Is the squad final? Could he ask players to be available in case of emergency (difficult to see senior players agreeing to this). If not the 2 wingers with no obvious fill ins is indeed baffling.

One of the worse posts I've read in a while. Shenton shouldn't be picked to play for England in 2017, after excellent 2017 because of a lesser spell at Saints in 2011-12.

I posted on Facebook last night, people bagging Tomkins and saying he's been poor since he came back should look at Ratchfords stats. He scored one try all season before the split for them to play in the middle 8's and finished with 5 overall, after playing against London, Fev, Halifax etc. I've always thought of him as a player who is vastly overrated tbh. He's one of those players who looks good, decent footwork, decent hands, decent pace etc but ultimately we're still waiting for that season which makes you go 'yeah Ratchford has kicked on and is now a top level player'.

Decent super league player but it's worrying that we're going to a World Cup with it looking like he's our first choice fullback.

Exactly. As disappointing as ST has been he's still superior to Ratchford.

I think Ratchford is in there as a utility though, easier to stick him at centre or on the wing than it is with S.Tomkins

I wouldn't want Ratchford in either of those positions against the big teams though TBH, would prefer a back row like Bateman or Currie filling in. Really, it should have been Tomkins in for Brown as he can cover the halves as well as FB and Makinson over Ratchford but i guess we will have to trust Bennett's judgement now.