Apart from a few old heads in the pack McNamara is clearly looking to the future. I don't for a minuite expect us to beat Australia, but I'd like to see a young team play without fear and a bit of bravado, and be proud to support them. Too often we've looked like rabbits in the headlights, with a number of players literally looking scared by the quality of the opposition.

We need to find the players that respond positiviely and keep them. Shenton for example is dissed by a lot, and he's clearly no Inglis, and yet he styood up to be counted last year. O'Loughlin has previously done the same when selected. GB/England have loads of players for whom the opposite is sadly the case.

That's why McNamara has picked Widdop - he's hopefully going to be a real star. He's not yet obviously, but picking him for England makes sure he doesn't get tapped by NSW if and when he makes it.

BTW - the 2003 (?) Kangaroos were far weaker than this squad. That was a series GB could - and perhaps should - have won.

No obvious tactical kicker is my main worry. Tomkins maybe, but not if he plays full back.

No obvious tactical kicker is my main worry. Tomkins maybe, but not if he plays full back.

go watch the gareth widdop highlights video on ewetube....then say we don't have a tactical kicker

You would be better off with that structure over some selections in this thread.

Australia had better depth in 1986 than now to be brutally honest.

As a 26 year old, i've heard this line about 40 times. We are weak in the centres and nowhere else.


I used to be of the same opinion, even though he plays for my club. This year especially i've learnt that when a man as huge as TLL runs as hard as he now does, it doesn't matter if he's stopped in his tracks and put on his ass. The effort it takes to do that to him takes it's toll. Throughout a game, it's very effective. I just hope the few weeks lay off doesn't wreck his ball-handling, which he is prone to losing when coming back from injuries or at the start of each season. With TLL, Shillo, Civo and Scott, we are made in the prop department. I have no concerns whatsoever.


Yep. The 2004 team was worse than this one also...on paper (44-4, anyone?). We've had some pretty good teams since then, and this could arguably be the worst in half a decade, but i'll reserve judgement until the results have passed.

I just saw the Kiwi squad, and the team they can form out of that is bloody scary. They're a massive chance.

When the Australian selectors resort to the likes of Sam Thaiday, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Greg Bird, Dean Young and Todd Carney, you are weak in more than the centres

These players would get nowhere near previous Kangaroo squads

The difficulty McNamara has is the lack of Englishmen in many of the Superleague teams currently. It seems that the rules designed to improve the number of English players aren't working.

He can't pick people who aren't English (or want to represent England) or who aren't fit.

With the likes of Sinfield, McGuire, Eastmond, Price all injured what's he to do?

Its a shocking England squad to be honest. Short at Centre and Half Backs. Looks like we've gone with the usual idea of a big pack will win through. For this swaud to be competitive we need to bulk up in positions so i'd go with

1 Widdop
2 Goulding
3 Ellis
4 Shenton
5 Hall
6 Lockers
7 S Tomkins
8 Morley
9 Roby
10 Graham
11 Burgess
12 Westwood
13 J Tomkins

Subs. Fielden, Robinson, Harrison, Crabtree

I guarentee more than one of those players will make you eat those words.

Just as I said in the previous topic i started I think this could be the most embarrassing England tour of all time. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=472708 Although the Aussies have lost a couple of major stars their squad looks formidable and the Kiwis squad looks as strong as ever! Would have liked to have seen Danny Brough play at No. 7 alongside Tomkins + Peter Fox on the wing. Darrell Goulding is riding high on playing in a very good Wigan team but IMO is no where near international standard. Very worried indeed.

Just as I said in the previous topic i started I think this could be the most embarrassing England tour of all time. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=472708 Although the Aussies have lost a couple of major stars their squad looks formidable and the Kiwis squad looks as strong as ever! Would have liked to have seen Danny Brough play at No. 7 alongside Tomkins + Peter Fox on the wing. Darrell Goulding is riding high on playing in a very good Wigan team but IMO is no where near international standard. Very worried indeed.

I think Sam Thaiday is the best backrower in the world right now. He just shades Ellis due to his better attacking play than Gareth. To underestimate Thaiday would be a big mistake. Learoyd Lahrs runs the ball as hard as anyone in world RL. Lewis is possibly the weak link in their forwards. Not including Gasnier does England a favour though i think. I dont think our centres would have fancied facing him.

Well for a start I would have been bugging Deacon to make sure he was available.
I have no problens with the general situation as you state it but some Hudds fans are playing billy big ballocks which IMHO is leaving them wide open for probable abuse should the tournament go as I would expect it to.

Thanks for that...

And now back to the point I was making about them not getting near previous Australian teams

Listed below is the 1986 Kangaroo touring squad - which would you drop to accomodate Sam Thaiday, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Greg Bird, Dean Young and Todd Carney?

Greg Alexander
Gary Belcher
Martin Bella
Noel Cleal
Phil Daley
Les Davidson
Greg Dowling
Paul Dunn
Ben Elias
Steve Folkes
Des Hasler
Garry Jack
Brett Kenny
Les Kiss
Terry Lamb
Paul Langmack
Wally Lewis (c)
Bob Lindner
Mal Meninga
Gene Miles
Chris Mortimer
Bryan Niebling
Michael O'Connor
Steve Roach
Dale Shearer
Royce Simmons
Paul Sironen
Peter Sterling