Anybody else heard Gareth Ellis wont be playiing due to knee op??

Hands off, he's ours!!

I think that we would be wrong to pick him, although saying that, there is nobody in the england team that plays like him and i think he would make an impact against the Aussies. Him, Yeaman and Briscoe on the left would be dangerous

1.tomkins
2.hall
3.reed
4.yeamen
5.briscoe
6.widdop
7.brough
8.graham
9.roby
10.peacock
11.westwood
12.ellis
13.oloughlin
subs
14.carvell
15.morley
16.robinson
17.tomkins

According to the press in Aus Reed has chosen to play for England.

Does no one think Mossop should be on the bench (if fit)? Quality at prop this year and is naturally a second rower who is pretty mobile so could add a lot of bulk off the bench in that position.

Can't help that negative feeling that under McBanana we are going to get slaughtered anyway but on the upside he might get the sack.

Please tell me, anyone, how did he get the job?
Have we gone back to the bad old days where to get the job, you had to first fail as a coach in SL?


He is clueless and for some reason he won't pick crabtree (is it personal?) and ignores form for misguided "loyaly".

He is the luckest sod in rugby to have got out of Bradord within days of facing the sack and managed to have walked into what should be the top job in RL in this country.
I've aksed him for this weeks lottery numbers.

From what I saw, being English and sounding poignant when Bradford lost.

1. Tomkins
2. Briscoe
3. Reed
4. Yeaman
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Brough

8. Carvell
9. Roby
10. Graham
11. Westwood
12. Ellis
13. O'loughlin

14. Crabtree
15. Peacock
16. J Tomkins/Wilkin
17. Sinfield

i started an exact on our board last week, id make a few amendments to my choices due to reed opting for england etc.

Tomkins
Charnley
Reed
Atkins
Hall
Widdop
Brough
Morley
Roby
Graham
Ellis
Westwood
Lockers

Robinson
Carvell
Crabtree
JJB

On the fringes i would look at Griffin, Bailey, J Tomkins, Briscoe, Wilkin. Griffin is a tough no nonsense prop but i kust cant decide whether he has the quality for interbational rugby. Bailey is not the hard man Leeds fans like to think but he is very good at niggling, winding up the opposition and putting them off their game, dragging them into an arm wrestle. we may need that cos we cant compete skill wise. Tomkins for me just doesnt have the temprement yet and mature as a player. Wilkin along the sames lines for me, never rated him, solid enough but winges too much like sinfield and sometimes think he just needs to get on with it. Briscoe for me is as much as liability defensively as Charnely but Charnely has the little bit of an x factor. we are weak on the wings but Josh edges it for me.

I like Mossop, Tuson and Prescott at Wigan. I think they should be banging on the door for a place.

I alway thought having a Lancashire V Yorkshire would help bring some passion back into our game, just like the SOO. It gives the fringe players a chance to push for a place in the england squad. Thing is no one wants it to happen.

Just worked out the centre and winger stats per game for the guys in contention for the thread on the FC board. If anyones interested in stats then here you go...

Briscoe weak defensively???? Not even close....

the above tackles percentage shows him as the same percentage as Charnley and he is always described as being weak defensively. I made my post before those stats were posted but to say he is equally bad was a pretty good call. We can talk about positional play but Charnley has ultimately being playing outside a second rower learning a new trade so at times has been exposed by Joels positional play. I stand by my comment they are as bad as each other defensively

1 - Tomkins
2 - Charnley
3 - Reed
4 - Yeaman
5 - Briscoe
6 - Widdop
7 - Lomax
8 - Morley
9 - Roby
10 - Graham
11 - Ellis
12 - Westwood
13 - O'Loughlin

14 - Griffin (prop)
15 - Mossop (2nd row)
16 - Carvell (prop)
17 - Bridge (Utility)

Brough is out of form, Atkins will cop out against tough opposition like last year

Peacock, JJB, Wilkin, Sinfield have had their chances and need to move over.

If we are to beat the Aussies (who are very drilled in defence) we need to offload and throw it about a bit but with McBanana in charge they will do 5 drives and a kick and play as if its a league game.

1. Tomkins
2. Hall
3. Reed
4. Atkins
5. Briscoe
6. Widdop
7. Brough
8. Peacock
9. Roby
10. Graham (c)
11. Ellis
12. Manu
13. O'Loughlin

14. Robinson
15. Carrvell
16. Morley
17. J Tomkins

18. Mossop
19. McIlorum
20. Lomax
21. Wilkin
22. Jones-Buchanan
23. Westwood (if fit)
24. Charnley
25. Crabtree

if westwood is fit he has to be first choice, arguably the best second rower in the comp. Mcilorum should be no where near an England shirt and thats coming form a Wigan supporter. and Graham shouldnt be captain, doesnt have the temprement for it. peacock, morley and lockers would all the captains armband above graham for me.