He’s injured.

4 props on the bench?

Eden was a wet lettuce in contact when he was at the Broncos. He seriously looked like he'd lose the ball every time he was tackled. As did Sargison this year and Hardaker last year. I'd have Eden in the squad because he can play full back, but people seriously underestimate just how much physically tougher the NRL is for outside backs.

I think Hodgson will be given first chance, but he needs to show better decision-making under pressure than he has this year.

It will be interesting to see if Bennett goes for the same sort of team as the mid season test. He likes a genuine ball handler at full back and tends to pick strong centres so may again opt for Hardaker in the centres.

Given some of the movements announced today re Tonga, it will be interesting to see if there are any NRL bolters in the England squad. I don't actually expect any, but I also wouldn't be surprised.

Hardaker
McGilvary
Watkins
Shenton
Hall
Gale
Widdop
SBurgess
Roby
Graham
Bateman
Whitehead
O'Loughlin

Hodgson
Walamsley
Watts
TBurgess

Reserves

18.) McMeeken Backrow/Prop
19.) Eden Wing/FB
20.) Percival Centre
21.) Williams Halves/ Hooker
22.) Farrell Backrow
23.) Hill Prop
24.) Tomkins Fullback/ Halves

Standby

25.) Ratchford
26.) Taylor

He's not English. Neither is Heighington, nor Cuthbertson.

I don't get this Bateman is too small. He's one of our best players IMO he was immense for Wigan in the final against Hull. He's not big but he's bloody strong.

Both have English fathers and are entitled to British citizenship with no hoops to jump through, no residency to complete. How much more English do you want them to be?

I don't understand the hype regarding Hodgson. I think Clark is a much better player and better in defence.

1. Hardaker
2. Eden
3. Percival
4. Watkins
5. Hall
6. Gale
7. Widdop
8. Hill
9. Roby
10. Graham
11. Whitehead
12. McMeeken
13. S Burgess

14. Clark
15. Walmsley
16. Bateman
17 Watts/T Burgess

Unsure why there's even a debate about leaving out a player who's scored 37 tries this season but each to their own.

He is but it's a different kettle of fish in Test rugby. He comes up against much better opponents than he does at SL level. Size is a big factor. If he plays in the forwards we'll lose IMO.

Anyone can score tries on that Wing for Cas, as have been proven in previous years. It is the attacking structure leading up to the pass to the winger that creates those tries, not Greg Eden. Even the young lad who made his debut against Hull got 3 tries

You can tell when someone is too small for test rugby - Wikipedia has them 3" taller than they actually are. A brilliant club player but would get thrown around like a rag doll - just as Jon Wilkin did.
Eden is the same. Hall & McGilvary by plenty.

Yes but my point is Eden is in great form and we should be picking players in form.

We need size everywhere IMO. If we pick small wingers, they will get dominated in the early tackles and our sets are off to a poor start, I think that's going to be a bigger factor than finishing at international level.

1. Hardaker
2. McGillvary
3. Watkins (Needs to pull his finger out at this level)
4. Percival
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Gale
8. Graham
9. Hodgson
10. Hill
11. Whitehead
12. S.Burgess
13. O'Loughlin

14. T.Burgess (Forget the cards, Watts is a penalty machine. We can't afford it)
15. McMeeken
16. Roby
17. Taylor/Walmsley (See who is training better/looks less knackered from the long season.)

Reserves: Ratchford, Eden, Williams, Taylor/Walmsley, Watts, Houghton, Farrell (Bit bigger than Bateman, runs lines which may cause them trouble, less likely to get binned/sent off)

Yet you've left out Shenton who's put most of Eden's meat pies on a platter.

Eden's tries are created inside of centre, even those that end with a Shenton pass.

Whilst he is a very good winger, Eden's attempts to play at full-back at club level this year have been disasterous.

Lots of them stem from Shenny's ability to no look pass , bad the ball along in 1 fell swoop or Shenton's ability to draw in the opposing centre / winger. An example of this was magic weekend where Eden had 3 walk ins on the back of sublime passes from Shenton .

I think that's why Bennett will go with McGilvary and Hall on the wings as they're both powerful runners who will take the ball out hard and direct. It's also why I think we'll struggle in the centres yet again, as I don't think Watkins, Percival or Shenton offer the physicality needed. I'm not sure about playing a second-row at centre, but if he's fit maybe McQueen is worth a go alongside Watkins to beef things up, or even play Bateman there? I'd rather Bateman play at centre as I don't think we can get away with being too lightweight in the back row.

Squad i would go for
Hardaker
Tomkins
Hall
McGilveray
Makinson
Shenton
Watkins
Gale
Widdop
Williams
Hill
Burgess
Burgess
Graham
Walmsley
Hodgson
Roby
Clark
McMeeken
Whitehead
Ward (if not fit, he has snuck in to the leeds squad for Saturday, if not Heighington or Bateman)
Burgess
Oloughlin

He's scored about 4 tries in 10 weeks.

Hardaker
McGilvray
Watkins
Percival
Hall
Widdop
Gale
Hill
Roby
Graham
Whitehead
Burgess S
O'Loughlin

Hodgson
Burgess G
Walmesley
Bateman

Rest of squad
Tomkins, Eden, Shenton, Williams, Burgess G, Watts, Ward or Farrell if Ward unavailable.

Daryl Clark is in it.

Wonder whatever Hardakers done will have an effect on his selection. Ability wise he is by far our best full back. But Jesus, he was suspended for the 2013 WC and now he has done something that has forced Powell to drop arguably his best player for the clubs biggest game in their entire history. How can you trust him

Rumours on social media that what Hardakers done, will mean he won't be on the plane to OZ. What a loving waste