If Briscoe doesn't get in on his performances this year, then the selection is a joke.

It's interesting to see that the FB position has developed dramatically in the NRL over the last decade whilst in SL it has stayed the same. In the NRL there are two types of fullback. the out and out speedsters who pop up in the middle of the field chasing kicks and collecting offloads ala Slater and Bowen or ball handlers that take the line on out wide and play almost as a second stand off ie Hunt and Gidley.

in SL the full back is still seen as the last line of defence and someone who carries the ball back from a deep kick. Briscoe is great at this. Will it trouble the Ozzies? probably not. We could get away with it if we had a top quality creative srcum half and satnd off but without either we lack in most creative ball playing areas.

Everytime i've seen owen he's looked good. Definately one for the future but its not great when all we have is Briscoe and Wellens as options.

Someone mentioned Pryce which would be a good alternative to Briscoe, although I think Briscoe deserves his chance.

but briscoe is no different than wellens imo..

as JB pointed out fullbacks these days have to either be quick and elusive or a organiser capable of entering the lineup like a 2nd stand off...

Agreed - Briscoe is just a slightly faster version of Wellens. GB/England need to move beyond this idea that full-backs are primarily defenders who occasionally chime into the attack to support breaks. Also, Briscoe has been around for years without setting the world on fire - if he was good enough he would have at least come into contention before.

Owen looks like the best British attacking full-back at present - fast, a good step and has the ability to break the line himself. I'd have him as first choice England FB now with Pryce and maybe Cudjoe as cover. I don't see any major problems in his game at the moment - unlike other recently touted England backs (Fox was poor against Leeds on Friday... surely there's someone better than him other than Hall?).

Fox had a nightmare.

Hall has to have a starting place, just not sure who i would put on the other wing, Raynor maybe? ? ?

[iLess[/i skillful than Wellens? Dear god...


Inglis has been playing centre all year.

True Peachey was possibly one of the 1st ones to be like an extra stand off.

been saying this for a while.
If you need your fb to make tackle after tackle, you've got serious problems elsewhere. Use the FB as a second SO supporting everything as an extra attacker.

Briscoe is our best option at fullback, in my opinion. He's no Billy Slater or Brent Webb in attack but he's far from useless going forward, with 10 tries in 21 games this season (a better record than Owen, fwiw). Defensively, there's no better fullback in the league.

Wellens was excellent on Saturday and is a very skilful player.

He may lack pace but not skill. FWIW he wouldn't be my full back for England, but neither would Briscoe.

Agree, im just not sure who would be.

Looking at your Avatar I never would have guessed.