Not at all.

If I had the choice, I'd have Peacock, Morley and Graham in the Leeds front row.

Graham would actually be a much better player with forwards like that around him rather than having to single handily carry the load for your pack. Of course, he wouldn't attain the showy statistics that he presently does but he'd be far more effective and the team as a whole would benefit.

Because, you see, RL is not a sport won or lost on the accumulation of statistics.

Morley is never a hooker mate

Agree.

Im shame our backs at international level cannot replicate the strength of our forwards. Our pack is a very strong one, on paper at least.

I hear this before every international. Our pack is strong, we can compete with the aussies etc

Our pack isnt strong at all. Its light years behind the aussies and NZ and was also shown up by PNG

Correct, they were like Italian tanks in last years World Cup.

Actually thats incorrect, as the scoring method employed in RL is a statistical method of deciding who is the better team, whereby points are allocated based on achieving certain targets.

Similarly all league tables are statistical.
Therefore the Hub cap Leeds have acquired is directly due to the accumulation of a sufficient quantity of the correct statistics.

Excellent retort.

A little nerdy but well done nonetheless.

I must know my rugby

jammer, mozza and hodgson all up for man of steel

Graham debate aside...does anyone really believe that Keith Senior and especially Matt Gidley have really been the best two centres all year? I think Lee Gilmour has out perfromed Gidley at Saints, although I realise his utility tag has probably counted against him. Thought Atkins too has had a good season.

Is it simply a case of those who pick the team ot knowign too much?

Without any doubt what so ever, perhaps you questioning this may mean you do not know to much?

I know what you mean, but i do feel its true that the players in our forwards are not to be sniffed at. As individuals, as ellis and morley have shown, they can compete with the antipodeans - Its the overall team application compared to that of the Aussies that's the more telling problem, IMO.

There was obviously something wrong in the England WC camp last year - maybe the alleged rift between the Leeds and Saints contingents. IMO Smith's team was better on paper than previous outfits coached by Noble but the performances simply weren't as good. This suggests that either England's preparation was flawed and/or the Southern Hemisphere teams are getting better in comparison. It will be interesting this time around as being based in the UK our players will still be in their comfort zones.

Was there ever! I think it was the game we threw away against the Kiwis, it was Ellis himself that was coming out the line and leaving gaps -t'as very bizarre. I can only think that something, whether it was the travel, prep training or the opposition had shook the sense out of us.

Ellis's defence at Leeds was showy but he was never really the best defender. His tackle completion rate was only marginally better than McGuire's in 2008. That said he was one of the players who definitely underperformed for England (Ellis, not McGuire).