England Squad:

Backs: R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull), K Brown (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), D Goulding (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds), L Robinson (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan), M Shenton (Castleford), G Widdop (Melbourne).

Forwards: S Burgess (South Sydney), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Fielden (Wigan), J Graham (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington), S Lunt (Huddersfield), A Morley (Warrington, capt), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).

Take your pick.

Its fair to say there is a lot of mediocre players in there.

Id go with

1, Widdop
2, Briscoe
3, Atkins
4, Shenton
5, Hall
6, S. Tomkins
7, Robinson

Thats the best we have got.
8, Morley
9, Lunt
10, Graham
11, Westwood
12, Ellis
13, O'Loughlin

14, Roby
15, Burgess
16, Crabtree
17, Fielden



Thats the best I can come up with and its a shocking squad. Good solid wingers. Centres are average. Scrum half selection is embarrasing compaired to what the Aussies have to offer. I'd say we have got a good pack, but then Fielden somehow manages to break into my squad for a benchspot.

Agreed. Appalling squad and team. Wayne Bennett couldn't get much out of that lot. Most underwhelming backline of all time?

Robinson and Lunt? Pfffft.

Swap the centres around.

Gleeson, Sinfield, Burrow, Scruton should have been automatic shoe-ins.

Pish poor. At best.

I heard Sinfield is injured (achilles) and that he requires surgery.

No Gleeson after the playoff series he has had. He is a good solid centre. He has been there done it. He will defend for you, finish his chances as proved in the GF and will always look after his winger. Tut Tut McBanana

What would be a decent result from the tour? Can't see this squad causing NZ or Aus too many problems. Do we take the view that we are developing a team that will mount a decent challenge for the WC and this is the first step on that journey.

No Leeds forwards??? Even as a Saints fan I cannot believe that.

Thoughts:

One scrum-half (who plays hooker nowadays anyway) and one goalkicker, who will be a spelling forward. I don't care if Brough thinks he's Scottish at the moment, he should be in that squad.

Gleeson should be in ahead of Clubb, and starting.

Lynch ahead of Crabtree for me, Crabtree getting picked because of last year's international performances not season's form.

Australia will attack an Atkins/Briscoe wing partnership all day long.

Not too worried about McNamara: assume Brian Smith will be doing the coaching, with Steve nodding his head in the background.

Suprised to see Clubb & Lunt in there, think they've been pretty average this season and I would have swapped Griffin for Mason. Also would have had Sinfield & Scruton in there.

Admittedly it's been difficult with injuries to Peacock, McGuire, Eastmond & Pryce (am assuming Lynch is injured too?) but I'm still underwhelmed by that squad.

I'd go with:
1. Widdop
2. Briscoe
3. Atkins
4. Shenton
5. Hall
6. Brown
7. S Tomkins
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Morley
11. Ellis
12. Burgess
13. O'Loughlin

14. Robinson
15. Fielden
16. Westwood
17. Crabtree

He's also one of the few who have gone 'alright' against the Aussies in the past.

I'm surprised Goulding is in there - Briscoe, Hall and Fox should be ahead of him. Mind, he's better than Riley who many tipped to make the squad.

Wayne Bennett couldn't get much out of any current England squad, whatever the composition might be.

If McNamara and his squad can restrict Australia to a victory of less than a 50 point margin, restrict the Kiwis to a victory of less than a 20 point margin and beat PNG, then he's done a better job than Tony Smith managed down under in the World Cup.

From a Leeds perspective, it's extremely good news because the Leeds players will escape the scrutiny of appearing completely out of their depth. There is no risk of further damage and embarrassment to their reputations either as they've not been selected.

Tbh I cannot make a case for them. McGuire, JP and Hall are the only ones worthy of a spot and of course JP and Mags are injured. You can try and argue for Sinfield to be there but he finished below par to his standards.

Saying that:

6, Sinfield
7, S.Tomkins

or

6, Tomkins
7, Robinson

Know which I'd go with.

I actually think that the Kiwis look more dangerous than the Aussies. They've got some beasts in that squad.......

That is correct.

Just spoke to someone who was at the press conference, and they made a point of saying Sinfield would have been in the squad if fit...

The Kiwis are very dangerous when they're running hot and the Aussies fear them due to their unpredictability. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the Kiwis won the Four Nations. In fact I'd go as far as to suggest the Aussies fear the Kiwis more than the other way around.

My team would be:

Cudjoe
Goulding
Briscoe
Atkins
Hall
Brown
Tomkins
Morley
Lunt
Graham
Ellis
Burgess
O'Loughlin

Roby
Westwood
Crabtree
Griffin

The Aussie 23 is: Darren Lockyer (C), Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos); Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, David Shillington (Canberra Raiders); Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks); Greg Bird (Gold Coast Titans); Anthony Watmough (Manly Sea Eagles); Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm); Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights); Matthew Scott, Willie Tonga (Nth Qld Cowboys); Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels); Petero Civoniceva, Luke Lewis (Penrith Panthers); Darius Boyd, Brett Morris, Dean Young (St George Illawarra Dragons); Todd Carney, Nate Myles (Sydney Roosters); Brent Tate (New Zealand Warriors); Robbie Farah, Chris Lawrence (Wests Tigers).

Was that really called for?

Highlights the poor quality of squad depth. Aside from a decent starting forwards (hooker excluded) we look weak in every position.

I think the squad is picked based on the future, which is why the likes of Gleeson, Wellens have not made it

he's been left out so he can negotiate his move to Salford





Not much strength in the goal kicking department?

Westwood can be good or poor. 2nd choice Widdop?

We are going to have to score lots of trys

I'm going to be sick.

The squad has to be chosen on the basis of the future. We don't have the quality of players in sufficient numbers to put in a realistic challenge of winning an international tournament anytime soon. We have nothing to lose and may as well blood younger players. I don't see any mileage whatsoever in selecting the tried, tested and failed who are now getting on in years.

Bollox.

It pains me to say it but thats the best we have. Besides an argument for Sinfield (if fit) , Burrow instead of Robinson and Gleeson, that is the best England has got to take to play the Aussies and Kiwis.

If McBanana was to pick a team based on future could you had seen him dropping JP? Has Morley got some anti-ageing medication?

Thats the best we have.

There are a few surprises (Griffin, Lunt and Clubb), but I have no real complaints with it.

Only one Leeds player and no Bulls - when was the last time this happened? The Schofield era?

I know that McGuire and Peacock would probably have been picked if fit (alongside Sinfield maybe and Diskin at a big push), but this selection is a sad indictment on how the likes of Lee Smith, JJB, Rob Burrow, Bailey, and Ablett, have faired this season. In previous years several of these players would have been automatically picked. Is this because there are simply better players around or that they have stood still/got worse/not improved enough. I'm not sure.

At least our players won't have to suffer the inevitable post-competition witch hunt (unless Hall has a nightmare performance).

Ughh. We'll get hammered....and that will be by PNG.