www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/a ... d=11500311

www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/a ... d=11500311

To be fair, there's not much wrong with what he says there. Basically, "We don't pick the team so we shouldn't talk about it". It's not exactly the blast at Zak that the headlines make out.

That said, it's easier to keep quiet about team selection when you're the incumbent not the challenger. And Hardaker should definitely be #1 for England this autumn.

Hardaker playing better than Sam. Yeah sure it's easy to run at defences like Wakefield every week isn't it. Don't get too cozy on that perch Zak because next season you will be knocked off it again and will become the' nearly best full back in the league again'

He found it pretty easy against Wigan last week, though I take your point about playing poor teams.

I've never known a set of fans ar$e lick the NRL as much as this mob in my life.
No wonder we're always written off before a test with our own lot in awe of everything Australian. So what?

I wasn't aware Leeds played Wakefield every week.

I also wasn't aware that the NRL was full of watertight defences. Someone should tell the Knights and the Titans, who are conceding 26 points per game on average. Only Wakefield and Hull KR conceded more points per game over the 23 regular rounds of SL.

I look forward to ickle Sam's return to either being injured or AWOL in the big games. While O'Loughlin has done well to fill that role in his absence, it's just not the same.

Hardaker most metres in a single league game this season

1 - vs Warrington = 256m
2 - vs Widnes = 217m
3 - vs WIGAN = 216m
4 - vs WIGAN = 209m
5 - vs Hull = 196m

Who are the only team to feature twice on that list???......Ooops



Most tackle busts

1 - vs WIGAN = 12
2 - vs Warrington = 10
3 - vs WIGAN = 8

Oooooops again

Also, the last three seasons of Hardaker at fullback, his metres made, tackles made, and errors made, are all better than that of Tomkins in the two seasons he did at fullback before leaving. If Super league is so bad to judge, how did Tomkins claim the shirt in the first place?

It's impressive but it's not even just that.

His defence is quickly becoming world class - some of his last ditch tackles are incredible and his ability to read the opposition is superb.

Anyway.. I don't really care if he plays for England (sorry Zak) as long as he keeps playing for us.

FFS Guys, there's precious little to be upbeat about for the cherry and whites, don't take away the hero worship of Sam! Of course he's the bestest full back in the whole wide world ever. When he's reunited with his brother they're going to tear up Super League.

Absolutely spot on this.
I'm a big fan of Tomkins as a player, and would go as far as saying he's one of the most talented British players of the last 25 years, but Hardaker is also a pretty special one, and his performances speak for themselves. McNamara has got to give him a gig surely.

Oh the joys of seeing Joel Tomkins once again running 30/40/50m just to get in the face of anybody who dare look at his precious Samuel the wrong way.