Hopefully this is the season where Joel steps up to the plate. He has the ability for sure to be one of the best attacking back rowers in the game. The new coach and regime may be the best thing to happen to him this year. If he carries on like Friday night an England call up may be in the future.

Guys like Tomkins, Mossop and Harrison at Wire are going to be pushing for places in that 4 Nations side at the end of this season if they carry on as they've started this season.

As per usual we look a nation capable of producing top quality forwards but we need some outside backs.

Think Tomkins suffered the "2nd season syndrome" effect last year after doing so well in his first proper season. He was outstanding on Friday and was my MoM by a mile. He's got a real chance now Hock is out to be that devastating runner out wide we've lacked since the failed drug test.

Hall
Shenton
Ainscough
Riley
Owen
Watkins
Goulding

All good players, but they don't really convince me that they will ever compete with the aussies.

Thats it, they're good players but like you say can these guys really cause the Australians enough problems to get enough points on the board to beat them? I very much doubt it.

We may have to make some big calls in the Four Nations and go down the route of playing somebody like Eastmond at fullback and bringing guys like Gleeson, Pryce(never a stand off though) and maybe even Senior back in.

If he stays fit he will be a monster for us this season looks like he has got bigger since last season, League Express gave him MOM for Sundays game.

Joel was the only Wigan forward to do the 80 mins.
Looked just as strong in the last five mins as the first five.
Hansen played well too.
I do wonder how Bailey is going to get into the team.
To drop either Joel or H for him would be a travesty.
Bails may have to wait for injuries to get his place back.

I think your right the only way Phil will get back into the team will be through injury to either of those two.

I'm really looking forward to Joel's battle with Newton on Friday, it's a shame that Galea's missing because it would have been a great test for Joel and Hansen against the best two backrowers in the comp last year.
I didn't realize until Wigan/Leeds Andy pointed it out that it's only really Joel's third full year so maybe his poor form last year was down to second season syndrome.
Or was it Nobles game plan and tactics that Joel didn't really get a grip of, and now that McGuire's come in and realized what he's capable of he's given him a more freer role within the team.

He definitely looks like he's been told he can actually play rugbyleague and use his passing skills. He hardly ever seemed to look for a pass or an offload last year(which has just reminded me of the play semi at Saints).

I would certainly play Pryce at centre or wing or fullback and bring in Gleeson and Senior!

My back 5 would be-

Eastmond
Pryce
Gleeson
Senior(if he plays like last year and would tour)
Hall

surely better then-

Briscoe
Fox
Bridge
Shenton
Hall

Leon or Karl?

I would say the same but I can't help but think about how dangerous the Tomkins, Eastmond partnership was. I would hope that Sinfield from hooker could organise the team so those two could just play. Pryce would probably be great at FB. He certainly needs to be in the team. You don't get many QPTB against the aussies but when we do, I want Leon Pryce on the scene.

I'd stick Myler or Brough at the side of Tomkins tbh.

I'm all for giving new players a shot but Smith went abit too far at the end of last year. We were awful in the world cup and it was clear certain players were out of their depth but guys like Gleeson and Senior are still head and shoulders our best centres and should have been selected.

I actually think if a new man selected that back line with the new halfs we have on the scene aswell as our powerhouse pack we can improve on last years Four Nations. I'm not saying we'll win it but we could make the final and give it another good go(but maybe without the late collapse this time).