Carl Ablett (Leeds Rhinos),
Tom Briscoe (Hull FC),
Rob Burrow (Leeds Rhinos),
Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves),
Josh Charnley (Wigan Warriors),
Rangi Chase (Castleford Tigers),
Ben Cockayne (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats),
Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield Giants),
Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants),
Gareth Ellis (Hull FC),
Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors),
Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos),
Zak Hardaker (Leeds Rhinos),
Gareth Hock (Widnes Vikings),
Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves),
Jamie Jones-Buchanan (Leeds Rhinos),
Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos),
Michael McIlorum (Wigan Warriors),
Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves),
Lee Mossop (Wigan Warriors),
Richie Myler (Warrington Wolves),
Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors),
Stefan Ratchford (Warrington Wolves),
James Roby (St Helens),
Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos),
Danny Tickle (Hull FC),
Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors),
Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos),
Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves),
Jon Wilkin (St Helens).

Any names missing

Ryan Atkins? Jonny Lomax?

No Atkins? That's a surprise!
Lomax hasn't done much recently, but Atkins I'd have thought would have been in the top 3 centres.

Atkins hasn't been in the best form so far this season so I'm not surprised he's missed out. What does surprise me though is there's only 2 specialised centres in that list in Watkins & Cudjoe. Granted you've got the likes of Hardaker, Ratch & Ablett who can cover if required though.

Lomax is nowhere near good enough IMO. Awaiting him to tear us to pieces on Friday now...

Question is with the likes of Graham, Burgess and the rest of the NRL contingent not included here, who would you drop out of this squad (and add from the NRL boys) to make the 23 man WC squad?

Cockayne

He is picked on form although to pick Briscoe suggests form is not important!

If you were picking the current two form wingers in the comp to play for England this weekend, then Hall & Cockayne would be the two... this is way Cockayne was rewarded with a deserved call-up.

PS. Hall & Cockayne can also both defend better than most!

something obviously happened on the last tour Down Under, when Atkins got his chance, that turned McNamara off ever selecting him again.

That can be the only reason he isnt in, when Carl Ablett is in there.

The worrying thing for me is it looks like McNamara isn't taking form into consideration and choosing a squad on what's happened in the past. Can't for the life on me see what JJB, Carvell, Tickle etc have done to deserve a place.

Also has anyone else noticed there is only one kicker in the side?

Tickle can kick for fun too. The main kicker is the captain and probably the best kicker in the world at the moment though.

There is one squad member who regularly kicks for his club side yes, but equally the Leeds squad 2nd & 3rd choice kickers are in the squad and I think a couple of the other squad members are OK second choice kickers at their clubs too...

JJB and Wilkin are the only 2 people I have a problem with in that squad.

You have Widdop, Reed, Graham and Burgess who will be in the WC squad too, injuries preventing.

ATEOTD he has picked a squad mixed with good form and players who raise their game in the SL when it counts. The fact we are only complaining about 2 or 3 names in a 30 man squad is a good thing.

I meant general kicking, Tickle is a very good goal kicker. My point is if Sinfield gets Injured, who have we got. Burrows a good kicker but I presume he will be at hooker.

I know McNamara could draft someone in, but the whole point of the ETS is that the team are used to playing with each other.

Agree....and that's part of the reason that i would like to see Brough in the squad. He's not injured is he?

I dont see why Morley is in there. Should have retired a year or more ago.

McGuire is a good kicker, ball in hand. Burrow isn't the best but could kick from dummy half, the same way Roby did Friday night that pinned Leeds back all night. Also, if Wilkin does get picked, his kicking game against Leeds was better than Sinfield and McGuire's against them. Rangi has a really good short kicking game too. I'm sure something will be sorted between them.

TBF the pressure we normally have put on us anyway gets rid of any type of kicking game we have in these matches.

The irony of Morley's selection is that Peacock's current excellent form is making Morley look decidedly ordinary and I don't think I would be picking Peacock, even if he made himself available.

What actually happens on this weekend when the squad meets up then? Will all of these players be absent from their respective clubs' games that weekend?

Aside from the fact that I disagree and would say he is average at best, I doubt he will be in the matchday 17 anyway. If we want a good kicking game we play Brough, it is as simple as that.

Wilkin has been one of Saints better players this year so far, and from bits that I have seen of other clubs I think he deserves his place.

If the squad is on form, how can Carl Ablett (who hasnt looked anything special on the games I have seen, and spent last Friday evening in the back pocket of an 18 year old academy centre making his 1st team debut) in there?

Ablett has been outstanding so far this season up until the Saints game, including the WCC.

Personally, I'm surprised Matty Smith, Danny Brough and Jermaine McGilvery haven't been included.

all i can say is congratulations to australia


seriously,looking at those players just proves how really very average we are,despite some of those players being seen as great players in the british game.

Cockayne aside, that is one of the best England squads I've seen in many a long year. A pity Daz Clark didn't get the nod though, he has been outstanding so far this year. If he played at one of the top clubs the Sky Sports boys would be having to take cold showers after watching him.

Why Cockayne? So far he's been better than the likes of Charnley and Briscoe, stats speaks for themselves