And the craziest part about that is Tabuai-Fidow and Trbojevic are 2 of the best full-backs in the NRL. We don't just lack depth, we also lack players who can excel in multiple positions.

At least we're not playing various loose forwards in the halfbacks and at hooker anymore.

And yet I remember the days when, if Kevin Sinfield was injured, it was a disaster for England/GB. Fortunately, as noted, we have a few more options now. I'm not sure Welsby has the game to play in the halves at the top level, though.

@moto748, it wont let me quote your text



it will be interesting to see how Saints play Welsby and Sailor, as there is a possibility that Welsby may move into the halves and Sailor to FB, which would really bugger up our international chances



. Stu / YG or FTV will probably have a better view than any of us do on that one though



and on the point yourself and Bullseye make re players switching for some unknown reason we've done that since the late 80s, moving loose forwards into 6,7, or 9, when they dont play there week in week out. Hopefully now, players are picked on merit, in their positions they play each week, so we arent putting square peg into round hole. We have a depth of talent across our game, with a couple of admittedly weaker positions as we've been discussing, but thats more, our 1st choice FB and Centres are fine, but depth beyond those players

I don't think anyone knows yet. Both Sailor and Wellens have alluded to the fact that they haven't nailed down if he is playing 1 or 6 yet. I presume that Briers will have a big input into this when he starts pre-season bearing in mind he was at the Bronco's with Sailor



Whilst I have previously said that Welsby's defensive game at FB still needs improvement, from the games I have seen Sailor play then I would suggest that Welsby is a better FB option in defence



My guess would be Sailor at 6 as he does seem to have a good short kicking game too.

When were they! Brilliant domestic career but I genuinely can't remember him ever doing anything of note at international level besides that missed tackle to lose us the WC semi v NZ. It goes against the prevailing wind here but an out of position Sculthorpe did a far better job for GB at stand off.

haha i thought this too. It's a shame because he had a hand in 2 tries in this game.



He just failed to do what everyone claims he did for Leeds, see out the game and manage us to a win.



That lack of control is what lead to the miss on Johnson IMO and that obviously overshadows setting up our tries.

I actually think it’s harsh that Sinfield is remembered for that miss.



He had a great game that day and one on one on the back foot against a 2013 Shaun Johnson off a quick play the ball I’m not sure many if any in the world make that tackle under such fatigue.



Seem to remember it’s a frantic game towards the end but we restrict NZ to 5 tackles out of their half, they are 40 yards from our line and one of the Burgess twins gives away a really poor high tackle giving them another 6 in our attacking zone to give them the field position for SJ to do what he did.



Sinfield though generally certainly didn’t have the impact Farrell or Sculthorpe did during their international careers and was always second fiddle to Locky on that stage too.



Great clubman Sinfield but I don’t think that form ever consistently transferred to the international stage.

Sinfield was a bit of a victim of being moved around at Leeds between 6 and 13 and also for GB/England, between 6, 13 and also 9. I look at this current England team and he's Harry Smith and if he was slotted in around Williams, Clark, Radley etc, then he can control the team and kick us around the field. It almost feels like he was playing with the wrong number on his back during his career. He wasn't big enough to be a 13 and he wasn't quick enough or enough of a running threat to play at 6. He played at 7 in that World Cup and the perception started to change but he then misses that tackle and we forget everything else.

100% agree.

His best games were at 9 and 7, positions he didn't really play at club level. Very unusual for that to happen. I remember Wally Lewis commenting very favourably about him after the first time he played at 9.

I went through a few of his games for GB and in addition to being moved around the place, when he was played in the halves one time, he was paired with Paul Deacon! Talk about a lack of balance. They then played him at loose forward in a series against New Zealand but with a halfback pairing of Leon Pryce and Rob Burrow, so you then have a job on to control the side and kick us around the field when you're in the middle of the field and having to do a lot of donkey work in defence.



The game is different now but if you had the players of that time and was setting them up now, you'd probably have Leon Pryce at fullback, Rob Burrow at stand off, Sinfield at scrum half and then Lockers (or a Gaz Ellis/Sam Burgess) at loose foward and there is no way you'd pair Sinfield and Deacon at 6 and 7. I probably bagged Sinfield more than most at the time but looking back, he was left out to dry a bit.