football clubs decide to list matchday squads by squad number!

[StandOffHalf]

It's really sad to hear that Handley's hand op will keep him out. I think he's been awesome and taken his game to the next level.

I would have gone with him on the left flank if he was injury-free.

[WN83]

No massive surprises in the squad, other than maybe Chris Hill but his inclusion is probably a nod towards the lack of top quality props we currently have. I notice that Walmsley isn't in and I've seen some suggestions that is a poor call on Wane's part but I wouldn't be convinced that isn't Walmsley's call, given he's mentioned retiring from internationals (and even the game as a whole) in the past due to his injury problems. 

It feels a bit like we're heading towards the reverse of where we found ourselves at times in the last couple of decades,  in that the backs look outstanding but the forwards don't look as strong. We've always had the forwards but not the backs. Maybe it's just opportunity to prove themselves at the top level that guys like Havard, Harrison, Mulhern etc need but we'll see. If we had a couple of figures in the forwards like Sam Burgess/Graham/Peacock etc, I think we could compete with anyone. 

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

As a Wigan fan I don't think Marshall is what we should be looking for when it comes to an international winger, he's just not that standard for me, and I'm not sure Dupree deserves to be there.

I don't have a problem with Marshall, but Dupree's not ready yet.

[Dunbar]

2 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

And Wardle

If they are fit, Wardle and Farnworth are as good a centre combination as we have had for a long time.  And Newman is pretty handy too.

[tiffers]

2 hours ago, Dunbar said:

If they are fit, Wardle and Farnworth are as good a centre combination as we have had for a long time.  And Newman is pretty handy too.

Agree with your first point. Newman on his day is outstanding. Although, been bang average and found wanting in too many games for my liking this year.

[EagleEyePie]

I can understand people questioning the inclusion of Chris Hill but a lot of coaches at international level will select people with the wider squad in mind, not just the starting 13 or the playing 17. Even when his club form hasn't been great Hill has always tended to play well for England. He's got experience and he'll be a leader in the group. When you've got a squad that doesn't come together very often and that can be quite varied year to year due to injuries it can be useful to have players who have been there and done it. 

6 hours ago, Damien said:

As a Wigan fan I don't think Marshall is what we should be looking for when it comes to an international winger, he's just not that standard for me, and I'm not sure Dupree deserves to be there.

I don't see what the issue is with Marshall's selection as essentially 4th choice winger. Who else would you pick in his place? There's aren't many options who can match him in terms of performance and consistency over the last few years and he's performed to a high standard in big games. I wish we had that kind of depth in other areas.

I agree about Dupree though. I was a little surprised earlier in the year when he was selected but Havard wasn't (though Havard wasn't long back from injury) as there's considerable distance between the two in terms of quality right now.

[GeordieSaint]

Relatively happy with that. Could do with fullback cover (Farnworth?) and we are light at prop hence the Hill selection properly.

Give it a season or two and I expect Noah Stephens will be pushing for selection. But we need to produce some more props…

[JM2010]

Thought Matty Nicholson would be in there

[StandOffHalf]

3 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Thought Matty Nicholson would be in there

Perhaps Canberra have been in touch to tell him to have a full off-season before he heads down there?

Edited September 7 by StandOffHalf

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

15 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Chris Hill, Really?

I was in the end at Huddy when he made that 'line break' against Tonga and he looked like he was running through treacle.....a year later can he even run?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

15 hours ago, philipw said:

Squad named. Radley appears to be in

 

I assume Wardle gets left centre ahead of Newman?

Oledski is coming back from injury but played today....surely he makes the initial squad?....ahead of Hill surely?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

12 hours ago, Dunbar said:

If they are fit, Wardle and Farnworth are as good a centre combination as we have had for a long time.  And Newman is pretty handy too.

Yep....which way round though?

[Dunbar]

44 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Yep....which way round though?

You mean left / right?

If so, Farnworth delivered one of the best centre performances of the year last week in the right centre so Wardle left and Farnworth right.