When Roby is fit, he's the best English hooker by some margin - there may be a bit of room this year for others to shine, but by the time the WC comes around, he'll be a shoe-in.

I was shocked to see Gary Schofield, in last weeks RL express, rate Englands top hookers in the following order:

McIlorum, Lunt, Roby, Higham, Clark, Houghton

They're all no doubt good players but for Houghton to be 6th on the list was strange to say the least.

McIlorum has a certain confrontational side to his game but at times that seems to be at the detriment to some of the hooking basics! Higham is having somewhat of a swansong in his careers twilight but Houghton has consistently outperformed both at the basics over the last few seasons.

Lunts a great player who's star is on the rise, Clarke likewise whilst Roby seems to be on somewhat of a decline. For me Houghtons kicking game and work rate in defense mark him out from the others.

Still wouldn't take any of them over Aiton

Mine out of them 6 would be:
Lunt, Houghton, Clarke, Roby, Higham and McIlorum IMO.

That was what I think are the best ones however if it was on form it would be Higham ahead of Roby.