The sad thing is, the teams listed in this thread are as good as we're going to get and the most wouldn't even get in an Austrialia 3rd team(if they were aussies).

Average, just average.

1. S Tomkins (Wigan)
2. T Briscoe (Hull FC)
3. C Bridge (Wire)
4. J Reed (Broncos)
5. J Foster (Saints)
6. G Widdop (Storm)
7. D Brough (Hudds)
8. S Burgess (Rabbitohs) (Out all season - Carvell to start, Crabtree on to the bench)
9. J Roby (Saints)
10. J Graham (Saints/Bulldogs)
11. G Ellis (Tigers)
12. B Westwood (Wire)
13. S O'Loughlin (c) (Wigan)

14. L Robinson (Hudds)
15. G Carvell (Wire)
16. D Griffin (Hudds)
17. B Harrison (Wire)

I don't think we have the quality in the outside backs to beat the Aussies straight up. Keep it simple, big team, big bench. If we get the opportunity to play ball, we have good enough players out wide with the required skill set to score from an overlap or hole in defence but otherwise I'd look to bully them out the game.

I'd have Sarginson (Quins)at centre, what i've seen of him so far he won't be at Quins long.

1. Widdop
2. Hall
3. Bridge
4. Yeaman
5. Briscoe
6. Brown
7. Brough
8. Morley
9. Roby
10. Graham
11. Ellis
12. Westwood
13. Sinfield (C)

14. S. Tomkins (purely for impact, his step running at tired players would be devastating)
15. Burgess
16. Harrison
17. Heighington

1.Tomkins
2. Jones-Bishop (Really impressed with this lad)
3. Sarginson
4. Yeaman
5. Briscoe
6. Widdop
7. Brough
8. Carvell
9. Roby
10. Graham
11. Westwood
12. Burgess
13. O'Loughlin (c)

14. Robinson
15. Sinfield
16. Ellis
17. J Tomkins (utility value)

Those picking Crabtree, give your head a wobble, average this season.

Not a single prop on the bench, surely you aint expecting our front row to try and do the full 80 mins against Australia and the Kiwis ?

Not a dig here at all, Reidy
but this shows why we're a thousand miles behind the Aussies. They could put 15-20 back rowers/auxilliary props, who are at least as good as/miles better than Harrison

As I've said before, on other threads, the squad we'll have, will be full of v. good SL standard players, but few and far between GREAT international players

Where are the Hanley's, Gregory's, Lydon's, Ward's (and more recently) Farrell's, Sculthorpe's etc, of yesteryear.

We have Roby, Graham (maybe Westwood) and (potentialy) STomkins, who the Aussies would take a look at.

The Aussie coaches must "widdle their pants" at the thought of facing some of our makeweights.

Ellis and Tomkins are strong guys that could easily do the work of a prop, Graham isn't the biggest of props and has more of a back row physique, yeah why not, plus Burgess has played prop.

Quality! Only one Wigan player and thats Sam Tomkins ON THE BENCH! some top class tinted glassses this really tickled me!

While I do think we're behind the aussies some peoples belief that our guys wouldn't make their third team are talking cack. Luke Burgess looks brilliant over there FFS, they're not supermen. Tom Briscoe is as good as Yow-yeh imho

I agreed right up until...


But that's just plain stupid.

Jharal is an absolutely amazing talent, and even though Briscoe looks good in SL (don't get me wrong, the best English winger bar none) he would get well and truly abused by the Aussies week in, week out if he was in the NRL.

We can compete in the forwards, I'd even go as saying our starting pack is better than the Aussies, but we are light years behind in the backs.

No the aussie presentation and the way they talk makes them seem like supermen. Theres a few freaks who stand out as head and shoulders above, who usually play for Australia but any one of Englands starting 17 would get a regular NRL gig easily. If the Aussies were 'three teams could beat us' then the simple fact of the matter is they wouldnt be poaching blokes born in Fiji to play. Both King and Monaghan have played for the Australian national side, King will return next year 30+ and get a go and if Tom Briscoe isnt better than both of them by his early/mid 20s i'll eat my underwear.