Just for a bit of fun pick your 17...not what you think McNamara might go for but what you'd like to see.

1) Hardaker
2) Briscoe
3) Watkins
4) Reed
5) Hall
6) Widdop
7) Tomkins
8 Graham
9) Roby
10) Walmsley
11) Ablett
12) Bateman
13) Cuthbertson

14) M Cooper
15) G Burgess / C Hill
16) E Whitehead
17) J Hodgson

T Burgess, currie, ferres and farell were close. However I'm pretty sure McBanana will find a place for westerman and his usual wigan lot of o'loughlin, m smith, j burgess, j tomkins and farell in the team with s tomkins at fullback.
Got good competition in the pack, centre and scrum half are the most open positions for me

I'd go for:
1)Hardaker
2)Briscoe
3)Watkins
4)Reed
5)Hall
6)Widdop
7)Tomkins


Graham
9)Hodgson
10)G Burgess
11)Ward
12)Whitehead
13)Cuthbertson

14)Roby
15)T Burgess
16)Cooper
17)Ablett

Is Reed back doing the business again?

Wouldn't have Bateman and Ablett in there at all. Wardy ahead of both, and others around.

Hill would definitely be ahead of Walmsley.

Other than that agree with most of the other selections.

1) Hardaker
2) Briscoe/ Burgess
3) Watkins
4) Reed
5) Hall
6) Widdop
7) Tomkins
8 Graham
9) Roby
10) Walmsley
11) Ferres
12) S Ward
13) Cuthbertson

14) C Hill
15) G Burgess
16) Bateman / whitehead/ ablett
17) J Hodgson

Would be my team.
Burgess just misses out to Briscoe .after thinking about it I think keeping the Leeds back 3 together will be a boost and the hard work Briscoe does equals the benefits that Burgess can bring.

I can't see why people want a back row of Farrell / Tompkins/ O'Loughlin.
too small / inconsistent / old& injured. S Ward has been on form most of the year, Ferres took his chance last year and deserves a chance and Cuthbertson must be front runner for MoS.

I'd keep Clarke, Burgess, whitehead,Ablett, Cooper, shenton / Smith , etc in the squad.

Yeah from what I've read Reed is on form atm

Bit Leeds biased don't ya think?

Just from Leeds I'd have Ward, Watkins, Hall, Hardaker. Briscoe would be there as well if he carries on smashing the ball up the field like he is. Having an all Leeds back 3 could be a huge advantage.

Cuthbertson is by far the most unorthodox player in the league, I haven't seen a forward who hits the ball up as well as he does, defends well and then adds to that the offloads and the general organisation and ball skills. But is he really English and would he really work with the rest of the England players? I think it's taken the Leeds boys a while to get on his wavelength which they have now and the results are devastating. The England boys won't have the time to do that and his offload game could be a liability if there is nobody on the end of it.

There's not a chance Briscoe will be picked ahead of Burgess. McNamara will be his coach next year.

Hardaker
Burgess Watkins Reed Hall
Tomkins Widdop
Graham (C) Roby Hill
Whitehead Ablett
Cuthbertson

Hodgson Walmsley G Burgess Farrell / Cooper

Same team as me although i would have Westwood as last sub over Farrell/Cooper

Reed is having probably his best season yet for the Broncos. I agree with Tomkins at halfback with Hardaker 1.

Then the biggest problem is the backrow which was awful last year and a huge step down from Aus/NZ in quality. Westerman was easily the best of the second rows - Farrell and J Tomkins were dreadful. I really hope we can dig up some significantly better players than them.

Hardaker

J Burgess/Briscoe (depends on late season form
Watkins
Reed (going of a friend who has seen more
Hall

widdop
Tomkins (off this season maybe mags)

J Graham
J Roby
Walmsley
S ward
Whitehead
Cuthbertson

G burgess, Ablett, C hill, Bateman

Hardaker
Burgess
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Widdop
Tomkins
Graham
Roby
G.Burgess
Whitehead
Bateman
O'Loughlin

Hodgson
Cuthbertson
Walmsley
Hill

(Prefer Cuthbertson's impact off the bench when the NZ starters tiring, but would start him at 13 if O'Loughlin injured, Cooper to be brought into the 17)

Why does Batemans name keep getting brought up? Chris there is some over rated players in the game, but he is close to top. Not done anywhere near enough to warrant an international shirt.

Probably better for batemans health if he does not turn out against the Aussies . They won't stand for his cheap shot tactics.
Somebody has told me jimmy lowes is part of the coaching team. I sincerely hope that's not true.

Whoever told you that would be correct, i think he's been selected for familiarity, he was there back in 2011?

Would have Walmsley ahead of Hill- Walmsley and Cuthbertson are standouts for me this year in SL. Reeds had his best year in NRL and has to be in there imo. Mike Cooper has to be in the team- was unlucky to miss out last year and has been killing it this year in NRL, often starting at loose or prop, where as T Burgess has been very average this year at souths. Stevie Ward would have definitely been in there but missed too much of the season due to injury- if he gets back to where he was for the rest of the season, would pick him but I rate bateman- been a standout in the wigan pack this year ahead of tomkins and farell, and adds that thugishness i think we lack on occasion.
Is leeds biased as leeds have been the most in form and consistent team this year, if wigan, saints, cas or hudds were 6 points clear lets say and in cup final, I'm sure it would more biased towards them

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Sarginson
Hall
Widdop
McGuire
Graham
Hodgson
G Burgess
Ferres
Whitehead
Cuthbertson

Cooper
McIlorum
Hill
Walmsley

Squad places for: Hughes, Burgess, Williams, Farrell, Myler, Clark, Shenton

You need some dirty players in international League. Less so against NZ, where you really don't want to be scrapping with their pack, but certainly against the Aussies a bit of niggle would benefit. Would be tempted to pick McIlorum over Roby vs Australia too for that reason.

I'm sorry but talent wins games. Talentless thugs like McIlorum and Bateman have no place in International rugby for me. You can get away with it against equally talentless teams, but good players find the poor ones out.

I don't think they are talentless though (we'll disagree on that). But added to what talents they have they have a bit of side to their game that you still need in internationals.

Bateman is a fantastic prospect. He's one of those people that seems dim away from the pitch, but on it, he has a superb rugby brain. He's got great feet, and pace, and looks a genuine leader. He's as good as Ward IMO. I'm not sure either are big enough at this stage to play test RL, but they've been playing themselves into contention.

A few other players that I don't think will be far away are Greenwood and Savelio at Saints, and unlike Ward and Bateman, they look up to the job physically.
There's also Philbin at Warrington, who looks a real unit, with great pace, and although I didn't see the game last night I've likes what I've seen of Mike McMeekan at Cas. He's the most underrated player in SL IMO.

I'd go with:

Hardaker
Burgess
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Tomkins
Widdop
Graham
Roby
Hill
Whithead
Flanders
Cuthbertson

Hodgson
Walmsley
G Burgess
Ablett

I think the best squad for kiwi tour would be
1 Hardaker
2 Briscoe
3 Watkins
4 Sarginson/Shenton
5 Hall
6 Widdop
7 Mcguire
8 G Burgess
9 J Hodgson
10 J Graham
11 Whitehead
12 Ablett
13 Cuthbertson

Subs
Roby/ Clark
Cooper
Walmersley
T Burgess

Rest of squad S Tomkins, J Burgess, Ferres, S Ward, Hill, Bateman, Singleton,

The international game is too fast for that now. It's all about physical domination in the contact, speed and skill, not about cheep shots and name calling.

Stevie Ward has international written all over him. Athletic, fit, disciplined, strong and skilful.

I don't agree. You need your most elite players. We've tried all that countless times in the past. You waste your time trying to wind up NZ or Australia and all your doing is taking your eye off the ball, they don't get distracted, they step it up.

McIlorum isn't fit to lace Roby's boots. He has no place in International RL.

Funny how quickly Ben Currie has dropped off the international radar as Warrington's form has declined.

Probably the form back rower in the competition up to a month or so ago. Mobile, agile, strong carry and a decent defender.