If you took the time to actually read my post, you will see I said from 2 to 5... I am not talking about Slater, Thurston and Lockyer

Who would you rather see on the team sheet against England, Boyd and Uate or Israel Folau and Wendell Sailor?

As you say, swap Inglis for Lawrence and it looks very strong. Its strong than the last 3/4 line the Aussies brought over.

Stronger than the 2009 4 Nations backline vs. England?

2. Brett Morris
3. Greg Inglis
4. Justin Hodges
5. Jarryd Hayne

I'd rather take on the 2011 team than this backline

[i"I’ve watched the Kangaroos play since ’84 and from 2 to 5 that’s among the worst backlines I can remember"[/i

You did say that but I picked up the generalisation its one of the worst backlines you have seen in 20 years.
I have watched the Kangaroos play since the early Seventies and I have seen plenty of untried combinations.
If you do not give youth a chance due to injuries or retirements you end up with what?
Players like England have put out year after year regardless of how poor the results have been.
Should Australia have talked Matt Cooper, Jamie Lyon and Gasnier out of Test Retirement?
Aged 32, 29 and 30?
Time moves on and if youth is not given a chance you end up with the sort of teams England has put out for a decade where its harder to get out than any chance of getting in.

There was no generalisation, I said from positions 2 to 5. I really don’t know how I could have made it any clearer that I wasn’t talking about positions 1, 6 & 7

Well Dunbar, you should have said its the worst Wing and Centres I have ever seen.
A backline in Australia is all players from the Half back to the Fullback.
A backline can not be broken up into 4 players and exclude the Halves and the Fullback.
Do you say that the Lock, Hooker and one Prop is poor and then say its the worst pack you have ever seen?

By the way if it is one of the worst backlines you have seen I do not think much of your opinion.
Any of the players you mention would be a certainty in the English Squad so how tough is England doing it regardless of the borrowed players?
Australia's rubbish is still better than what England can put out?

Oh for goodness sake, if you can’t work out positions 2 to 5 are centres and wingers then why do I have to spell it out for you... I am not taking the blame for your ignorance

And why bring England into this conversation – I have said that in my opinion it is one of the weakest Australian backlines from 2 to 5 (that’s the wingers and centres by the way) that I have seen – I made no reference whatsoever to the relative strengths of the other nations

The thread title is England Squad Assessment, I was trying to get back on topic.
You may well know more about the game than I do.
I have followed this game for nearly 40 years and had a close association with several of the NRL Clubs for many years both as a supporter and as a representative of a major sponsor.
Still each to their own opinions.

Its going to be a good couple of months Dunbar.

We can agree on that, it is going to be a great couple of months... I’m looking forward to some entertaining and competitive international Rugby League... I may be a sucker for punishment but this is the time of year I look forward to most, always with the hope that England will come out on top!

With injuries, retirements and general unavailability across all the teams it should be the closest series in decades.
I hope refereeing does not come into it or "rub of the green"
May the best team win and if that team is England I have no problem with it and it would be the best thing to happen to the game in years.
But I want the team that wins to "WIN" it not the team that they play to lose it.

Don't remember Sailor and Falou playing in the same Aussie team.

In 1997 the 3/4 was Nags, ET, Girdler, Sailor. The 2000 WC final Aussie 3/4 line was Matt Rogers, McDougal, Matt Gidley and Del Sailor. I'd say with Inglis this Aussie backline is stronger. In 2003 the Aussie 3/4 line was Rooney (shame he left RL he would have become a legend) Lewis Berrigan(?) Minichello, again this Aussie back line is better. In 2006 it was Tate, Gasnier, Lyon, Inglis I think both are pretty even. This Aussie bacline my lack some of the household names from previous years but its just as dangerous and man for man quite a few levels above Englands.

Hodges (for Tonga) is the only player I'd take over this years Aussie backline. You could make a case for Hayne over Boyd, but Boyd has been one of the best players in the NRL in the last couple of years, Hayne has been 5hit this season.

The one that stands out for me is the 2006 backline – probably the best of recent times

With its production line of talent, we will never see a weak Aussie backline. Maybe I’m just getting nostalgic as I get on a bit but this year’s team (bar Inglis) doesn’t have the same awe to it as when we saw names like Miles, Menninga and Kenny in the centres or the likes of Grothe on the wing

Ablett is a cracking player and massively under rated by a lot. He has good hands good footwork and runs some good lines, he also has some pace for a back row forward and offers versatility as can cover SR, LF and centre, he is also in form. The others you mention could be debated, but for me ablett for me should be in the squad