Ablett, Briscoe, G. Burgess, T. Burgess, S. Burgess, Burrow, Charnley, Chase. Cudjoe, Farrell, Graham, Hall, Hardaker, Hill, Hock, McIlorum, Mossop, O'Loughlin, Roby, Sinfield, Tomkins, Watkins, Westwood, Widdop

My first reaction...'Poor Luke!'

Other than that....Meh!

Looks like Hardaker got in over Ratchford.

And Crabtree has been left out for one of the Burgess lot.

3 games Roby in for Lunt I see.....

Only 7 rhinos players in the England squad?

There were 8 in the squad in 2008.

And look how well they did back then.

Pffft.

Not only is your material drying out, it also appears you can't count.

Hard to argue with the squad, though as others will mention, tough on Ratchford, Crabtree, Lunt and Kirmond.

I make it 7

So do I

Pretty sure Tom Briscoe remains a Hull FC player until November 1st.

Definitely looks like 7.

Yes there is a clear link between the two squads.

Kirmond for Hock maybe and Ratchford or Myler for Burrow.
Crabtree for possibly Tom Burgess.
Other than that no real debate and I bet the Aussies are bricking it now.

On current form would have picked Higham ahead of the Wigan cheap shot merchant.

If Hock can control himself by cutting out the unnecessary crap, he offers a lot more than Kirmond or any other English second row forward. Burrow's headless chicken, duck, quack-quack, weave and crab routine doesn't cut it at international level. Ratchford would have been a better squad selection. Crabtree ahead of Tom Burgess seems fair but we can be thankful that McNamara didn't select all 5 Burgii (Sam, George, Tom, Luke and Julie).

How many dream team players not selected?

With regards Ratchford, Myler, Higham, etc. Won't the Warrington and Wigan players be picked after Saturdays final?

No that's the squad, hence Tomkins, Charnley etc being in already.

2008 WC Squad -
Peacock (Leeds, capt), Wellens (St Helens), Smith (Leeds), Gardner (St Helens), Calderwood (Hull), Gleeson (Warrington), Senior (Leeds), Sykes (Bradford), Purdham (Harlequins), Pryce (St Helens), McGuire, Burrow (both Leeds), Roby (St Helens), Higham, Morley (both Warrington), Graham, Fa'asavalu (both St Helens), Ellis (Leeds), Hock (Wigan), Westwood (Warrington), Jones-Buchanan (Leeds), Langley (Bradford), Wilkin (St Helens), Sinfield (Leeds)

If you start to count Briscoe as a Leeds player then you have to discount Ellis from 2008 as he had signed for Wests.

A terrible shame, Julie would have done a good job. She isn't tainted with past failure and doesn't play for leeds.

Yep got to agree with that Bill.
Julie would make a fine hooker and probably better than MM.

It's a big "if" with Hock though. But it's a gamble I'd have taken too.

The only 2 people I would have maybe had in that squad over what's already there are Myler and Lunt. Apart from that I'm happy. It's much stronger than 5 years ago anyway.

Teddies flying all over the shop on the giants forum

Bet the Aussies aren't "gambling" on anybody



Lunt and Ratchford should be in for me.

......instead of McIlorum and Chase/Burrow

2013 team by plenty to be honest.

ENGLAND:
Paul Wellens v Sam Tomkins
Ade Gardner v Josh Charnley
Martin Gleeson v Leroy Cudjoe
Keith Senior v Kallum Watkins
Lee Smith v Ryan Hall
Leon Pryce v Kevin Sinfield
Rob Burrow v Rangi Chase
Jamie Peacock v Lee Mossop
James Roby v James Roby
James Graham v James Graham
Gareth Hock v Ben Westwood
Gareth Ellis v Carl Ablett
Kevin Sinfield v Sam Burgess/Sean O'Loughlin

Danny McGuire v Gareth Widdop
Maurie Fa'asavalu v George Burgess
Adrian Morley v Tom Burgess
Jon Wilkin v Gareth Hock/Liam Farrell