NRL 2018 average metres/runs George's - 102 from 9.7, Toms - 115 from 11.7, Sam 147 from 16.6. Tackle bust per game, George 1.6 , Tom - 2, Sam 1.7.
Therefore Tom is not particularly average.

Pretty happy with the squad. I’ve never seen a great deal in Lyne to think he’ll smash it at international level but he seems solid enough and we lack quality in the position.

Happy to see Sam Tomkins back as he’s been very good this year. He’s a different type of player nowadays (a real creator and solid defensively) but I actually think he may be suited more to the international game now. He’s a good option to play at fullback or in the halves. Also pleased to see Joe Greenwood get a go. I’ve been surprised at just how good he’s been for us since his return from Oz. I always thought he was a good player at Saints but didn’t realise just what a handful he can be. He’s eating ground up for Wigan at the minute and his engine looks better then I thought it would be.

I think that's pretty much the case.

Ltne has had a good season, can score tries from nothing and makes meters. He can also play Wing and FB if needed though the latter I have not seen in years.

What he isn't is a world class centre I'm afraid, that said he's probably closer than Bateman who for me is a forward.

Can't really argue with any of the selections to be honest, for me the only real surprise is Lyne, thought maybe Gildart, Cudjoe, Josh Griffin and possibly Shenton would have been above him for selection but fair play he's obviously impressed the selectors.

all of the others, Johnstone particularly have more or less picked themselves.

Stefan Ratchford
Jermaine McGillvary
Jake Connor
Mark Percival
Tom Johnstone
Sam Tomkins
Luke Gale
George Burgess
Josh Hodgson
James Graham
Elliot Whitehead
Sam Burgess
Sean O'Loughlin

Tom Burgess
Daryl Clark
Joe Greenwood
John Bateman

Tomkins at fullback, doesn’t add anything for me at 6. Jake Connor moves into the halves with Lyne coming into Centre.

I’ll let you off with your poor judgment as you’re a Catalan fan. Oh, sorry I meant Leeds.

Agree. I've watched the Souths a lot this year and both have got back to their previous form and generally done a really good job for them. In the past, both had lost their way a bit at times but both this year have got back to doing what they do best, running the ball in hard, making meters and tiring defenses out. Yes, they can lose the ball but it's no different from every prop in collisions. All 3 brothers were a key reason why Souths did well this year.

Wow, things must be bad when two Wakefield players are getting a gig!

Excited to see Tom Johnstone in the England set up. Having a Good centre with the ability to put him in space would be a huge bonus.

As for Reece, I was suprised at his inclusion but I totally wish him the best. You can’t help but like a player like him. He came to wakey as a thin raw winger and in his first season or two got a bit of stick. But he’s clearly a determined young man and year on year he made small improvements to the point he is now. He’s a solid centre, bulked out into a strong player who can make the hard yards and can find the tryline too. As has been said he’s not world class but he is an honest pro who has clearly worked very hard to become what he is, a good standard centre.

I think he’s more in him too. If he keeps up his steady progress he and improvements he could become one of the top centres in the comp in a few years.

Ultimately though, he deserves it. He’s the definition of a player who’s not gifted naturally but works extremely hard to make up for it.

Last year I would have agreed; the Burgii were absolutely terrible in terms of errors. This year, however, they've been superb. If anything Sam is the weakest of the 3, still prone to errors and pushing unrealistic offloads.


Has all the skills and assets to be an international, but unfortunately he's a penalty machine with a tendency to brain-farts. We simply cannot afford players like that against Aus/NZ.

I like that squad - but let's do everything we can to avoid playing ANYONE out of position.

They wouldn’t be there if Ryan Hall and Kallum Watkins weren’t injured.

Injured