Ashes Squad Predictions

[hunsletgreenandgold]

I feel like there's a few threads that have touched upon this general theme, so reckon it deserves a dedicated thread (Happy for it be merged if one was made previously). Open to discuss both squad selections. 

I won't do a full squad just yet, but I reckon there's about 8 in each that are nailed on already, in no particular order: 

England 

Welsby

Ashton

Farnworth

Williams 

Smith 

Radley

Wardle

KPP

 

Australia

Cleary

Carrigan

Yeo

Crichton

Lomax

Mitchell

Haas*

T Trbojevic

 

*If he's still making himself available for Aus when the squads are announced.

 

 

 

[NRLandSL]

My England Squad-

1-Jack Welsby  
2-Matty Ashton  
3-Herbie Farnworth  
4-Jake Wardle  
5-Dom Young  
6-George Williams  
7-Harry Smith  
8-Luke Thompson  
9-Danny Walker  
10-Mike McMeeken  
11-Kai Pearce-Paul  
12-Junior Nsemba  
13-Victor Radley

14-Mikey Lewis  
15-Morgan Knowles  
16-Alex Walmsley  
17-Ethan Havard

18-Matty Lees  
19-Tom Johnstone  
20-Daryl Clark  
21-Harry Newman  
22-Matty Nicholson  
23-Morgan Smithies  
24-Harry Robertson

[Exiled Wiganer]

The 17 I would pick today - it’ll change tomorrow: 

Welsby - Ashton - Farnworth - Wardle - Johnstone - Williams - Smith - Thompson - Clark - Havard - Nsemba - Nicholson - Radley: Subs: McMeeken - Knowles - Lewis - JPP… 

 

[JM2010]

31 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

The 17 I would pick today - it’ll change tomorrow: 

Welsby - Ashton - Farnworth - Wardle - Johnstone - Williams - Smith - Thompson - Clark - Havard - Nsemba - Nicholson - Radley: Subs: McMeeken - Knowles - Lewis - JPP… 

 

I’d be very similar but might put Walmsley in for Havard and would even consider Robertson as a bit of a wildcard

[hunsletgreenandgold]

Walmsley doesn't get in my squad - not mobile enough for what the Aussies are going to be throwing at us, in attack and defence. 

[thehullram]

Due to his size, reputation and experience, any merit in one last hurrah for T Burgess? Never let us down at international level. Even if we get 30 mins out of him in a couple of spells, we have other props that can do big minutes? 

[OMEGA]

Welsby, Ashton, Farnworth, Wardle, Johnstone, Williams, Smith, McMeeken, Clark, Thompson, KPP, Nsemba, Radley. SUBS: Lewis, Nicholson, Havard, Mulhern.

SQUAD: Young, Walker, Knowles, Lees, Smithies, King, Oledski

[Charlie]

3 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

My England Squad-

1-Jack Welsby  
2-Matty Ashton  
3-Herbie Farnworth  
4-Jake Wardle  
5-Dom Young  
6-George Williams  
7-Harry Smith  
8-Luke Thompson  
9-Danny Walker  
10-Mike McMeeken  
11-Kai Pearce-Paul  
12-Junior Nsemba  
13-Victor Radley

14-Mikey Lewis  
15-Morgan Knowles  
16-Alex Walmsley  
17-Ethan Havard

18-Matty Lees  
19-Tom Johnstone  
20-Daryl Clark  
21-Harry Newman  
22-Matty Nicholson  
23-Morgan Smithies  
24-Harry Robertson

I’d agree with this but I’d like to see someone like dupree or big mic step up and take Harvard’s spot 

[Harry Stottle]

42 minutes ago, thehullram said:

Due to his size, reputation and experience, any merit in one last hurrah for T Burgess? Never let us down at international level. Even if we get 30 mins out of him in a couple of spells, we have other props that can do big minutes? 

I believe you are selecting the name,  not the player now performing on the field.

[WN83]

My England 17 and squad currently would be (if all were fit and firing)

Welsby

Young Farnworth Wardle Ashton

Williams Smith

Thompson O'Neill McMeekan

KPP Bateman Radley

Subs-Walmsley Havard Nsemba Lewis

 

Rest of squad

Marshall Percival

Litten Knowles Lees Wilson Nicholson

 

Just missing out/reserves

Johnstone Newman Robertson

D Clark Smithies Minchella Mulhern Oledzki Gannon Batchelor (KR one)

 

I think it's the guys I'm leaving out of a 24 man squad that gives me confidence we're in a good place. I'd have no issues if we needed to call on any of those. 

 

 

 

Edited April 7 by WN83

[WN83]

1 hour ago, thehullram said:

Due to his size, reputation and experience, any merit in one last hurrah for T Burgess? Never let us down at international level. Even if we get 30 mins out of him in a couple of spells, we have other props that can do big minutes? 

He looks done to me but he does have that body shape/style that means he will always make ground when he has the ball, even against the Aussies but you'd worry about him defensively I think. As things stand, Walmsley would be that big, awkward to handle, metre making prop we'll need. If both aren't right, I'm liking what Oledzki is doing. 

[graveyard johnny]

Dom Young dropped by the roosters for round 6 - not sure how much NRL game time he will get from now on - we cant afford any howlers or  clangers in this test series - we have to be as tight as possible in every area 

[Charlie]

10 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

Dom Young dropped by the roosters for round 6 - not sure how much NRL game time he will get from now on - we cant afford any howlers or  clangers in this test series - we have to be as tight as possible in every area 

He will be back, 

[minch]

Welsby

Johnstone Farnworth Wardle Ashton

Williams Smith

Thompson O'Neill McMeeken

Nsemba Nicholson

Radley

Mulhearn KPP Knowles Lewis

[NRLandSL]

My Australia Team- (No Haas, Or Murray)

Kalyn Ponga  
Dylan Edwards/James Tedesco  
Zac Lomax  
Xavier Coates  
Alofiana Khan-Pereira/Kiraz/Cobbo
Tom Trbojevic   
Bradman Best/HTF  
Latrell Mitchell  
Tom Dearden  
Nathan Cleary  
Cameron Munster/French
Mitch Moses  
Lindsay Collins.
Patrick Carrigan  
Tino Fa’asuamalueai   
Mitch Barnett  
Jake Trbojevic
Harry Grant  
Reece Robson  
Angus Crichton  
Hudson Young  
Liam Martin  
Issah Yeo  
Reuben Cotter

[ELBOWSEYE]

1 hour ago, NRLandSL said:

My Australia Team- (No Haas, Or Murray)

 

Kalyn Ponga  
Dylan Edwards/James Tedesco  
Zac Lomax  
Xavier Coates  
Alofiana Khan-Pereira/Kiraz/Cobbo
Tom Trbojevic   
Bradman Best/HTF  
Latrell Mitchell  
Tom Dearden  
Nathan Cleary  
Cameron Munster/French
Mitch Moses  
Lindsay Collins.
Patrick Carrigan  
Tino Fa’asuamalueai   
Mitch Barnett  
Jake Trbojevic
Harry Grant  
Reece Robson  
Angus Crichton  
Hudson Young  
Liam Martin  
Issah Yeo  
Reuben Cotter

Not a hope in hell french will be selected, they just don't think he would be successful in the NRL.

[NRLandSL]

12 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

Not a hope in hell french will be selected, they just don't think he would be successful in the NRL.

That’s not true, there a lot of NRL fanboys that think that every SL player isn’t good enough for NSW Cup. Though anyone with any knowledge of rugby league knows how good French is, he’s one of the best 5/8’s in the world.

I don’t think he will be selected but no doubt Meninga knows how good he is, and if he wants someone with endless experience playing in England, French is the perfect choice.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

I don't think French will be selected but i'd say he's the closest from SL to be considered. Also you never know - a couple of injuries in the touring party and he might get drafted in - Samoa did that the other year. 

[Harry Stottle]

I thought that Australia could not consider anyone for national selection that did not ply their trade in the NRL? If so that discounts French, albeit I do not think he would oust Munster.

[NRLandSL]

1 hour ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I don't think French will be selected but i'd say he's the closest from SL to be considered. Also you never know - a couple of injuries in the touring party and he might get drafted in - Samoa did that the other year. 

Yeah, if any back gets injured whilst in England (which is likely). French will have a very good chance of being called up.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

24 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I thought that Australia could not consider anyone for national selection that did not ply their trade in the NRL? If so that discounts French, albeit I do not think he would oust Munster.

I'd be surprised if there's a formal rule around that - especially considering there's only one other professional league in the world. Unlike union where it kind of makes sense. 

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I'd be surprised if there's a formal rule around that - especially considering there's only one other professional league in the world. Unlike union where it kind of makes sense. 

I'm sure that I read this some years ago, in that any Aussie coming to SL would give up International Selection for the duration of their stay here, I have never seen that retracted.

[WN83]

Around the time of Renouf, Lyon, Furner etc coming over, I think they made it official but it's not really been tested for a long while and won't be now. They hardly respect this league enough to give a guy like French a crack back in the NRL, let alone in the national team. 

[NRLandSL]

4 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I'm sure that I read this some years ago, in that any Aussie coming to SL would give up International Selection for the duration of their stay here, I have never seen that retracted.

Jamie Lyon and Darren Smith have, maybe some more aswell not sure.

New Zealand have selected plenty of SL players over the years aswell.

Edited April 8 by NRLandSL

[NRLandSL]

1 minute ago, WN83 said:

Around the time of Renouf, Lyon, Furner etc coming over, I think they made it official but it's not really been tested for a long while and won't be now. They hardly respect this league enough to give a guy like French a crack back in the NRL, let alone in the national team. 

Who is “They” though, I’m sure most of the people on the Australian selection team are knowledgeable on rugby league and know the quality of the SL and French. It’s not random fans selecting the side.

I don’t think French will get in over Dearden and Munster, but if one them is unavailable or there is an injury whilst on tour French would most likely be the next option.