Surprised Diskin isn't in that squad.

The backline doesn't look great at all. Shows just how we've struggled to bring through any decent backs.

Disagree on Smith. The coach has got to pick a side to be competitive and Lee Smith's arguably the best centre available. Ok so he's off to union but why make things even harder for ourselves by not picking him. It'd be like cutting off our nose to spite our face. We've been doing stuff like this for years so it's refreshing to me to see us pick someone on merit.
We can still blood untried centres in the other centre position if we want such as Shenton or hopefully Eastmond.

Briscoe at fullback doesn't inspire me with any confidence but he's probably the best we've got.

It depends what the purposes of this are. If we're looking short term and all we want to do is win the Four Nations, then fine, pick him.

If we're looking to getting players ready so when the next World Cup comes around, they've got international experience and we can challenge, it's pointless. Although I suppose you could argue the same about players knocking on a bit.

I don't think we're especially short of centres (although I'm sure Atkins & Yeaman being unavailable has forced the hand a little) and I would have thought we could have chosen someone else and not made a great deal of difference to the quality. From that, I'd pick Shenton, Bridge & Eastmond ahead of him in the centres, but that's purely because there is more benefit from them playing than Smith.

Well playing the Four Nations isn't a warm up IMO. It's the pinnacle of the game when it's not world cup year and so IMO you have to pick the strongest side available. Smith's the only one out of Bridge, Shenton and Eastmond with any experience of playing Australia or New Zealand. As a result I'd pick him as we're looking a bit too light on experience.

Looking at the squad for the Wales game by the way, looks like Sykes will probably be playing fullback for it.

No other fullbacks in the squad except perhaps Bridge or Ratchford who have played there very occasionally.

Is the Wales game on the telly?

Sky Sports 3

Thanks

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Quote ="Mission"Thanks '" wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... page_id=28 One to bookmark..

When you compare our likely 1-7 against Aus it is very very worrying. We might well match them up front but Aus have an unbelievable bunch of backs. We will need to be at the top of our game to even get close to the Aussie IMO.

I tend to use [url=http://www.wheresthematch.com/this[/url.

Sykes playing Full Back ! Sean O'loughlin playing centre!


Paul Sykes (Bradford); Peter Fox (Hull KR), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Tom Briscoe (Hull FC); Sam Tomkins (Wigan), Richard Myler (Salford); Adrian Morley (Warrington, capt), Scott Moore (Huddersfield), Garreth Carvell (Warrington), Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Sam Burgess (Bradford). Replacements: Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Mickey Higham (Warrington), Chris Bridge (Warrington), Danny Tickle (Hull FC).

1 prop on the bench?

O'Loughlin centre & Sykes FB ?

I hope we haven't underestimated the welsh.

Was it all a bad dream.....

They use the previous seasons.

Myler - Salford
Burgess - Bradford
LMS - Quins



Instead of Souths, Wire and Bulls

I'm not sure about it, but don't SL contracts run until Dec 1? In which case, technically, Burgess would still be a Bulls player. (Hmmm, I wonder who is insuring him through the 4 nations?)

Looking at the Welsh squad, on paper, its going to be a massacre.

We are gunna get absolutely whooped look at our backs vs Hodges, Inglis, Hayne, Slater et al.

5 players from Warrington (including Myler) no coincidence there! Also why the hell has he picked Smith? If hes looking to the future then why pick someone who is going to play RU?

Our pack is decent mind, but if its dry weather we are guna be in trouble!

november 1st. technically we have 5 players in the internationals. sykes,burgess,morrison,kopczak and james.



edit: morro

and james didnt make the 19 man squad.

30th of November.

I stand corrected. knew it was sometime in november

Just me who thinks dropping Leon is crazy? He has to be one of our best backs even if you don´t play him at 6, no?

I agree, still could add something coming off the bench.

You're right in that he is one of the best wingers or centres we have (and a decent fullback too), but as we've seen in the past, the dummy comes out if he's played anywhere other than 6 in the last few years.

And you're right too but does he still have the luxury of being able to spit that dummy out anymore?

No he's not the only game in town anymore but he should definitely be involved in this series IMO