Some interesting selections in there - certainly a freshining up of the squad. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/65267187 Be interesting to see who makes the team, a really good chance for some to stake a claim going forward.

Some interesting selections in there - certainly a freshining up of the squad. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/65267187 Be interesting to see who makes the team, a really good chance for some to stake a claim going forward.

Looks like the end for guys like Hall, McIlorum and Watkins, which is probably the right call. I’m surprised on that score, that Hill is in but you do want to win games in the here and now I guess and there are some young props in there.

From our perspective I really hope we see our lads push their cases tonight and going forward. They’re not very far off at all guys like Marshall, Smith, Havard and Smithies and just need to really push hard now for that next step. It feels like they’re getting towards that point now.

i just love all the facebook international coaches

he favours Wigan and only picks his favourites, then on a post about Saints players being selected, why have they been selected as they arent good enough / not playing well etc etc

i'm so glad i dont have that job and hope SW doesnt read any of the rubbish spouted

7 out of 8 Saints players have dropped out and are 'unavailable'. What a surprise.

It’s 3 from 4 drop outs from Saints in all honesty and however Saints fans try and defend it, it’s poor form yet again. The Lomax one disappoints me most and I think it’s time for Wane to retire him officially. The commitment isn’t there and that’s fine but just move on.

On the flip side, we’ve got 8 players still left available and that’s something to be proud of. Guys like Marshall and Farrell have not looked 100% at times but will put their hand up. It should be a good opportunity for guys like Havard, Smith and Smithies to show their commitment and hopefully lay a marker.

Reckon Lees is the only questionable one, can't see Lomax/Makinson being around for the next WC so not much point picking them anyway and the rest either injured or not ripping up any trees, move along, nothing to see here.

7 out of 8 is a disgrace, as is losing 1/4 of the entire squad. I know some are genuine, particularly the ones that didn’t play at the weekend but there’s no way all are.

This is exactly what is wrong with the sport. Our only real chance of growth is the international game.

It’s 3 from 4 available in reality. Walmsley ruled out weeks ago, Percival is injured for a few weeks, Knowles suspended and if Makinson wasn’t fit enough to play against Wire with so many out, we can take that on face value.

It’s still a 75% pull out rate though, with no obvious issues for any of them in the last game. This has been the Saints way since Woolf came in. They see this as a rest weekend and a way of gaining an advantage over the competition. It’s extremely self serving and is a poor look but when they keep lifting trophies, it won’t bother them.

Really disappointing from Saints, Catalan and Toulouse. Particularly with Wellens being involved in the England set up recently.

Any player “injured” for these weeks should be forced to miss the following weeks SL games.

Glad Peet’s approach that he wants our players playing for England.

Why, have Catalan and Toulouse withdrew players also? They basically are the French team.

You say no obvious issues but it’s blindingly obvious Dodd is injured. We’ve had Bennison and Lussick kicking goals because he’s not capable of it at the moment.

Madness.

Wane will have his own view on the people who are genuinely injured and those that are trying it on and he’s under no obligation to select them going forward.

Banning people like Walmsley, Makinson, Percival, Dodd for carrying injuries is just daft. Knowles isn’t even available but is being reported as having been withdrawn!

Only the withdrawal of Lomax and Lees are remotely controversial and I doubt Lomax would have played anyway. Nobody knows whether they have genuine injuries or not but I’m inclined to agree that if it was the World Cup next week they would be available to play. Then again - maybe Wane doesn’t want to play players with knocks in a mid season game and has been in the loop.

If my impression of Wane is correct, the punishment for not putting your hand up will be not getting selected when it matters.

Presumed that had been an issue with him missing goals but if he’s got a knock fair enough. I don’t think he deserves to be picked anyway but the Lomax and Lees ones look typical Saints pull outs. I have been vocal on the constant Saints pull outs over the past few years. I have always thought it’s pretty shameful tbh and it’s clear as day they’ve decided to treat the mid season game as a break for their players and to not support it. There have been constant England pull outs and the unwillingness to ever put overseas players forward for that Exiles game was also extremely poor, especially in the season were the game was helping support a former player in Mose Masoe. That’s old ground though but things don’t look like changing.

Going forward if I were Wane, I’d want a sit down with Wellens to discuss what his thoughts are and if there is any commitment to support the national side. I could sort of get the reluctance of a rival international coach in not being hugely supportive but I thought things may change under Wellens. If Wane isn’t happy with these pull outs, I hope he’s not diplomatic this time and rattles a few cages. It needs calling out and heat being put on the clubs/coaches.

It's gone on for years and isn't just saints. Pretty sure something was brought into football to stop it happening there.

IMO the England doctor should be independent to clubs and should decide whether a player returns to their club or not.

It needs fixing anyway. You wouldn't see Cleary pull out of Origin to play for Penrith