Squad is named on Monday.

yes, unless he fights the charge and wins, he's looking at a 4 game ban which would rule him out and open the door a bit wider for scott taylor

He's taken an early plea and been banned for 4 games.

Mike McMeeken, Chris McQueen and Alex Walmsley have been called up to 20 man England squad for the first time, while there are recalls for Chris Heighington, - See more at: www.rugby-league.com/article/398 ... IXPTX.dpuf

Mike McMeeken, Chris McQueen and Alex Walmsley have been called up to 20 man England squad for the first time, while there are recalls for Chris Heighington, - See more at: www.rugby-league.com/article/398 ... IXPTX.dpuf

McQueen and Heighington?? Oh my days

Shows what happens when you have an NRL coach in charge who knows little about SL.

I'd rather have a young English second rower like Greenwood or Ward in the squad over two ageing Aussies.

Apart from those two not too much to wrong with the squad and means no club loses more than two players for their SL games.

All I hope is that these 2 players are in the squad purely due to them being based in Australia and to minimise the impact on the teams in SL from losing more players. Glad McMeekin is in though, hope he gets some game time

Utter nonsense. What is the point of putting a 35 year old in the squad unless, as I fear, he is actually in the running for the WC squad?

Gale, Hardaker and McMeeken.

Hardaker
McGillvary
Watkins
Percival
Hall
Widdop
Gale
Graham
Hodgson
Hill
Whitehead
S.Burgess
O'Loughlin

Williams
Taylor
Walmsley
McMeeken

That would be my 17. I would probably guess he would go with this other than maybe Tom Burgess in for one of Walmsley or Taylor. I think Heighington and McQueen will just be named as cover as it's pointless flying out someone like Stevie Ward if he's no intention of playing him. Just had to pick pretty much any NRL forwards who were eligible for England.

I'm assuming McQueen and Heighington are 19th and 20th man and thus just in there to cover for short notice injuries whilst they are based in aus, rather than flying over two guys we know won't play. Absolute joke if they actually make the side ahead of Farrell. Could we not give younger guys a chance in this one ahead of O'Loughlin (34) and Hall (32)? I'd have rather seen Farrell and J.Burgess/Johnstone get a go with a view to the future.

Will our players be carrying White flags?

Why pick any English players, when we could have a team of Australians? why stop at McQuuen?

Who's to blame for us not being able to produce 20 players that are capable of playing for their country?

See the post above yours and give your mouth a wipe.

Bloody joke.

How the eff did McGillvary get in there

You just moan about absolutely anything. McGillvary has always been good whenever he's played for England, he just so happens to play in a rubbish team. Not much he can do about that when he's a winger and not a half back.

it seems that its hard to shift those already in possession of an international shirt. on the same basis tom burgess will probably get in ahead of scott taylor which at the moment is just wrong

We should pick the strongest 17 players eligible to play, regardless of where they were born, just like every single other country does.

Because he's a good winger?

Ryan Hall is 29, not 32

Right.

You'd agree that McMeeken is there on merit. How is McGillvary on merit?

Because he's always been very good whenever he's played. Huddersfield were just as bad last season yet McGillvary was still picked for the 4 Nations and played well. He's been selected time and time again for England and never let anyone down. The wingers aren't the reason why we can't beat Australia, why change what isn't broken?

If the wingers arnt the reason why we can't beat Australia, why shouldn't we reward those who've had better campaigns a spot?

And the argument that he played well in the past doesn't wash with me - Wayne Rooney played well in the past for England, based on this season he shouldn't be anywhere near the international team.

Why who should be in instead?

Never even heard of McQueen and remember Heighington from about 15 years ago - are we really that bad?