Myler will be Ecstatic with Johns influence.

E's really gonna help bring him along.

Oh you're gurner bring that up now are you?

Yeah, there ar4e some puzzelling selections thats for sure. He may have been invisible again on Saturday, but the none-selection of Pryce was also very strange, given his experience and ability to cover 1-6, and to a better standard than Sykes

To be fair Pryce has been pretty poor every time I've seen him this year. Most Saints fans I've spoken to (not many it must be admitted) didn't expect him to be in the squad and felt that his omission might be a much needed kick up the backside for him.

I'm not sure I'd pick Paul Sykes either, but I am certain that he's a much better player than the World Cup suggested.

I thought Sykes should get a selection for the World Cup. Jesus was I wrong. His game has not shown anything this year as far as I am aware.
There is always the overwhelming temptaion for international coaches (well GB/England ones) to include a "utility back". They have all been truly c**p. It meant the likes of Steve Donlan got in a GB squad at the expense of better qualified players in established positions.
Sykes is ordinary in every position. Ordinary is not good enough.
Smith has proved he is a quality full back, an okay winger and an okay centre. He would be my 1st choice at 1.

The sad thing is, which "specialists" are being kept out of the squad by picking a utility like Sykes?

I can't think of anyone who has particularly put their hand up and demanded to be selected with their form in the second half of the season.

Well when you put it that way.....

There may, in fact, be an argument that there's no point picking somebody average in one position when you could have somebody who is average in 3 or 4........

Actually though, if you want a full back, then Wellens is a better FB than Sykes, if you want a centre then Yeaman is better as is Atkins (and apparantly Sean O'Loughlin is as well). If you want a better winger than Sykes then my Mum is available.

This is why it was a surprise to see Pryce left out. He may have been poor at times this year, but he is different class to Sykes, who has never played at a consistently high level

The logic of that had me defeated also. especially as Pryce has played in all the positions where you might expect to see Sykes and also is the current Saints 6.

Exactly.

The team that is picked for tonight is awful. It is an absolute embarrasment and an indicment of the game at the moment.

OK, so there are no Leeds or Saints players (exc. Scott Moore), but we are playing a loose forward at centre. A loose forward who has no pace at all. It is terrible IMO.

Sykes was garbage in the WC - like Wellens - but when has he ever come close to showing anything like Wellens has in the domestic game? If TS wants change, fine it is needed, but Sykes?? Come on. It is the inclusion that has depressed just about every serious RL fan around.

The team will change for the nitty-gritty against Aus, but the problems are still there - we are set to try two youngsters at HB who have had one good season each, and have possibly the worst backline in GB history.

Fortunately at Saints we can pin hopes on the likes of Wheller, Gaskell, Lomax and Eastomd doing something in the future, but that takes time and the attrition rate for promising players to international class players is very high.

The gamer needs to really change but the RFL are masters at self serving and self interest.

Pryce hasn't been left out.

He will play next week if someone finds him. This is the time of year he goes missing, and generally doesn't turn up again until St Helens are scheduled to play Wakefield or Salford next season.

Sykes doesn't go missing much.....he's just shiit and everyone can see that.......except Tony Smith

I tell you what (IMHO) would be an embarrassment and a sad indictment of the game. A full strength England team smashing the living daylights out of a Wales team in Wales.

It may be dummed down but it might just be an opportunity to allow Wales to play some attractive rugby in front of their home crowd and give the team that England do put out a chance to defend against a team that is willing to throw the ball about a bit.

Yep I was a bit confused too. It would seem a bit strange to play O'Loughlin at centre when, if you want to play a backrower at centre then surely Ellis would be the man for it. And as you say if including Sykes as cover why not include Pryce instead.

Since we no longer have Senior and have a complete lack of quality in the centres I'd have been tempted to give Pryce a go at centre.

Looking at the Welsh squad, this still looks suspiciously like the sort of mis-match you'd get if a mid-table Super League side played one of the better National League 2 sides. I still can't see anything but a heavy, heavy beating for Wales.

I badly want that not to be true, but I'm afraid it probably is.

On a slightly related topic is Ross Divorty any relation of the former Leeds, Halifax, Hull and probably other places, loose forward Gary? Or is that a more common name than I give it credit for?

Son of

Senior said he might reconsider retirement if Smith Gave him a call.

Given Senior's form and given the criminal lack of quality in the threequarters I am very surprised TS didn't pick up the phone.

I hope he doesnt.

Senior with a rest in the off season should be superb again next year.

In the long bar on Saturday night he said he hopes to eclipse 600 games in his career. Good luck to him.

From a selfish (Leeds point of view) I agree.

From an England RL point of view Smith should be begging Keith to play.

That was my viewpoint.

I agree, I was suprised too considering there's no doubt he's been the best English centre this season by a mile and our other options make me wince at the thought of Greg Inglis running at them.