I am just gutted that Senior and Gleeson are not in the centres.

It would have added much needed strength and experience to that back line. If they were in, I would actually look at that England team and fancy their chances.

We can't use Eastmond as a replacement hooker. Hookers defend down the middle and take a lot of punishment. Eastmond has tremendous talent, but physicality isn't something many Saints fans would say he excels at.

I think Smith may be thinking that in the era of slower PTBs as officiated by Ganson, interchange hookers are no longer essential. So play a young, fit tough-as-nails hooker who rarely misses a tackle, and yet has speed and an eye for an opportunity. Roby's our closest hooker to the sort of role that Cameron Smith played last week.

I'd have thought that you're more likely to see Eastmond used as cover for the backs. Anyone picks up an injury or starts dropping , and Eastmond can come on to cover pretty much any position there.

Agreed, we should definatly not pick our best half and our goal kicker.

Smith controls the game a hell of a lot more than Roby can and that will be a massive difference with Tomkins and Maguire at HB

I agree Roby is probably our best option but he defiantly needs to re evaluate his game. Looking at the game of one of the finest hookers of the past 20 years imo in Smith isn’t a bad start. Smith can not only scoot but also offers excellent distribution, has a killer off load, a phenomenal engine, leadership as well as top place and hand kicking games.

Roby has the engine, the ability to scoot well, the good defence and excellent strength but he defiantly needs to step up to the plate more with his game control and leadership as well.

A stint in the NRL would most defiantly help him advance his career.

I thought Cameron Smith was poor last week. The Aussie pack never got going and they lacked direction. The fact that none of their backs got any ball at all suggest their pack didn't really do the job it was meant to.

The Ausie pack is the worst Aussie pack i have seen and i thought Smith did well to say most the pack was hidding from the Kiwis.

Last year people called for change and time to bring young blood into side with more than 2 teams having all players in the side and credit to smith he done that so all English people should rally around the team because this team will turn Aussies over.

one over thing i am sick and tired of listning about people going on about Inglis if you watch him more than once you will notice his defence is poor and tageted by the kiwi last week in defence when more than once he got run over.

and a lot more offensively capable, peter fox is a pudding

Nice comments except the last one


We will NEVER produce a player of Inglis' ability, he will go down as one of the greatest to have ever graced the game. I think he's still younger than Michael Shenton and Lee Smith?? and been around for years. I could be wrong there but there's not much in it.
Every try he scores is of freakish ability, he doesnt do walk ins, just look at that famous video site. he could tackle like a binliner and it wouldnt matter

Inglis also weighs 110 kilos - 17 stone+ in old money. The only way to defend against him is to get in his face every time he gets the ball. In fact, our centres could do worse than watch the way Daryl Powel and Carl Gibson defended against Meninga and McGaw in 1990 (?). Two centres both giving away massive weight and power managed to keep their opponents in check for virtually the whole series.

I like Fox, but Briscoe looks a bit more physical. That side of things is sadly lacking across our backline. Hall is the only back with any size. It's a darn good job IMO that Australia have Lockyer and not a Fittler-esque stand off against McGuire/Tomkins.

Just on the halfbacks, it'll be interesting to see how they're played - left/right or one outside the other. In any event McGuire needs to turn up and those two plus Sinfield and Roby need to get some plays sorted out. If we go in attempting to be all 'off the cuff' we'll get eaten alive.

i think its obvious why crabtree has been picked its because the rest of the pack dont seem able to offload the ball which crabtree does on a regular basis, something different to the other forwards other than graham occasionally.

On the fox Briscoe debate, I have watched Fox all season he is fast & brave & I like him even though he makes the odd mistake. Briscoe though is (if he plays to his potential) better. I would actualy have him at centre instead of Smith (he is leaving league so why give him the experiance) & fox out side him but maybe it is one season to soon for that. Briscoe will be in the team for the next ten years & will move in from the wings, Fox is good enough but an out & out winger once his pace has gone thats it with him, so with an eye to the future I would go with Briscoe.

Fair enough, i would be extremley dissapopinted, one is at the back end of his playing days and one has had his worst season in sl.

I would have preffered our chances with atkins in for smith, smith is a fantastic player but not a centre for me.

Pathetic. Stop talking complete nonesense.

Agreed - all the talk of the back line masks the fact that this current pack is nowhere near what we expect from the Kangaroos - don't get me wrong, they are a solid outfit and will do a job but compared with players of the recent past, they are definitely 2nd string

I'm just disappointed Sam Thaiday has been dropped, I have seen this guy play 20 times or so and I can honestly say I have never seem him dominate a collision in attack or defence - not once

I'm most curious about your new guys, so posts regarding Eastmond and Tomkins have stood out most for me. That and every other post was either about Fox or Carvell, who aren't even playing.

Why do a few of you keep mentioning Tomkins' ability to get under opposition skin? I don't think anyone has explicitly said they want him to do it against the Kangaroos, but the implication is certainly there. Do you really think it's wise for a rookie in such an important position, playing against Australia, to even have such thoughts in his mind? If goes in thinking about that, he's a dead man walking. He should be soley focused on whatever role Smith gives him.

For those familiar with Smith's coaching, when do you suspect Eastmond will come on? To be honest, his debut against us is reminding me a lot of McGuire 2004. Will Smith (stars in poor movies) keep to his gameplan no matter what? Say the Kangaroos are looking like running away with it at the half hour mark, does Smith throw Eastmond on to change the momentum or does he protect him by keeping him on the bench?


The "Nothing is Impossible" video is awe-inspiring. You would think they were highlights over a 10+ year career. He's only 22.


He has dominated collision in attack and defence fairly consistently in Origin, but frustratingly seems to lose a lot of passion when playing for Australia. Glad he's been dropped.

Inglis for a big man is very agile, he has the best fend in the game, some of the players he has sat on their backsides are worth watching on that video site

I noticed the channel Nine commentators were talking about his speed and they mentioned he had never been run down and he has scored plenty of length of the field tries.

He's going to be scared of our world class centres though

Was it just me or has he taken to "eating all the pies". His midriff seemed rather large in that last game - is he going the way of Ian Thorpe

What? Retire at 24? You can tell just by his belly? I hope you're wrong.

Maybe not but he will be scared of our mighty Saxon warrior Big Eorl running wide at fult tilt!

I'm sorry i apologise for not checking the Stats column before i write, however for accuracy i actually said he doesn't look like busting tackle's not who actually busts more tackles....

Huddersfield fan by any chance??



Crabtree has the potential to be great...he just isn't nasty enough in the tackle...far too easily hits the floor when he meets contact. I'm sorry if you don't like that opinion...but hey, deal with it!

I certainly don't think just because he's a Hudderfield player that he isn't good enough. For the past few years all we've done is select Leeds and Saints players...and oh..failed! I'm glad we've given players from outside the top 2 teams a chance...I'd suggest there are plenty more better than we've chosen this time...Louis McS. has proven himself everytime he's played for England but is overlooked for Graham (who plays well with good players round him) and I also have no idea how Shenton is in the starting position..but hey..everyone is entitled to their opinion...

But back to my point...Crabtree hasn't met his potential. I really hope he steps up another 2 gears on Saturday...cos we need him to play like the animal his size has the ability to be.

Often size that big doesn't translate to a great foward where a low centre of gravity can often do you good.
Give him another couple of years until he's about 27 and he has the potential to be an england quality player, im not sure he has it yet though.
Still, he's improved year on year imo

Because he's the best we've got? because he's the top scoring centre in sl? because he did more work in defence than any other back in the last two games?