Said it on the ground..........Burgess had to show himself to prove he could play NRL (as Ellis did last year). He was the only player imo that can hold his head high and say he beat the aussies

McGuire was just as bad but people have been blinded with how bad he was in attack

I totally agree our line speed is slow and well not a line.

I don't agree he was the only one, there was a few, apart from in the first half!
We shouldn't forget we got a 40 minute thumping but the second half was one to be proud of.

Yes, because the Aussies really played the game in the 2nd half

Where did I say they did???

They just needed to hold there position and not run out the line. A friend of mine last week told me Sam wasn`t good enough for england because of the way he runs out of the line a Leeds fan would you believe.

Tomkins and Eastmond for 6 & 7 is excellent and Crabtree was IMo our best forward.
No doubt, knowing Smith as we do, he'll drop the three of them for next week.
We could well beat the Kiwis next week if that 2nd half performance can be repeated. Then the following week would bring another England V Australia clash.
Of the players to day who shouldn't play McGuire and Roby and the two most vulnerable but Smith will probably stick with them.

You didn't, i'm just saying that people are getting carried away with our 2nd half

Was it not encouraging? They could have quit in the dressing room at half time, they didn't!

Again....I guess so.

My opinion of the game was that we lost it in the 1st half due to lack of forward power and played in the 2nd.

Sam might as well have sat with me the ball he got in the first half. If we want to play Sinfield at first man then give him the 7 jersey and play Westerman at 13. It looked as though Smith wanted to make him look biz.

Good, he deserves it the tit.

I love Billy

At one point in the 2nd half, that whole side was open right from the middle of the field out to the wing. That would be unnaceptable in my Lads team, and he plays at U8's!

If I'm being honest I can't stand the little $hit but he's a very good player and IMO is best yougster from this country since I 1st saw a young KC.

What I liked about him today and nearly everytime I've seen him is he plays with no fear and gets stuck in and very good in defence for a thin guy.

He was my England man of match today and it's pitty few other players couldn't play with the same attitude as Sam today.

I think few years down the line tomkins and eastmond would give the convicts something to think about at 6 and 7.

Well done Sam, Ellis, Crabtree, Burgess did ok as well, but Maquire !

Sam was excellent today, I thought, especially in the second half when he really started taking on the line. I also thought Burgess, Graham, Crabtree, Sinfield, Eastmond and Westwood had good games.

I disagree with Conroy's cynical view about the second half. I don't think Australia took their foot off the gass or anything like that. Given their tonking of us in the world cup, if they'd have had opportunities to muller us they would have done, and gleefully. As it is they got all petulant and dropped some ball too. I think it was rather fortunate for them that we were so totally rubbish in the first half. Had we played in the first half like we did in the second, I think we might have won that game. It certainly would have gone to the wire anyway.

I liked what I saw in the second half, bar a couple of players who can't seem to get their act together (McGuire and my own dear Roby, who really does need to practise his passing, bless him). If we can take that level of energy, skill, inventiveness and determination - or even a greater level of all those - to the match next week then I think we could beat the Kiwis. So long as our forwards can handle their big guys!

I'm not saying we WILL beat the Kiwis, but I have more hope after today's match than I did after seeing England play the Kumuls last year!

Tomkins was fantastic in the second half.

I have to admit, I hate the little runt when he plays against Saints, but when he pulls on the england shirt, I love him to bits. One of only a small few, who you can tell has the win at all costs ethos. I just know he would go toe to toe with Gallen if the situation called for it such is his pride.

Youve got a goodun wigan, lets hope he becomes the player we all know he can become. Eastmond and Tomkins as our half backs for years to come. Love it.

I have to agree about Slater....Great player though he is, what an absolute ar$e he can be with his attitude.

Imagine the stick he'd take in Super League from the crowds, with that type of demeanour.

Actually thought he was lucky to stay on at the end with his throwing the ball away antics....I think if Thurston hadn't already gone, then Ganson may just have shown him 10 minutes in the bin....

To quote a Wiganer at the match yesterday (in response to the crowd chanting Billy Slater you're a w@nker)

[iWouldn't mind him being a w@nker in a Wigan shirt.[/i
You'd have to agree!

...Definitely agree.....However, over here at Wire, we have got Richie Mathers, so to be honest we have the next best thing....

Liked the way Sam T, did take a backward step in defence even throwing Hodges around like a rag doll. Took a big dump tackle from Gallen as well. But in attack he really did look good, surprised Smith didn't get Eastmond on earlier. Eastmond and Tomkins really gave us some impetus in attack. Though Burgess started slow one big hit and he came to life Crabtree and Graham did ok, Peacock and Morley where quiet. Roby is gash.

For me Roby seems to have 'lost it' since he got MOS, maybe he felt guilty recieving it and lost his confidence due to feeling like a fake.

I never got the Roby hype, just thought he was a average player who came off the bench to give Cunningham a breather.

He was more than that. He would create zip at a time when defences were tiring which under the old system worked very well, as Wigan found out to their cost. However, he hasn't adapted to the new way of playing and has been poor all season. I am surprised Smith picked him to be honest but then he did do better in the second half when Sinfield took his place. So maybe he simply needs to play elsewhere.

Also, he tackles like a demon, which is useful against the Aussies.