Gale is proving that he is a Danny brough type player and flat track bully, although flat track today and did nothing, we all no it's the structured play and set moves that make him, and the whole cas side look better than they are.
Williams is a far more talented player who had a quite season, but williams should be given a chance to take the shirt coz Gale has not done enough to keep it.

Last week Roby was far better than Josh Hodgson and was probably our 3rd best player overall behind the 2 wingers.

Wouldn't mind an experiment as such next week as id Back any SL side to beat France so we are more or less guaranteed second. Then WB can maybe ponder the squad for the last 8.

The way Roby finished 2017 though was sensational so for me I can't grasp him not being first choice 9.

Hodgson is a joke, he's being woefully short of international class since his inclusion, done nothing stellar in any of his appearances, Danny Houghton far better and if we don't have Roby starting in the big games we are fooked.
Hill and Heighington need to be left out, not overly impressed with Whitehead, Bateman tried hard but is still not a centre in a month of Sundays. Walmsley looked okay but not outstanding, tbh our forwards looked lacklustre in general. Our spine looks rather laborious and predictable, still too many errors in our play.
We won't even make the semi finals at this rate!

Hodgson is first choice because he plays in the NRL, Roby is, and always has been the better player.
I guarantee Gale would look far better with Roby at hooker.

Hodgson seems to have gone backwards this year. There are probably 3 better hookers than him in SL who never even made it onto the plane but he'll get picked because he plays in the NRL

Mundane is exactly the right word for that performance.

Both halves did nothing - Widdop appears to have gone back to his bang average passenger type and Gale looks out of place.

Bateman puts in the graft, but is never a centre. You only have to watch how he carries the ball to see that - it's constantly tucked in the crook of his left arm, he rarely has both hands on the ball so is never in a position to pass (the one time he did today and it was a try).

Our overall tactic appears to be to spin it wide (usually before earning the right to do so by going forward) and use the boring, obvious, predictable wedge for another wedge play out the back that's been predicatbale and easy to defend for at least 4 years. That simply won't be good enough against he better teams.

If we ran into Tonga along the way, there's a serious chance we get blown off the park.

I thought Widdop went ok.

His short kicking into the in goal showed that he played nrl as it always went into space and gave the defender little room to manoeuvre. He also has shown over the two games the vision to put players into space on the right.

Gale on the other hand is used to playing in SL on a short Cas pitch and so doesnt have that kicking game at all.
I was also dissapointed that he didnt attack the line at all, instead just passing it along the line.

Williams only played a few minutes but in the time he was on he ran at players and created problems for the opposition defence.

I would therefore go with Williams on the left with Widdop on the right. Gale would go for me. He hasnt shown anything at this level so far. Last week you could excuse fact he was against Australia and behind a beaten pack, however this week he was with a pack going forward but still offered up nothing.

Hodgson got the MOM and i think it was because he was on for 80 minutes. As others allude to he appears to interrupt the flow of play around the ruck.

I agree.

Well, Hodgson isn’t a joke, he’s just afforded all the time and space in the world around the NRL’s clean and quick rucks with two refs sorting all that out. Most 9s look decent in that league and the best ones look out of this World. He’s no better or is worse than Clark Roby Houghton McIlorum and McShane.

As a Wire it’s painful watching Hill. He just lies on, puts his hands on the ball or offers so little go-forward I’m scratching my head thinking of the player from 2011-2016. But not all players are good from the start to finish of their careers.

What has Whitehead done in two games? Other than put his hands on the ball in the ruck?

Our forwards in general are slow, not particularly powerful or skilful as a pack. We’ve probably got the fourth best pack in the WC.

Gale looked out of his depth in two of the three big-Time games of the season for Cas. Hull away in the CC and the GF he was completely anonymous. And is just playing at that level in an England shirt.

Bateman isn’t a Centre.

Heighington? What about Watts? Cuthbertson? Taylor?

And as a whole, the style of play is painfully slow and boring. No creativity, no style.

We play like Bennett’s interviews pan out. Uncomfortable to watch and boring.

And why have we got our hands on the ball in the ruck so much? It’s loving awful to see!

Just watched the game. Was pretty flat. Lebanon came to spoil and changing the full back/half backs throughout the game never helps.

For me Hodgson isn't good enough and just slows our attack, laughable he got MOM. Roby should start. Again Heighington offered nothing. Again Gales kicking game was extremely poor. A lot to work on

Bateman is a very good player but having him at centre is killing any threat we may have down that side. Gale looks lost out of the Cas structure but he is better than that kicking game he is producing right now and needs to sort it out quick.

Just rearrange the words above. Here I've done it for you." I'm sure Gale is not good enough at international level ". Happy to help.

Harsh but fair.

Hodgson is killing me. He's simply not done it at international level yet. Does he do that step out of dummy half on every play the ball in the NRL? I just wonder if that's his natural game or because he seems to have built up some sort of superstar status in Oz, he feels he needs to do everything on his own for England and be the main man. I honestly believe if he's in the team for the rest of this tournament as the starting hooker then our chances of reaching the final are limited.

Elliot Whitehead is offering nothing with the ball. He's another player fortunate that there seems to be a bias towards the NRL lads. Ben Currie offered far more today and Bateman also has when running the ball (he's just not a centre).

Ask me to pick our best team for next week and I'd go-

Ratchford
McGillvary Watkins Percival Hall
Widdop Gale
Graham Roby Hill
Bateman Currie O'Loughlin

Subs
T Burgess Walmsley Whitehead Williams

I agree. Have been impressed with hodgson during his spell with raiders but i dont think he is a better option for this team over Roby right now.

Besides his slow distribution he just doesn't provide enough variation with the ball, maybe in the NRL he's got more skilful half backs to move the ball on along the attacking line for him. Roby, plays with his head up and will see whats in front of him much quicker, 2 or 3 plays in every set he will draw defenders to him before releasing the ball, most of the time its a quick ball and he does the occasional scoot when he sees the backs of defenders.