I think Bennett has picked a squad to see which of the incumbents are really up to it. It sends a strong message of support to them. However, he really is targeting the World Cup so I expect he'll be ruthless in weeding out players who underperform.

I'm glad he left out injured players, plus Hardaker, who now knows he simply hasn't been playing well enough. As ordinary as they come for the Panthers.

Lomax
Hall
Percival
Sarginson
McGilvary
Williams
Gale
Graham
Hodgson
T Burgess
Farrell
S Burgess
M Cooper

Clark
G Burgess
Hill
Bateman

Enough ball players in Gale, Williams and Lomax, to allow the extra prop style at 13. Plenty of punch on the bench, would expect a lift if anything with Clark, Hill and G Burgess coming on together.

I wouldn't select the scouse loud mouth ear biter as my captain, it's funny how people have short memories.....

Atkins???? He showed in the grand final how much of a poor decision making centre he is

Regards

King James

Australia v New Zealand final.
The game in this country is just not strong enough and people know why but will not admit it.
All we do is paper over the cracks, pat ourselves on the back and think we have done a good job.
The evidence is there before you.

Pleasantly surprised that the game at Huddersfield is nearly sold out - over 21k sold.

Must be the first time a rugby league match at Huddersfield has nearly sold out?

You do know we beat the Kiwis in 2 out of 3 games last year don't you?

You mean when the kiwis weren't even at half strength.

We were missing quite a few ourselves.

Not bad! Do we know how ticket sales for the other games are doing?

I think your seventeen are our best call however, I would start Chris Hill and Bench Taylor and swop Sam B around with Ferris, to put Sam Loose Forward! Four of that team have just played in the qualifiers

we do have other options should this team not perform! Bateman might be a little light for an international pack however, he does have some Bottle

Swap Sarginson and Watkins too I think as they plan 4 and 3 respectively.

It was close to a full house when we played the Kiwis a few seasons back and we beat them

Hodgson is the best hooker we have, so he was always going to start. Clarke is the best impact we have with his dummy half running, the perfect foil for hodgson if needed. Simple decision for wane, purely on rugby rather than shoehorning a player in that wouldn't fit based on awards. I'm not sure 3 hookers are needed in the squad.

If either hodgson or clarke don't perform well enough, they'll be axed going forward and if houghton maintains form he'll be prioritized.

Disgrace that Aussies like Sarginson are selected ahead of English born players.

But Daniel Sarginson is obviously genetically superior because of his Australian ancestry. He nevertheless qualifies for England because of extended residence in the former penile colony of Hemel Hempstead.

Not like you to be funny....

Now, now, Adolf.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/37678096 Burgess to captain England. Good move if you ask me, anything to extract the absolute maximum out of him, we will need it.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/37678096 Burgess to captain England. Good move if you ask me, anything to extract the absolute maximum out of him, we will need it.

His performances - notably his butter fingers - visibly suffered when trying to carry the weight of the burden that was a pathetic South Sydney team this year.

Is it damaging to our sport that a code-hopper, who has not played for this side since 2013 - can waltz back in on his return to the sport and captain the team? I suppose the wider media will start talking about it, at least.

Really? How?

Its either the code hopper, or the ear biter.

Can't be any more damaging than it was to Union, shoehorning him into the England team after less than a year in the sport then making him the scapegoat for their horrible World Cup on home soil.