I think club snobbery does play a part here, but I also think it's down to our desperation for him to be that player as we just don't have the options in that position to challenge our antipodean friends!

True, but don't tell that to our blue and Amber neighbours, they're easily offended.

Watkins has hung on in there because nobody else is looking like stepping up - which is how we ended up with a 2nd rower at centre last year.

I suspect we all want Watkins to have the impact at international level that he does at club level. He is very talented in our league but I just don't think he has the aggression for an NRL type defence. In open space, he can be devastating. At international level, he doesn't get the space.

These things can be cyclical. In the past, we've often had great backs but the forwards have been bullied off the park. Now, our pack is a match, as they are mostly doing well in the NRL. Hodgson, Graham and Burgess are seemingly the standout front row in the NRL.

In the backs, however, from 1 to 7, Ryan Hall excluded, I would say they all fit into the "he's the best I can think of in that position". None are particularly great players.

As for Bateman, he had been playing in that position a lot for Wigan, and quite effectively, so it wasn't too crazy a selection.

Can't say as I've noticed Watkins having much impact at club level for the last couple of seasons. I think Bateman offers more than Watkins at any level.

Why exclude Ryan Hall? He's been going backwards for a while now.

Finished his try well last week. Didn't make any mistakes. Hall did alright IMO.

He looked slow chasing down the interception, losing ground against a half back

Seriously though, Hall is a great finisher and very good in the air and he's quite rightly been an automatic pick for the last few years.
He had a great world cup last time and the Kiwis and Aus looked very wary, almost fearful of him when England were in the opposition 20.

If Gale plays and is on the left, I'm sure he could create something for him.

Give him a run like he had last week and you'll know he'll bash his way in. He's lost a bit of speed but his finishing is still strong and powerful.

I thought Widdop went well, but òthers blame him for poor management. Williams entry may allow Gale to control the game a bit more. Will be interesting.

The lack of British centres is totally down to bad coaching and poor team building.

I remember being told by Ted Richardson that Kear told him that a certain Aaron Murphy ran brilliant lines and had great feet and would become a top SL centre. Neither JK or his new club have ever made any serious attempt to make him into the next Gleason imho. It's debateable if he had the size to be an international but he was a natural which Sargison and Bateman are not.

So a few years down the line we get a giant and mobile young centre in Lucas Wallshaw who although a bit rough around the edges was physically upto facing anyone. So what does Agar do? Spend a few seasons developing this giant into a top centre - no instead he looks only at his size and decides without any imagination he must be a S/R even though SL is not short of those. Then incredibly he plays him at prop ffs why why why. I know Lucas had issues but that pretty much destroyed him. Imagine if we'd managed to develop him properly what a monster he'd be and what a great partner to Johnson he'd be. Now we are pinning our hopes on a big Kiwi who is no better than Wallshaw and not as big! But hey he's played NRL.

That's just us and we feed off the scraps - I dread to think how many promising big young backs have been sacrificed on the alter of the big pack. If Neil Fox was a youngster today he wouldn't get a look in at centre - you're a big lad Foxy and boy you have some skill but you have a local accent so it's the S/R for you.

Poor coaching, lack of imagination and short termism and a total devotion to all things Australian rather than a lack of young talent is the problem.

Yeah he did but two problems with Widdop - one he's not that good a half back even at his best and he lacks pace. Also he's easy to coach against because he's well known to the Kiwis and Aussies.

Ratchford is just as good imho as a 6 but is uknown to the Aussies hence a level of surprise yet is well known to his teammates but again it's just assumed the the NRL player will be better.

Sam Williams has been superb this year. When we played at their place this year, we were on top and it seemed as if he decided enough was enough and carved a try out of nothing. He is quick, has some aggression, and has probably been the stand-out six this year.

George Williams slugger! I know some people don't like posters correcting others