Wardle/KPP/lomax/Walmesley not selected due to injuries

No arguments really considering the above
Maybe 1 or 2 that can count themselves lucky/unlucky but overall a decent squad
Talk of Wane having favourites in the way it is implied is ridiculous, he may have favourites but it will be because of what he knows they can or can't do.d

Not sure how anyone can say it's a decent squad when almost half of the 24 have either been injured for the majority of 2023, or play for teams who've massively under performed?

Makinson, Bateman, Burgess, Clarke, Walker, Currie, Hill, Ashton, Newman - either injured, or are big/important players in sides that have massively under performed.

A few have credits in the bank and I understand/respect that. Others have nothing and have been picked over others with some good run of form against their names.

Who would you have in instead of the ones named above?

O’Neill over Walker for a start unless I’m missing something for eligibility?

Makinson is in there very much on merit. Bit of an odd one to include in that list.



Where are you getting this from? He played 27 times and was in the top 5 scorers with 23 tries.



Makinson scored 7 in the final 7 games of the season. Or 13 in the last 10.

I'm fine witth as few wigan in squad as possible, much better to have proper off season

First name on my team sheet Makinson and not only because we need a goal kicker. He has been faultless, in fact he’s been absolutely fantastic in an England shirt ever since he made his debut. He starts and then we choose another winger to go with him (unless we play him Centre, which could be an outside shout and the reason why we named 4 wingers and only 2 centres). Not that he wasn’t in form anyway but I hate the line of picking players ‘in form’ for international duty, as though everything that’s gone on before in an England shirt is forgotten about. It’s the same in football, with people calling for x, y and a to be dropped from Southgate’s team, a team that has got England most consistent results and the most success since 1966.

Williams appeal fails

I agree with you, Tommy is a shoo in when fit although I have to disagree with you about his goal kicking, his success rate was lower than Harry Smith’s in 2023.

Centre our achilles heel again...no depth whatsoever. King will do a job, but if you put Farnworth & Wardle (on this years form) in that backline it looks far more threatening. Here's to hoping that Newman lives up to the initial hype on the big stage.

It’s one thing you don’t get to see much of the goal kicking percentages. That does surprise me but then I’ve not followed it that closely and I’m going off how he kicked for England last year in the World Cup pretty much. I certainly don’t think Smith needs the pressure of the kicking, especially with how the media got after him this season. They couldn’t mention his name without mentioning that he’d missed a few kicks at goal.

I’m not sure you know. If we can lose Farnworth, Percival and Wardle and fall back on King and Newman, I don’t think that’s bad at all in terms of depth, especially by our standards. It wasn’t long ago Bateman was playing there such was the lack of options.

That's a fair point you've made there. I'd be feeling hard done to if I was Thewlis that Newman had been selected and not me also...if indeed we do have one eye on the next RLWC, having this lad in even as a 3rd centre would carry some long-term benefit. Thinking about it, I feel quite strongly that it should've been done at the expense of one of the forwards selected.

I'm just glad Waney doesn't pick the Wigan team anymore......

Apologies if I'm wrong as I can only comment on the games I've seen where he's looked like he was still struggling with his injury. I've seen a couple of late season games and he looked largely ineffective, including the semi final. Meanwhile Marshall has looked sharp for over 2 months.

Fine if you disagree. You see him more than I do and I am only commenting on what I have seen. Do you honestly think he's been at his best? Genuine question.