Unlike hardaker who is getting eaten up by lower SL sides week on week

Manfredi and Johnstone look like automatic starters no matter who else is fit or in form to me. They both look like the real deal already and they've both only played about 30-40 games. You can't be this good after that amount of time without being the real deal. In both cases. They both look fantastic to me.

Matty Russell plays for Scotland so no point discussing him. Although he's been absolutely brilliant.

Victim-mentality nonsense.

Johnstone is a good young winger, he has plenty of potential. We have plenty of good young wingers with plenty of potential. He isnt a once in a decade talent. Thats as crazy a statement as the last Wakefield player you told me was going to set the world alight and definitely 100% be a world class international talent. How is Dale Ferguson doing these days?

We also have a fair few good wingers who are fulfilling that potential. No need to ruin him by throwing him in early.

Kevin penny MK1 looked the real deal after 30/40 games, Shaun Ainscough scored 16tries in his first 10 games, last year Tom Lineham was the real deal, a couple of years ago Josh Charnley was going to be the best in the world.

Many young wingers look like the real deal, few are.

Hall and McGilvray look to be our first choice wingers, however, Joe Burgess, Dom Manfredi, and a fit Tom Briscoe are breathing heavily down their necks. Luckily we're only half way through the season, I'd hate to be the One selecting at this moment in time, no doubt the selections should become a lot clearer come Octoberish.

We have some strong wingers with experience like Hall, McGilvray and Briscoe, we have some real exciting young wingers who have done a bit like Burgess and even Makinson, some who have shown glimpses like Lineham, and a few very young ones who are starting to get comfortable at SL level and will look to step to the next level like Johnstone, Manfredi, Handley. We are really strong at Winger right now. Thankfully long gone are the days of Leon Pryce or Richard Horne getting thrown out there.

Hahaha Ge Whiz I remember Poor Richard Horne having to deputize on the wing, I'm pretty chuft with the wingers we have in depth. With regards to Centre, it has to be Watkins and Reed. When we last played the Aussies we had Watkins and Charnley on one wing and Sarginson and Hall on the other. I thought that was a strange ploy splitting the combinations.

I imagine Burgess's chances of selection depend on him getting a decent amount of game-time at the Roosters, which may be problematic. If he was still at Wigan and running them in, I'd have no problems with him and Manfredi having the spots. I've nothing against Hall, who has stood up to the Aussies before, but on his and his club's current form, he hardly demands an automatic spot, to say the least. Either of Manfredi or McGillvary would do a decent job on the right.

As for full-back, it will be interesting to see whether serious consideration is given to playing Sam T in the halves, rather than at full-back, both for club and country. For me, that's his best position. I do think Hardaker is a better defender than Tomkins, but Tomkins offers more in attack and as an organiser. Difficult choice.

I don't why Widdop merits an automatic place, as many seem to assume.

Prop is interesting, too. The Burgess twins (and their whole team) haven't been pulling up too many trees this season.

As much as I hate to say it Leroy Cudjoe has been the best ive seen him this year, on current form who would you pick as a 13? I'd probably go

1. Shaul
2. McGilvray
3. Cudjoe
4. Atkins
5. Manfredi
6.
7. Sneyd
8. Hill
9. Hodgson
10. Taylor
11. Currie
12. Lawrence
13. Bateman

Struggling at 6 and I know theres a couple in there who wont be but they all are playing out of their skins at the minute. A real dark horse could be Michael Lawrence for me started adding some line breaking to his running now hes filled out coupled with his defensive work very impressed last night

Russell would be a great shout if he wasn't Scottish, plus there's a lot of players in front of him at full back. Currie has got to be a dead cert. Hughes, Westerman and Penny are in with a shout I should think.

Talking about13. There's no One to touch O'Loughlin on his day. He's awesome at 1st and 2nd pivot. The only negative with Sean O'Loughlin seems to be his inability to steer injuries away. He's always carrying some sort of knock, if he's not available, Sams the man.

At the moment, Cudjoe blows Watkins out of the water in terms of everything, apart from winners medals, but we don't or shouldn't pick a national team based on what a player has won at club level.
Last night, Cudjoe caused problems for Leeds, (the only problem Watkins caused the Giants was laughing at how poor he was) the week before he was superb against Wigan, and battered Warrington's defensive line 3 weeks ago, there is a reason why McGillvary is scoring a lot of tries.

From what I've seen so far this year I think Percival, Manfredi and Johnston stand a decent chance of selection. For full back a lot will depend on hoe Bennett wants to play. If he is looking for a playmaker then it's likely to be Tomkins, if he wants a runner and support player then Shaul and Russell may be considered. I can't see past Tomkins or Hardaker if they are fit.

FB. Tomkins/Hardaker
W. Manfredi/McGillvary/Hall/Briscoe/Johnston & Burgess if he gets into the Roosters side
C. Watkins/Cudjoe/Percival/Reed

Wingers are very strong, I'd be happy with any two of those.

There's been many players who have been bigged up over the years after 30 games only to fall by the wayside, your own Kevin Penny a perfect example, within a year he was been touted as the next offiah etc, 2 months later wire fans were glad to see the back of him.
To me, a player with less than 2 years experience at the top level should be left to develop further, if they are still that good after 3 or 4 years then they should be selected.
Jermaine McGillvary has been doing what he's always done for years, and he's had to wait a good 7/8 years for his chance, he was always good enough it's just he's always been down the pecking order.

Hadn't read this before i posted my reply, but more or less is what i was trying to say.