England will win 6-10 points put your mortgage on it

Wow, what a horrendous shout that is. Glad you are not the coach.

When they've been naming the 17 they've announced 4 reserves and last week it was in order

Lomax
Heighington
Percival
Taylor

So can see Lomax being on the bench taking Hodgsons spot and Heighington if O'Loughlin misses out.

Rather then just making noise give some reasons why then.

Graham and O'Loughlin both play in and around the middle, both take it right to the line and both can play with the ball. It seems logical to me but enlighten me with your wisdom.

There's a chance but we're looking at something along the lines of Sheffield beating Wigan in the cup in '98. Although there's a much greater chance it's more like the Leeds vs HKR Cup Final in 2015.

It's a slim chance but at least we're still in it unlike the last few tournaments. If NZ get their act together by the time of the next WC we might have another 2 decade wait for a final appearance.

Bennett doesn't use a ball-handling 13. He wants his full back for that role - for Widdopp see Darius Boyd. Most commentators here have been underwhelmed with O'Loughlin, which to be fair to him is partly down to the fact that Bennett doesn't see him as having any kind of playmaking role. Given the role he has been playing, his loss won't be as massive as it could be.

Sadly I'm with bullseye - we need Australia to be complacent and some major luck on our side in terms of injury and ref's decisions to stand a chance, because basically Australia are 20+ better than us. The only way I can see that changing is if we come up with some attacking plays we haven't used before so far, which given the way Bennett coaches is unlikely.

Because James Graham has started 5 games at lock / loose forward since his St Helens debut in 2003. Logical you say?


Chris Heighington is in the 17. A scapegoat in waiting, and he wouldn't be my choice, but he hasn't let anyone down so far I guess. Roby to play 80 mins then.

Full team
Widdop
McGillvary
Watkins
Bateman
Hall
Brown
Gale
Hill
Roby
Graham
S Burgess
Whitehead
O'Loughlin

Walmsley
T Burgess
Currie
Heighington

Lomax
Taylor
Williams
Percival

You didn't want Widdop at fullback a couple of weeks back, calling people crazy for daring to suggest it.

There isn't a great deal of difference between how Graham plays the prop role and how Lockers plays at loose forward.

For a coach who doesn't want a ball playing loose forward, he's letting Lockers give a fair impression of one. He's organised the side and most of our best work in attack has started with a slick pass in the middle from O'Loughlin to one of the halves.

The commentary must be a fair bit different in Oz also. He's been praised to the hilt over here (by Aussies as well) and a lot of people are starting to notice what we see at Wigan, when Lockers isn't on the field we lose shape and simply aren't as good.

He'd be a huge loss for Saturday if he doesn't pull through. Think back to last years game at Olympic Park against the Aussies if you need a reminder of how unorganised we may look on Saturday if he doesn't make it.

Heighington is about the only one who knows how to consistently beat Melbourne

I feel sorry for Hodgson missing out through injury, but Roby has been great when he's played so I'm not worried from a playing perspective. Likewise I really hope that O'Loughlin is fit, partly because he's been playing well but also because it's realistically his last chance to play in a WC final. It would be a shame if he were to miss out.

People keep going on about there being 4 forwards on the bench but we have played the last few games like that so far.

Heighington recalled?! I can't spake!!!

He certainly wouldn`t be in my 17 that`s for sure.
Not sure what he offers tbh.
But he is pulling on the England jersey and I will support the 17 on the field.

How great is it that the teams are released 4 days before the game btw? None of this 1 hour before kick off bollox we have in SL. Gets people talking about the teams and how they might play with more transparency for fans.