Quote: Odemwingie "I pointed out on the VT that the team we will pick at the end of the year will be very different, the strongest we can pick now is nowhere near as strong as what we can pick at the end of the season. I think this is a fair evaluation personally...
Brough will no doubt replace Myler who is a good support player but rubbish at this level, even wire fans can see that. Brough has an awesome kicking game and will control the play as well as being creative.
Roby will play instead of McIlorum. McIlorum does the job and will never let anyone down but he is not ready for this level YET. Roby is one of the top hookers in the world and is always superb at international level.
Burgess and Ellis will play. An argument could be made that these are Englands two best players, they play with the worlds best week in week out and are now two of the best back rowers in the NRL while Burgess can also play prop.
Widdop will probably play at 6 or FB... he should play 6 IMO. He has looked quality for Melbourne this year, he could easily hide behind Cronk, Slater and Smith but he never does.
Adding these 5 players to that starting 13 improves the team by a long way IMO.
Finally you also have Hock who will no doubt put his hand up with the amount of talent he has... maybe if we are lucky he has found half a brain cell in his two years out. You also have Crabtree who didn't play in this game and has always performed for England.
On an extra note I thought Joel Tomkins had a good game and has looked awesome for Wigan at centre IMO. He should be in contention there, he reads the game well and has loads of pace for a big guy, nobody got near him. Shenton looked like he was running in treacle.
After these players have been added we could end up with something like this....
Tomkins
Hall
Shenton/J Tomkins/Bridge
Shenton/J Tomkins/Bridge
Briscoe
Widdop
Brough
Morley
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
Lockers
Westwood - Englands MOM made for internationals.
Robinson
Both should be on the bench IMO they deserve it. Then we have a list of players in the running for the final bench spot after Crabtree who also deserves it.
Mossop
Hock
Griffin
LMS
J Tomkins - if he doesn't make the centre position.
Players like Myler, Sinfield and Wilkin should not be in the team. Sinfield could play 9 if needed but not if we are at full strength.'"
Did you mean to miss Graham out?
