Not too sure what Roby brings of the bench? He has been a great player over the years but now coming toward the back end of his career and for me his best asset now is that he plays to a good level for 80 minutes and not much gets past him. Hodgson can probably even do that better than Roby now, Clarke brings some flare of the bench and something a little bit different.

Another point, Clarke seems to show up in big games and on an international level he seems to raise his game.

Ditto.

Personally I rate Houghton above Clarke now. Thought Clarke would have took Robys mantal, but had never really pushed on.

That's an awful shout. Clark has been unreal this season and better than his MOS winning season. He's a phenomenal player.

Wow.

Watts is a penalty machine every year.

I'll bow to your greater knowledge if you've seen more of them than me this year. George has certainly done more in an England shirt. Widdop has been injured nearly all year hasn't he? Roby over Clarke for experience as much as anything given I'm recommending no Lockers, and now we'll have no S.Burgess either. Picked Hill because I think he knows how to intimidate without getting sent off, and again, experience when we'll be missing other experienced players.

Awful shout?

Clark has done nothing against Salford this year. Fact.

Roby is world class and has been for a long while. Fact. Admittedly he's getting on a bit but still a superb player.

I apologise that I seem to have upset Wire fans.

I do like Clark as a player, he was phenomenal at Cas and looked like the heir apparent to Roby's throne. Hopefully he gets back to that level as he may just make it Wire's year next year.

Clark was simply terrible in the challenge cup final. Cant quite remember who the opposition 9 was

Didn't see it chief.



And you're seriously clutching at straws if you're gonna quote 1 game to highlight why Clark is (but blatantly isn't

) better than Roby.



How about I say they're both excellent hookers (but Roby is better) to appease our friends from the Irlam overspill?



Right.... now back to why Josh Jones is better than Bateman....

What has any of this discussion above got to do with John Bateman?

Yes sorry Jean, very rude of us to derail a thread.

All - Please remain on topic so Jean can impart his wisdom on the thread.

Bateman has always been a quality player, I think the only strange thing about his previous selections was picking him at centre.

Clearly a top class second rower

But ok for you to quote Clark for 'not doing much' against Salford for 2 and a half games this season

And the other games I've seen him on TV.



Like I said I really do rate Clark but if you think how consistently superb Roby has been then you can't currently speak of Clark in the same breath. IMO of course.



Since 2007 Roby has been nominated in the SL Dream Team six times, Clark twice (yes I appreciate Clark is younger but he made his debut in 2011 according to Wikipedia).

Roby was also competing with the likes of Cunningham in his early days who is considered a modern great. Will Clark reach that level over such a sustained period of time? Maybe best to revisit the topic in 5-7 years time and we can maybe make a fair comparison then.

Both great hookers, I'd be confident in either of them doing a job.

Whoever gets picked is only likely to be back up to Hodgson. I think if we're building towards the next World Cup, then I think Clark probably makes more sense.

What's the chances of the young Rabbitohs winger, Campbell Graham getting picked for Great Britain? Scottish father and English mother, and plays for Wayne Bennett at club level.

John Bateman has some niggling injuries and will miss the International Nines at the fabulous Bankwest Stadium next weekend.

However he is eager to play for Great Britain Lions in the upcoming Test matches against New Zealand, Tonga and Papua-New Guinea.

For me Roby is far and away better than Clark. Just on another level of consistency and control of games. Who would I pick for GB this season? Clark. Younger, quicker, and his time now.

John Bateman couldn't give a toss what your opinion is of the Great Britain candidates for hooker. John Bateman, Joshua Hodgson, Elliot Whitehead, James Graham and Gareth Widdop are the real keys to Great Britain's performances this year.

Yeah I'd agree with that. Roby a generation player utterly brilliant but Daz Clark still very good on his day too and is ready for international RL. Roby could still walk MOTM tonight.

John Bateman is an incomparably better player than James Roby or Darryl Clark. That is why we need to be discussing John Bateman, not James Roby or Darryl Clark.

Typical irrelevant discussion from the people who voted for the catastrophe of Brexit.

A bit like most posters on here with yours

Obviously you are not one of the alleged "most posters" on here, since you seem to care.

Don’t know who this John Bateman is. Jonathan Bateman, however...

Who's this Darryl Clark too?