Don't see what all the Lee Smith bashing is about. He's fast. He can play in a number of back positions. He scores tries in big matches.

It's not like we've got plenty of THOSE players in reserve.

Agree.

You play with your best players.

He is better than anything else we have to offer in that area, he is quick, good at high tackling, i mean good in defence and knows where the offside line is, i mean where the try line is.

IMO this is the worst set of backs I've ever seen for a England/GB team. The ain't any wordclass players in the backs and if I'm being honest the backs will cost us games against the Aussies and kiwis.

The pack is very strong IMO and will match or get on top of the kiwis and Aussies.

We've a big tough pack that won't take any crap and will lay the platform for the backs but the backs will let them down.

He's a good Winger, he's not a Centre.

Our best Centre is sat at home watching - Martin Gleeson.

A few seasons ago no one would have said any different.

However, from watching him, he has really adapted to that position at Leeds and looks very good in my opinion.

Ok, he's no Jamie Lyon, but he does the job very well.

Well, he'll fit right in with the rest of our non-centres. But at least he can put one foot in front of the other. Which is more than the rest of them can do.



Which is the best place for him. It's not like he's been running Inglis and company ragged recently.

If ever a horse was flogged past the point of death it's Gleeson.

Obviously I don't mean this 17 (salary cap explosion) . I mean the balance of that side. You get my drift.

I disagree, there have been worse collections of backs, no doubt, and right now we are not blessed at centre or wing. I can see Hall being in the team for a long long time though, also Eastmond and maybe Tomkins. Still plenty of years left for McGuire. The rest who knows, let just wait and see.

Problem really is that who else could he have picked and BTW I have no issue with Lee Smith being in there, his last few games in RL. Solid dependable player, pacey, dangerous in attack and solid in defence. It's not all about the future. The here and now says you have to pick some/most of your best players if you want to win international tournaments.

Good job we can laugh about it.

I'm over it now.

You cannot be serious?

Gleeson has been awful at Wigan. He looks underweight to me, with no power in his legs. He doesn't trouble anyone anymore. In his best years if you gave him space he more often than not exposed the defence, not any more.

He is challenging Fielden for the biggest drop in performance ever.

Disagree.
Our right hand side defence was terrible until Gleeson came, and whoever was on the right wing may as well have been playing outside me.

Actually had they been playing outside me they would have seen plenty ball. I wouldn't want any big hairy @rsed second row forward smacking me and spoiling my boyish good looks would I?

When do you think he last played on the wing?

I am a firm believer that you pick a team to win and agree with mugwumps summation of Lee Smith so I don't really care what his plans are after this series.

I also agree that the best English centre is sat at home but its' not Gleeson.

Well ok if you would rather have Shenton and Lee Smith at centre rather than Gleeson, that is just really silly. Smith should be on the wing instead of Briscoe. Leon Pyce should be playing in the backline IMO as he is better than any centre or winger we have IMO.

I think both Shenton and Smith are far better players at the moment than Gleeson. He's done nothing at Wigan to justify an international selection.

Lee Smith easily merits a place in the side, either at centre or fullback. At least he would if he was contracted to a Rugby League club. Unfortunately he's no longer a Rugby League player, and that's the problem with his inclusion.

I agree with what you say regarding his form at Wigan, but that's not to say he should be picked for England. He has never delivered on this stage IMO.

Sadly even given a drop in preformence Gleeson is still Englands best available centre and if it wasn't for grudges being held by Tony Smith for him wanting to leave Wire he'd have been selected ahead of a fullback who's leaving for Rugby Union in 3 weeks time.

Leon Pryce should have been selected as a utility back aswell and i'd have played him at left centre because imo Shenton just isn't good enough.

Out of the squad picked i'd have played Eastmond at left centre ahead of Shenton.

Smith's bias towards is current and past clubs is pathetic.

back to topic,,will someone please mail me when Moore starts because up to now he is having a stinker and isn't inspiring me of better things to come...

He got a bang early on, he bent over holding his knees every time he was involved.

I've not seen to much of Moore this year but from what I've seen I can't say I rate him as highly as some on here.

I might be wrong but I just don't see what all fuss is about.

Potential. He played really well for Hudds for the first half of the season. If he can find that kind of game again then he has plenty to offer. But as with all young players, it's a question of 'if'.

Since the challenge Cup semi he has been cr*p.

That's two big games where he has stayed at home.

I actually felt sorry for him tonight, his confidence was shot to pieces.

The CC semi was a big game and he didn't stay home for that. But it may be that he has not yet got the confidence to raise his game on the important days. Unlike Kyle Eastmond who seems to take everything in his stride.

Moore played well against the Welsh, i didn't see first half tonight so i don't know what happened.