After last years crazy squad selection I didn't think it could be any worse, but Mcbanana has truly surpassed his own high standards of inept stupidity.

Mcllorum, Bailey, Cudjoe, Jones-Bishop & Ablett should be struggling to be in the Knights. Brough & Burrow must be wondering what the hell is going on. And as for Rangi Chase.... I'm just shaking my head and wondering why every decent overseas player in SL hasn't been offered a place.

I imagine the Aussies & Kiwis are trembling in their boots at playing the mighty English.

So, from a squad that was a 'basket case' 2 months ago, Leeeeeeds now have 7 players in the England set up, as well as two more in the Knights squad (Clarkeson and Hardaker). As a result, of the 12 English qualified players which took the field in Saturday for Leeeeeeds, only McGuire (had enough chances over the years), Burrow (wants an op), and Kirke (makes Ablett seem like Ellery Hanley) are the only ones not being considered for International rugby, this autumn.

Serious question, now. Am I missing something? Why are a side that's been laughable for the majority of the season, making the cornerstone of the England squad.

I'm baffled.

I'm incredibly surprised by the inclusion of Carl Ablett, Ryan Bailey and Jamie Jones Buchanan(sp?) to be honest. Ablett, albeit he had a half decent end to the season, I don't think he's going to cut it against Australia (although I would love him to). Ryan Bailey, well I think that one speaks for itself. I think I would be more supporting if he was a quality player with the niggly attitude then I would be happy because he might irritate the Aussies, but he's not, he's likely to be 3rd man in (if he plays) and have a disappointing tournament. Buchanan, I think he is just being picked on reputation, he hasn't done much to impress me over the past 2 years.

There seemed to be some genuine excitement regarding the England squad, irrespective of any negativity regarding Chase and the Aussie imports (who all qualify to represent England).

Then we get Bailey, Ablett, McIllorum and Cudjoe, who all must think Christmas has come early.

Rant over , as probably only 1 will make the starting 17. Oh and I'd still have included Brough.

There seemed to be some genuine excitement regarding the England squad, irrespective of any negativity regarding Chase and the Aussie imports (who all qualify to represent England).

Then we get Bailey, Ablett, McIllorum and Cudjoe, who all must think Christmas has come early.

Rant over , as probably only 1 will make the starting 17. Oh and I'd still have included Brough.

We must remember that we have a current England coach who was a complete disaster at Bradford.

In my opinion he only got the England job because no other coach would pick up the poisoned chalice.

The inclusion of Ryan Bailey alone is laughable.

I look forward to Bailey squaring up to some of the Aussies and Kiwis and being put firmly on his backside.

It can't be that hard. I do NOT know how the banana has ed this up so badly.
I can picture what even a moron would do in his situation (and I will even add some reality tv magic)

Just like in those reality programmes, get every english (or eligible) player playing in super league.

Take their picture on a polaroid camera.

Line all the pictures on a table (maybe sort into catagories such as position or club)

Pick out the best players in each of the positions

Pick back up players and utility players.

Weed out the players (Bailey, MM) and throw those pictures in the bin

Announce the team!!!

(Does anyone wanna email this to him; it might help next year)

What you don't do is just pick the players you saw the weekend before you have to annouce it, regardless of quality. I seriously think, like a kid who has forgotten to do his homework, he just wrote it 5 mins before deadline on an old fag packet (bit like Mike Basset)

Maybe we should introduce a quota (just for the banana) maybe the top 4 teams (those that reach the eliminator playoffs) must have at least a certain amount of players (2 or 3) and the rest must be of different clubs in a close to equal amount.

EG 3 from wire
3 from wigan
3 from sts
3 from huddersfield

rest from Hull, Leeds etc

or just have 2 from each of the top 7 (8 in the case of catalans reaching top 7)
2 from wire
2 wigan
2 sts
2 hudds
2 leeds
2 hull
2 hull kr (think i have found the flaw there)

plus one extra for final few places

Of course i am just spit balling. My point is this was a daft decision from the banana in the number of leeds players in the team.

COMEDY GOLD WITH BELLS AND WHISTLES...(and like Theresa May said last week, I'm not making this up)

There is actually a poster on the Leeeeeds board, on their posts on this topic (page 1), who thinks Ablett is worthy of a bench spot, over Carvell!!!!!! They must have taken far too much Harvey's Bristol Cream after their GF win

Steve McBanana walks into his local Burger King and says "Give me two whoppers"

So the girl on the till says "O.K. England are going to win the 4 nations, and Michael McIlorum is international class"

Lomax dropped out McGuire in

So much for players being picked on form...

No, stop it now.
Someone tell me this is a joke, right.
Does McBanana know that he isn't duty bound to pick EVERY available Whinos player, simply because they won on Saturday.

Heaven help us when Ben Westwood pulls out because he has to go to his best mate's wedding on the day of the New Zealand game, and because he was away for last year's Bonfire night celebrations, he has to light the bonnie for the kids, or his missus will have a mood-on with him. McBanana will then call in Ian Kirke, and every Leeds player available will have an England chance this year.

Any apathy towards the tournament by supporters is more than matched by the players it seems. Anybody who has an injury wants it put right so that they don't miss the start of SL, then there's others who just don't want to play for 'personal reasons'.

Superleague > International RL.

That's how the players see it.

Lomax was deemed to have an itchy toe and didn't want to risk anything, Atkins broken nail will be fine for the start of SL but not early enough for the 4N, Bridge's new tattoo scab has still not healed so he misses out and Brough has haggis poisoning and is recovering with a battered mars bar diet. Any more news i'll keep you up to date.

But Rangi Chase is fine though, right!?