Take your word for it. I never inhaled



Couldn't disagree more. I really rate Fox but accept he had a shaky end to the season. The break he made at headingley in the playoffs that Vella fluffed by getting in the way illustrative of what he can do.

Gardner is a terrible player. Simply terrible. He's been a very lucky boy to play outside Jamie Lyon and Matt Gidley. He's there Francis Cummins and that is doing Francis a massive, massive dis-service.

IMO of course.

Good point well put,but tbf mate TS did say at the press conference that this squad was picked with a view to the "future" and on form so surely you can see why many are questioning it!
I agree Smithy ticks the "Form and available" box but as a future international player he won't be around for at least 3yrs!

Tony Smith's selections and reasoning's have not been consistent, I agree.

But I am giving MY opinions and reasoning's.

Fair enough mate,lets hope TS proves us all wrong but i honestly don't see what he's thinking with some of the selections and contradicting himself!!

Nor me.

What has Myler done to deserve a starting place above Tomkins? TS is a joker. He'll probably come out with some $hite that Myler is the only 7 in the team and that he picked McGuire over Tomkins. McGuire should of been at 7 with Tomkins at 6. I'm surprised Bridge and Carvell aren't in the team.
Wouldn't of picked Eastmond and Roby on the bench, should of been just one of them with another prop IMO.

typical tony smith. some very strange selections. i thought the world cup may have taught him a thing or two but obviously not

I think he has picked a team for the France game only and although the majority of the team will be the team to face the Aussies, I don't think he has fully made his mind up about a couple of players yet and wants to see how they stand up in the France game.

I think he has decided on his first choice 1 to 5 with the possible switch of Briscoe for Fox and they are in the team. He has also decided, quite rightly, that he will play Danny in the halfs, which jersey is still anyones guess but in some ways it will not matter. I think he is undecided between Tomkins, Myler and Eastmond for the 6/7 jersey and I would expect only one of those three to be in the side to face the Aussies... my gut is telling me it will be Tomkins unless Myler plays a blinder on Friday! I think TS wants to give Myler one more chance to put his hand-up given his lack of game-time this year in comparison to Tomkins. I think Eastmond is likely to be carrying a water bottle and kicking tee against the Aussies!

I think he will have three fowards on the bench and Roby. I don't think he has decided (other than Graham) whom those three will be and Carvell, Crabtree and Eastwood will be battling it out for the two bench places alondside Graham and Roby

I am not sure of the wisdom of not playing the side you are likley to play against the Aussies, but I think that is what he has decided to do!

Not sure he's qualified yet on residency.



Crabtree will not be available until the game V the Australians after an injury.

Here's what I posted on the Wigan site.
"Apart from the Tomkins issue, which has now been done to death I don't understand the selection of James Graham on the bench.

Graham is NOT an impact prop. He doesn't makes a lot of metres per carry. His major strengths are his fitness, tenacity, durability, stamina and his ability to take on a number of drives per set.

Morley on the other takes less drives but will make more metres per drive.

I would have had Graham and Peacock starting with Morley and Carvell on the bench.

Dropping Carvell is another strange decision, he and OLoughlin were top tacklers last week."

I agree, it's just bizarre. But then again he can't put Morley on the bench because he is his mate and he'd be embarassed at training when Morley had a grumpy face on him.

This won't be the team against the Aussies. Graham could be alright from the bench he's a fairly mobile prop and has very good hands, maybe Smith think he'll be more effective against a tiring defence than Morley?

People should chill out.

This game is against France, not Australia or NZ.

People also need to forget their obsession with who did what against a bunch of spirited virtual amateurs last weekend as a basis for international selection and form.

Graham has done a disproportionate amount of work for St helens this season all the way up to the GF. Graham will be crucial for the big games to come as he is a top notch player. Therefore it makes perfect sense to allow him to spend some time on te bench.

I am just getting over-excited!

Spot on! It is clear to me that this side is not the side that will face the Aussies or NZ. I think it is the nucleus of the side but there will be changes and I am sure that TS first choice will become clear in just over a week when we play Aus.

I think debating TS selections on an individual player/position basis is taking place a week too soon and the thing we should be talking about now is the wisdom of him maybe not selecting his 'first choice' 17 for this game?

Was that because both had been singled out as weak links and had people running at them all game?

I doubt it because neither of them are particular bad defenders.

Indeed - I'm no great fan of Todd Flanders, but one thing you can't accuse him of is not being able to defend.

Didn't I read a day or two ago that Todd Flanders was out with an injury anyway?

Has he run out of perm lotion?

Think it's a broken thumb or something like that.

Yup, cracked thumb IIRC.

I agree it wont be the same team for Australia or NZ, I just think its a mistake not to start off as we mean to go on. For me you play you're best team possible, after all we've only got 3 games to play, hopefully 4 but probably 3.

Hold your fire.

He's not even playing for the Kiwis this weekend as he's out with a hamstring injury.

Have you spoke to my wife?