Good news there's only 3 leeds players selected. Hardaker, watkins and hall. www.englandrl.co.uk/article/4072 ... ew-captain Hardaker will be in reserve so only 2 players will play. With no playoff run and no ''WCC'' it'll be a longer off season for the old heads to recover.

Good news there's only 3 leeds players selected. Hardaker, watkins and hall. www.englandrl.co.uk/article/4072 ... ew-captain Hardaker will be in reserve so only 2 players will play. With no playoff run and no ''WCC'' it'll be a longer off season for the old heads to recover.

I think Hardaker will get some game time over there but it is good that our pack gets a full pre season.

Bit surprised Joel Tomkins gets in over SL dream teamer Ablett.

Quite happy to have so few picked with it being in Australia. The likes of Burrow and JJB needed to be moved on anyways.

Whilst I'm glad Ablett gets a full off season to recharge his batteries I think he's a bit unlucky not to make the squad, especially over Joel Tomkins whose only been back 2 minutes.

Only Ablett can consider himself unlucky not to be selected.

Based on his second half of the season, Watkins can thank the complete dearth of quality English centres for his place on the plane.

Was just about to say about ablett, he's the only one who's unlucky not to make it. Agreed about watkins as well, very so so.

wonder who the anti-leeds brigage will blame for the hammerings now that sinny isnt there?

Think in general it's a good thing for the team most can now have a full pre season. Think ablett is unlucky not to be selected would have him infront of both Liam Farrell and Joe Westerman. And potentially Joel tomkins

It's probably me, but I am not looking forward to this tournament .
I have witnessed too many false dawns. As for Joel Tompkins inclusion in the squad, I am not impressed at all.

Not a bad squad overall, however I'm left scratching my head by the selections of Cooper, Joel, J. Burgess and Sarginson.

It definitely wont be our new captain that's for sure

Scratching your head oner Joe Burgess!!!! He is electric, wish he was on our wing.

Cooper's apparently been very steady in the NRL this year. Given McNamara still has that attitude that anyone who plays in the NRL is automatically brilliant, no surprise to see him in there.

Joel tomkins hasnt done anything to deserve his spot

I agree re J Tomkins to an extent. He's improving though and definitely worth a place if it further accelerates that process.

I agree that it's no surprise he's in the squad, I've been very impressed for one so inexperienced whenever I've seen him.
The big surprise to me was that he was overlooked for Young Player of the Year.

He can catch a ball near his try line too.

Joe Burgess is a hugely exciting prospect. I was a bit mystified that he wasn't a young player of the year nominee.

Selection of Joel Tomkins after a tiny handful of RL games and no real impact in RU is a bit surprising. Decent player though. I think Ablett is very, very unlucky not to be in. Watkins, as others have said, for all his talent has been off the boil of late. He'll be back of course, but not sure he's justified selection this year.

Not seen any of the NRL players, so no idea how they've got on really.

Is there a reason Shaun Lunt isn't in? Is he injured?

The only NRL players not in the squad are Luke Burgess, who was very much reduced to a backup forward this year, and Jack Reed, who probably would have been in the squad but did his shoulder at the end of the season.

Cooper has been more a good solid forward for St George. He's not been picked as first choice, and given the lack of exceptional alternatives I can fully understand McNamara picking him. An average player in the NRL at least gets to experience playing against world class players on a regular basis, and the sort of plays they put on. That would give Cooper the nod over an equivalent player in SL.

The biggest worries for me are hooker - where we'll at least get to see if Clark is the real deal or not - and the backrow, which looks poor. What a difference Sam Burgess would have made there.

I'd like to see Whitehead get some game time. I still have concerns about his defence, but he's come on leaps and bounds this year. He might be a bit of a risk, but given recent results against the Aussies, we haven't exactly got much to lose.

O'Loughlin and Whitehead are decent options. I would have picked Ablett over the other options there. Westwood is a loss, undoubtedly, and we don't have huge depth in any position. Ferres has seemed a bit subdued when I've seen Hudds this year. Played very well in the World Cup though.

The Lunt omission doesn't make sense to me.

Judging on this year his defence isn't an issue, considering the amount of tackles he makes. He by far makes more tackles than anyone else in a Catalans shirt. Odd few round head, but he's in good company there!

He's been injured, and ordinary for most of the season. Hodgson has been consistantly the best performer in a poor Hull KR team.

I have no issue with Hodgson getting the nod. But one hooker does not a touring party make.






Innuendo potential quite high...

You're right. But thankfully there's 2.

Oh yeah. Missed that...



Carry on.

The sad thing is that had it not been for Roby and McIlorum withdrawing from the squad, Hodgson wouldn't have got a look-in based on who he plays for despite arguably being better than both throughout the season.