Sam Tmkins has to play 1 for me and i'd play Joel at centre. We are so short of quality in that backline and those 2 have it in bucketloads even if they're both not naturals in those positions.

It's sad really but we have to try and shuffle all the players round as best we can.

The fact that Wellens is even being talked about for the fb shows the lack of quality in that position.

To me the major talking omission is Martin Gleeson, who has been the best centre in Superleague this season.

Who does Martin Gleeson play for again?

What's that got to do with Gleeson being the best English centre in Superleague?

I think I would agree on that on both counts.

They seem to be pushing a new age feel about the selection policy these days. I get the feeling that guys like Gleeson and Wellens, as well as the likes of McGuire and Pryce almost seem to be up against it in terms of being selected on form.

Gleeson has never performed for England, he isnt suddenly going to discover some form that he never had.

Is Tony Clubb going to discover form he's never had in SL?

Gleeson is so much better than Clubb it's ridiculous.

He was one of our ONLY decent performers in 2008.

Gleeson has put in some very decent performances for England/GB I reckon.

He had a bad series in maybe 2005/06, but apart from that, he's always looked good to me and has been able to cause some problems.
We've failed to beat Australia in the past, but dropping the guys who got beat for inferior players isn't exactly going to be what turns the ship around.

Do you think he hasn't been picked because he's a bad egg?
Good player, no doubt, but drinking etc just not what Mc Banana wanted?

Not sure about the 'bad egg' bit, although he has been in his past of course, but McBanana has gone on a bit about wanting players to bond as individuals as well as a team of players. I would imagine Pryce won't get a look in for the same reason and that was probably why Brough didn't get an invite in spite of us being chronically short of tactical kickers and halfbacks who can direct operations. While I can sympathise with McBanana's point, we can't choose players of a lower ability over those with greater ability simply because they may ruffle feathers on the social front (not saying that Gleeson is any better internationally than what we have had during this Four Nations but the principle applies).

I think also that McBanana has had the additional remit of finding talented international players who will be young enough but experienced enough for the world cup and that is bound to influence his decision.

That's a bit poor that. He might not have been dazzling every time but when he was playing at Saints he was good enough to play at international level. I'm not convinced that he's been that great for Wigoon though but he has an edge on Clubb though I'd be more inclined to opt for Cudjoe because he's had a terrific season.

Gleeson is a good centre, in anyone's book (any one with sense). If you give gleeson the ball in a position where you'd expect a decent centre to do something, 9/10 times he'll do it and do it right. There's not a lot of british backs that you can say that about.