I dont see why Morley is in there. Should have retired a year or more ago.

McGuire is a good kicker, ball in hand. Burrow isn't the best but could kick from dummy half, the same way Roby did Friday night that pinned Leeds back all night. Also, if Wilkin does get picked, his kicking game against Leeds was better than Sinfield and McGuire's against them. Rangi has a really good short kicking game too. I'm sure something will be sorted between them.

TBF the pressure we normally have put on us anyway gets rid of any type of kicking game we have in these matches.

The irony of Morley's selection is that Peacock's current excellent form is making Morley look decidedly ordinary and I don't think I would be picking Peacock, even if he made himself available.

What actually happens on this weekend when the squad meets up then? Will all of these players be absent from their respective clubs' games that weekend?

Aside from the fact that I disagree and would say he is average at best, I doubt he will be in the matchday 17 anyway. If we want a good kicking game we play Brough, it is as simple as that.

Wilkin has been one of Saints better players this year so far, and from bits that I have seen of other clubs I think he deserves his place.

If the squad is on form, how can Carl Ablett (who hasnt looked anything special on the games I have seen, and spent last Friday evening in the back pocket of an 18 year old academy centre making his 1st team debut) in there?

Ablett has been outstanding so far this season up until the Saints game, including the WCC.

Personally, I'm surprised Matty Smith, Danny Brough and Jermaine McGilvery haven't been included.

all i can say is congratulations to australia
seriously,looking at those players just proves how really very average we are,despite some of those players being seen as great players in the british game.

Why Cockayne? So far he's been better than the likes of Charnley and Briscoe, stats speaks for themselves

Really? One of the best squads for years? If you compare it to the probable squads of Australia, NZ and possibly even the likes of Samoa it doesnt look that great to me, think best we can hope for is another semi final (although hope I am wrong).

As for Clark, good young player and has a lot of potential but at the moment Roby, Burrow, Houghton & McIlorum all in front of him for #9 shirt

Cockayne is there on form. Don't see why he is singled out.

I haven't ever liked Ablett especially in the centre but he was very dangerous against melbourne so hard to say he shouldn't be in.

The thing about the squad is that it show that the average player in the league is better than they used to be so the squad as a whole is much better.
It does look a bit light on star quality but the aussie based players will help a little with that.

Are we going to beat Austalia? Well even when we were at our best and did beat them we didn't fancy ourselves.
But Leeds have recently shown that we can mix it with them. I think it is more about getting the right blend of players and right game plan as much as the individual players.

Eg.
Are JJB and Ablett the best in their position? No.
Are they as good as the Farrell and Sculthorpe's of yester year? No
Do they perform in big games and manage to outplay better opposition? Surprisingly they do.

I knew I had a reason for coming on the V.T .


Let the old guard have their last hurrah, hopefully in four years time we should have assembled a core squad who play in the NRL, with a smattering of “top” S.L players – the end could then be nigh

I've often thought that Ablett is just as capable a centre as he is a second row. He was outstanding in the WCC, he has put in excellent performances in Grand Finals in recent years and he's a very solid centre.

He's not as explosive as the likes of Watkins or Atkins, but I find it very hard to fault Ablett when I see him play at centre or second row.

and lunt i'd say? been our standout player for me so far.

on the clark thing,yes he is a good prospect and i have been impressed when i have seen him,but wasn't adam milner in the same boat a couple of years ago? whats happened with him?