Yes thats clearly the reason people said he would be a batter FB, because he is black.

How silly of us all.

=#8000FFRyan Brierley may have something to say about that in a couple of years, as well as Myler and Ratchford if he joins a team that actually plays RL.

The FUTURE is whomever the FORM PLAYERS are. Not names and reputations.

Automatic selection is the reason the likes of Farrell & Sculthorpe had a dozen games each at stand-off for GB whilst Tommy Martyn couldn't BUY a single cap.

That and the fact that Martyn was always injured.

Not true.

I still maintain Ratchford is better than them all. He has all the required skills.

Sorry FTV but its true. Every time Tommy looked like he was going to get a shot he would get injured. Then when he got a run on he was too old. I can understand why Tommy never played for GB.

Eastmond has looked good at both 1 and 7. Brett Hodgeson is the best full back in Superleague and (I think) he plays more like a stand off in attack. There is nothing stopping Eastmond from playing at 7 in attack and 1 in defense. He did this for most of the HKR and Warrington games.

My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I recall being annoyed on numerous occasssions when TM was overlooked.

Then again, my memory is sheeite.

not true.

1996 and 1997 were pretty much ruled out through serious injuries, but following that, he made the following appearances:

'98 - 22
'99 - 29
'00 - 28
'01 - 24
'02 - 29

in 2000 he scored 22 tries and was voted 'Players Player of the Year' (age 29).

hardly the career of a injury hit cripple who didnt deserve a chance at international level.

I remember when Martyn was snubbed by Goodway, who said his form didn't warrant selection for GB. This seemed pretty odd at the time given that Tommy had been Saints MoM in three of his last four games.

For sure, TM's injuries cost him rep football. Which was a great pity as GB was forever crying out for a good stand-off. I hated all that play-it-safety-first rugby with either Farrell or Scully at SO. Neither had any pace, just as neither could play off-the-cuff.

It's worth remembering that despite two knee reconstructions, Martyn's tries-per-game ratio was better than his more celebrated, more [ifashionable[/i SL rivals - Henry Paul & Iestyn Harris. And I'd have paid DOUBLE to watch him put his trademark Cumberland throw on one of the Aussie forwards.