Good to see saints fans recognising roby isn't a no 9. sinfield played far better there and we played far better as a team.

Probably because sinfield then wasn't 1st receiver as it alllowed eastmond and sam to play, they shold be our hfbacks for a long time to come.

I still don't understand why diskin isn't in the squad as he's a proper hooker.

Mcguire has to be dropped. Fox or smith to the wing, i would briing back gleeson - crap season but at least he knows how to defend, or senior.

Failing that ellis would add some size out there, but i worry about pace then. Possibly bridge is the best option - can't believe i'm saying that!

I'd go with:

Briscoe
Fox
Smith
Shenton
Hall
Tompkins
Eastmond
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
Sinfield

McGuire
Morley
Crabtree
Westwood/Carvell

New Zealand are not as good as Australia in the backs but i reckon are better in the forwards. We have to stop them in the centre of the field and put their half backs under pressure. they have some big hitters so our forwards will need to be spelled.
if we can then make gaps around the ruck we can punish them . I would go with as big a pack as posible. they will have seen the weakness down the right hand side and that needs to be filled.
Plus Roby cannot start the game or play 80 mins.

i would go with

FB: Sean Briscoe
LW: Ryan Hall
LC: Michael Shenton
RC: Gareth Ellis
RW: Lee Smith
SO: Sam Tomkins
SH: Kyle Eastmond
P:James Graham
HK: Kevin Sinfield
P: Gareth Carvell
SR: Ben Westwood
SR: Jamie Peacock
LF: Sam Burgess

SUB: James Roby
SUB: Adrian Morley
SUB: Jon Wilkin
SUB: Eorl Crabtree

What we need to concentrate on against NZ is retaining possession. If we dominate possession we'll beat them. If they do, they'll use their forwards and tire us out. If we hold possession and exert slow pressure first half and then hold possession and run wide in the second half we'll beat them easily. Problem is we seem to have no idea of patience and building pressure - mainly because we struggle to hold onto the ball with the likes of McGuire poncing around and trying to offload too much in the forwards in tight situations.

Tom Briscoe was very unlucky, and surely anyone who watched the game will see that he got massively exposed due to the poor defence/ positioning of Smith and Mcguire. He didn't have the best game ever but he certainly wasn;t at fault for the tries conceded and he nearly saved McGuires bacon once by almost chasing down Inglis. The reason we were better in the second half was because the forwards stopped getting bullied and we got a bit more possession, it certainly wasn't because the weak link got taken off.

If Smith drops him next week then I hope it's for the right reasons. However I fear that he will be made a scapegoat for the rest of the sides shortcomings.

After the shocking performances we've had to put up with for the last few years I don't think anyone could criticise Tony Smith for starting with the team that played well in the second-half yesterday.

It's not that he's not a hooker - he is and can be. His defence is good hooker stuff - rarely misses and in the middle. It's just the style of offensive hooking he's been trained to play is quick scoots from dummy-half at a tiring defence. That's why his passing isn't the best, and he doesn't control a game like, say, Cunningham or Buderus. What he needs from Potter in the next season is a retraining to make him effective again. That might mean a move from the hooker role. Personally I see him as a loose, or even a back more than a forward now, especially with Moore clearly being brought back as a hooker.

1 Briscoe
2 Briscoe / Hall
3 Shenton
4 Ellis
5 Smith
6 Tomkins
7 Myler
8 Morley
9 Moore
10 Graham
11 Peacock
12 Burgess
13 Sinfield

Roby
Crabtree
Eastmond
Carvell

For me next week we should go with:

Shaun Briscoe
Tom Briscoe
Martin Gleeson
Michael Shenton
Ryan Hall
Sam Tomkins
Kyle Eastmond
Adrian Morley
James Roby
James Graham
Gareth Ellis
Sam Burgess
Kevin Sinfield

---------------------------------
Jamie Peacock
Eorl Crabtree
Ben Westwood
Gareth Carvell

Tom Briscoe (as others have mentioned) was not at fault for the awful defence out wide. Lee Smith and Danny McGuire were the culprits.

I still think Martin Gleeson is England's best option at centre. He is the best defensive centre we have and can still offer something in attack. It would add a bit more experience to our back line as well. Kyle Eastmond is anonymous at centre(not to mentioned would get crushed by the kiwis) and our only other options Tony Clubb, Lee Smith and Chris Bridge aren't good enough. Gareth Ellis has been doing a superb job in the second row and I wouldn't change that.

James Graham needs to start again and not be used from the bench. He IS NOT an impact prop. He is a grafter and so should be used as such.

Jamie Peacock didn't have a good game in the second row. He shouldn't play there again and IMO should be used as impact from the bench.

James Roby didn't have a brilliant game but he is the best of the limited options we have. Scott Moore is way out of his depth and Kevin Sinfield is doing a sterling job at loose forward.

I think Sam Burgess needs to start. We had a sluggish start but when he came on he really lifted us and against a monster kiwi pack we need someone who can put a few big hits in.

I've gone for a monster bench in Carvell, Peacock, Crabtree and Westwood purely for a lot of impact. The kiwis for 80 minutes were constantly thumping the Aussies and it is going to take an almighty effort to match them/beat them in the forwards. So we need to take the strongest pack possible. Eorl Crabtree to be used in the second row with Westwood with Peacock and Carvell coming on as impact props.

I believe there is enough skill in the halfbacks Tomkins & Eastmond along with Kevin Sinfield to create enough problems for the kiwis with Gareth Ellis and Sam Burgess also good offloaders of the ball.

Is Gleeson available?

Just phone couple of pubs in Wigan and ask

He isn't in the 'squad' but he would be available for selection.

Can you draft players into the squad at any time?

Eastmond
L.Smith
Shenton
T.Briscoe
Hall
Sinfield
Tompkins
Peacock
Moore
Morley
Westwood
Ellis
Burgess

Roby
Crabtree
Graham
McGuire