Lomax
Briscoe
Watkins
Reed
Hall
Widdop
Tomkins
Burgess G
Roby
Graham (c)
Westwood
Farrell
O Loughlin

Clark
Amor
Walmesley
Hill/Taylor/Ferres

Thinking about it, surprised sneyds name is yet to come up, given it's a problem area for us - surely even if he doesn't make the first 17 he'd be worth a squad place?

I think Joe Westerman has to be in with a shout this year if he continues the form he has shown so far

Would certainly be worth a look on form, he's been outstanding so far for Cas and he's a very good goal kicker too. Shenton, Sneyd, Huby & Clark all deserve consideration this year based on form so far.

2 years from now Justin Carney could be picked too







Another player who deserves consideration based on form. It's a shame Ellis retired from internationals too!

I think Sneyd had been superb! He has a magical left foot. Think this tournament is a great chance to blood players like him, see how they get on. The aren't going to win this years 4N, I'll be surprised if we make the final. Lets blood some fringe players so when it comes to the two tournaments we are more likely to win (ashes and home 4N) we have more international hardened players to replace the older lot. Unfortunately McNamara will choose same as last year. Tried and failed.

I don't know, it's kind of a hard one to call, westerman is another good shout based on form...

Fwiw, the squad I would take is:

Hardaker, Lomax
Briscoe, Charnley, Makinson
Watkins, Shenton, Reed
Widdop, Tomkins, Sneyd
Graham, Burgess (G), Hill, Walmsley, Huby/Taylor
Roby, Clark, Lunt
Whitehead, Ablett, Ferres, Farrell/Westwood
O'Loughlin, Westerman

A lot can change between now and the end of the season though (except mcnamaras selection of course) I still think were stronger in more areas than we have been in a long time

Europe :-

Fullback - Z Hardaker
Wings - T Briscoe, R Hall
Centres - K Watkins, J Reed
Outside halfback - S Tomkins
Halfback - G Widdop
Front row forwards - G Burgess, J Graham
Front forward - J Roby
Second row - C Ablett, B Ferres
Loose forward - S O'Loughlin

Interchanges - S Lunt, L Mossop, R Casty, J Westerman

1. Tomkins
2. Makinson
3. Shenton
4. Watkins
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Smith
8. Graham
9. Lunt
10. G.Burgess
11. Ferres
12. Bateman
13. Oloughlin

14. Clark
15.T. Burgess
16. Walmsley
17. Farrell

Going off what i have personally seem this season.

We've certainly got some good squad depth in some positions. I don't think players should be picked out of position for England. Tomkins is a full back, pick him there or not at all. If/when he starts playing as a half back (I think he will sooner rather than later) then that's the position he should play, if picked for England.

Prop is a tough one,mid be happy with any of Graham, Burgess x2, Amor, Walmsley, Taylor or Hill.

1. Tomkins
2. Makinson
3. Watkins
4. Shenton
5. Hall
6. Lomax
7. Brough
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. G. Burgess
11. Ferres
12. Westwood
13. O'Loughlin

14. Clark
15. Huby
16. Walmsley
17. Farrell

18. Widdop
19. Sinfield
20. Whitehead
21. Hardaker
22. Westerman
23. Hill

It won't be this but I would go-

Lomax
Briscoe Watkins Reed Hall
Tomkins Widdop
Graham Roby Hill
Farrell Ferres O'Loughlin (c)

Subs
G Burgess, Walmsley, Westwood, Clark.

Rest of squad-

Hardaker, Smith, Burrow, Amor, Taylor, Westerman, Bateman.

Tomkins
Briscoe, Watkins, Hardaker, Hall
Widdop, M Smith,
G Burgess, Roby, Graham
Westwood, Farrell
O Loughlin

S.Taylor, Clark, Huby, Bateman

From watching Wigan recently, Tony Clubb has been a quiet improver and is a beast of a lad. Outside bet for a squad place if he carrys on his improvement.

I don’t really care who’s picked, as long as certain players realise their only there in a nurturing role & not trying to stake a claim in the next W.C team.

You know the ones, the Sinfield’s, O’Louglin’s, Shenton’s & Westwood’s of this world.

Myself and plenty of others thought we were signing a dud when we got Tony Clubb and he's proving us all wrong. He's quite clearly a prop forward and when he's played there he's been exceptional for us.

Like you say he's a mountain of a bloke and some of his carries are punishing. He's surprised me probably more then any signing we've made for a good number of years (probably since Carmont).

and who do you think will be better than them?

Why do people keep putting Tompkins as a 6, Wigan didnt play him there (much), neither did England or New Zealand ??
He is a fullback and thats all. We keep talk about playing people in there favoured position.

He's 6 that's been converted in to a fullback that's why.

The times right for a move back to 6 both for club and country IMO. His weaknesses at fullback won't be exposed and his creative play is better then it's ever been.

I would agree and hope this is what happens sometime this season.

it would be great for the national team being able to pair him up with widdop in the halves and knowing we have 2 excellent young fullbacks in Hardaker and Lomax to step up.

In three years’ time do you really think the players mentioned will still be at the top of their game, O’Loughlins already picking & choosing when he plays.

I could name a number of players to succeed them who right now aren’t as good, but three years is a long time on a thirty year olds S.L player’s body.

o'loughlin will still comfortably be the best 13, he's picking and choosing because he had an injury and partially Wane knows it only matters at the end of the season not the start. And i would say Sinfield is already not the best and Westwood (haven't seen a lot of him this season) will be under fire because there is a lot of talented 2nd rows at the moment.

I would be surprised if O'loughlin, Sinfield or Westwood are still RL playing at all in 3 years, never mind internationally. O'loughlin is 31 and already made of biscuits, he will be days away from his 35th birthday, Sinfield will be 37 by the time that WC rolled around, and Westwood will be 35.

lol at the o'loughlin comments, biscuits? did you see how he played with injuries? he will be still be playing he is a fitness animal.

Makes you wonder how he has only managed to play the same amount of international games and fewer club games than the notoriously biscuit boned Danny Mcguire, who is a matter of days older, doesnt it.

Because one of them makes about 40 tackles a game while the other argues with the ref 40 times a game.

Aaaah, right. thats fair enough then. Because as we all know, as you hit 34, you dont have to make tackles any more you can just yell tackle and the player has to go down so O'loughlin will be fine and the heads and necks of his opposition players will rejoice