Spot on. Why waste talent on this pointless exercise. :

funny people used to say the same thing about the state of origin now look at it... sometimes i hate the RFL then other times i feel sorry for them, every man and hes dog came out saying why the hell aren't we warming up with an exile type concept and now a few years down the line its pointless? some fans will never be happy FACT.

You can add Widdop, Reed, Burgess(es), Graham to that squad for the WC.

I can't understand everyone's moaning about who's picked for England in this game against the exiles,as come the end of the season and if all the NRL boys are fit then we have a pack to match everyone

Does anyone on here believe that we can pick anyone from absolutely any possible club or country as long as they we're England eligible and would make up a side that would compete with Australia's back line?

The only back that would get into the Aussie back line would be Hall IMO although Sam would be very close to Slater, but sadly there it ends fella's

The only issue I have with the squad is Morley being in there. He's a legend, he's achieved an awful lot in his career and seems a good bloke but he's not up to it anymore.

Other then that I don't see where he's made too many errors in selection (unusual for McNamara I know). He's got some excellent young players in there like Hardaker, Charnley, Farrell and Hill and has picked a real deserving player in Ferres above a no hoper like Wilkin.

As for the halfbacks he can only work with what he's got. Maybe Brough is unlucky but there's always that nagging doubt over his big game ability.

We can't forget the NRL boys are to come in or that we have a couple of good options injured.

Danny Brough should be in over Chase - regardless of nationality IMO. Adrian Morley should be nowhere near the squad anymore - with all due respect to everything he has achieved in his career.

Other than that, I can't find any faults. Ferres deserves his shot as does Cudjoe. You could possibly make the case for Atkins being in there, but I think he has said in the past that playing against the Aussies a couple of years ago really knocked his confidence.

Danny Houghton is a good player, but what will he offer as an impact player? He's an 80 minute grafter whereas Burrow can offer a plan b if things need a shake up.

The only other point is I wonder if Gaz Hock would have been in the squad had he not been banned.

Team for the Exiles for me:

Sam Tomkins
Josh Charnley
Leroy Cudjoe
Zak Hardaker
Ryan Hall
Rangi Chase
Kevin Sinfield
Eorl Crabtree
James Roby
Lee Mossop
Gareth Ellis
Ben Westwood
Sean O'Loughlin
----------------------------------------
Rob Burrow
Chris Hill
Adrian piggin' Morley
Liam Farrell

Ferres, Myler and JJB on standby.

Good side.

but its their national sport, the RFL are killing the game over here and flogging a dead horse, they dont do themselves any favours.

Brough would have been available if McNamara had swallowed his pride and selected on form instead of reputation as he said.
McNamara is a joke, as there are players on form completely overlooked and crocked players and Sinfield who is out of form.

Sinfield has been up against Brough twice this season, and Brough has shown him up completely, in fact Sinfield was non existent and should not have been picked he is vastly overrated. If you don`t fancy Brough Myler and Widdop.

Yep, poor guys have no chance of pleasing a decent amount of the fans.

But Brough has done something that Sinfield can only dream of... won a Challenge Cup Final.

you're a really funny poster

I see Tony Smith has piped up, in his book Brough should be happy to play second fiddle to whoevers selected before him, Chase on the other hand has a god given right to turn his back on his country because he cant get in the team. I wonder if he had that sarcy smile on his face when he said that.....

McBanana has to go. Was the wrong appointment in the first place and hasn't done anything to show otherwise.

I know it's in the 'fantasy coach' category, but I just think about what a top coach like Madge could do with the players we have available, we'd see a totally different England.