Have seen the following NRL this year: zero.

So I will suggest an all-SL team and accept that NRL players would be added as and where they're better. So long as they're not picked purely on the basis that they play in the NRL, as has been the case on some past occasions.

1. Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Watkins
4. Cudjoe
5. Hall

6. Sinfield
7. Myler

8. Mossop
9. Roby (will he be fit?)
10. Crabtree
11. Ferres
12. Farrell
13. Westwood

14. Hill
15. LMS
16. Lunt
17. Kirmond

I base this on what I've seen over the season mixed with some knowledge of what players can produce from previous matches. Has to be a balance of those IMO, especially when picking somebody like Roby.

For all that, if players have a really strong play-off series then they come into contention. Partly becasue of form, but also because players who are consistent over the course of a long season aren't necessarily what you're looking for. We're basically talking about doing the job for 3 or 4 big matches. Bit like the play-offs. The right mentality for those occasions is crucial.

I'd pick:

Tomkins (Hardaker is a more than adaquate back up, but I think Tomkins extra ball playing ability gives him the edge.
Charnley (I wouldn't mind Lineham getting a chance)
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
Sinfield
Chase
Graham
Roby
Hill
Westwood
Kirmond/Farrell/Ellis/Ablett/Ferres
S Burges

Burrow
Crabtree
G Burgess
Hock

Mossop
Reed
Hardaker
Kirmond/Farrell/Ellis/Ablett/Ferres
Myler

I know Tomkins is the darling boy of SL, but if you watched the wigan game last week Zak looked double the player Sam is

He took some world class catches under alot of pressure and never looked like dropping any...where as Sam was getting beat to the ball, letting the ball bounce and dropping catches. I know most will say he had an off night, but sometimes you have to pick on form not just the name...he will get destroyed by the aussie's if he plays anywhere near the way he played versus Leeds

Much like some keep telling us Sinfield is not an international half back, Tomkins is also not an international fullback.

He needs to be in the team, but he is seriously vulnerable at fullback.

Tomkins

Hardaker
Watkins
Reed
Hall

Sinfield
Chase

G Burgess
Roby
Graham
S Burgess
Westwood
O’loughlin

Hill
Crabtree
Burrow
Ablett


Kirmond, Mossop, Ratchford, Lunt, LMS, Widdop, Charnley

Hardaker in on the wing to offer protection to Tomkins under the bomb, but to also allow him to push forward if necessary, Roby and Burrow offering a lot of speed around the ruck, Sinfield dictating play, Chase and Tomkins offering creativity on the edges. Big, strong, quality pack would allow us, for a time at least to have a huge amount of creativity on the field at once, with Burrow/Roby at dummy half, Sinfield and Burrow/Roby in the centre of the park, Chase and Tomkins on the fringes, Hardaker, Watkins, Reed and Hall on the outside.

The only issue I have about Tomkins at FB is that he doesn't seem to like running the ball back into traffic. He will be under tremendous kick chase pressure against Australia and the last thing you want is someone who will try anything to offload rather than take it up and take the hit. It puts a lot of pressure on the wings to get back to take the pass.

Having said that, I would play him at 7 and have Hardaker at 1.

I also think he has continually shown he is very vulnerable under the high bomb.

Jack Reed wont be playing which means that Watkins will probably get a game as he would have been behind Cudjoe and Reed

I had hoped we had moved on internationally from picking our best 13 players and trying to shoehorn them into a team, even it means playing them in roles they don't fulfill for their club sides.

Only in the minds of Hudds fans.

Very poor attempt. Getting a bit nervous about Thursday it would seem.

Shame about Reed's injury.

I don't know what the pecking order would be, but I will say that both Cudjoe and Watkins have been outstanding pretty much every time I've seen them this year. Cudjoe is certainly a far more complete player than he was this time last year. I think you can debate whether he's been better than Watkins, but I doubt it's only Hudds fans that would have Cudjoe in pole position.

Rather than argue I'd rather celebrate the fact that SL has 2 really exciting English centres for the first time in quite a while (since Senior and Gleeson I guess, though I think this pair could be better). I've only really seen Reed in international matches, so not for a while. I was under-whelmed then but if he's developed as well as people are suggesting then that's happy days in the long run.

Agree on Cudjoe/Watkins. Both brilliant. Which is why I would have them centre and wing, and keep them swapping outside one another throughout the game.