This article sums it up. www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/b ... 6137503655

This article sums it up. www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/b ... 6137503655

What has the competition a player competes in got to do with whether he gets selected as long as it is of a comparable standard or better. I don't care how long a player has spent "proving" himself, if he's rubbish, he's rubbish and shouldn't be playing for the national side. Reed is a better player, in a better league than any of the other centre options available to the England selectors.

We need to get the rose tinted glasses off in some cases. The SL competition is a second rate product, it lacks competitive teams, has too many non even games, too many second rate/past it overseas players. The general standard of British player is declining. If you need evidence look at the current England team being beaten by a team of SL overseas players containing ONE current international and having a 37 year old playing in it and an average age of 30. We are falling further and further behind the southern hemisphere in RL terms and will continue to while the RFL pursues its current policies.

Reed for England, with him and Widdop we would at least have 2 quality backs.

For me it's simple. If he will play 100% committed for England and he is in the top 2 centres then pick him. After all he is English

Imagine if things are getting heated on the pitch -
"Rack off yer blaady convicts!"

Monkey,
"Maybe" 30 or 40 years ago.
That is like saying all English people are a cross between Benny Hill or Alf Garnett.

To be fair, on this board, probably half?

Not sure if this has been posted, just officially confirms the rumours:

[url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/23536/jack-reed-commits-to-englandJack Reed commits to England[/url

Should make a few happy on here...

Keeps the compitition high for places which is always a good thing

Excellent.

This kid is a very good talent who can only help England's cause.

Surely this has to be good for our future.

There are players in SL who have been playing well aslo, lets see what they can do, otherwise whats the point of having quotas, which were intended to improve us at international level.

Some excellent options in England's 3/4 line for the first time since maybe 03 / 04.

Excellent is a bit over the top none of our backs are as good as their Aus/NZ counterparts.

An English player playing well in the NRL is worth a place over an English player playing well in Super League in the same position. Reed is the best English centre just as Widdop is the best Stand Off and Ellis the best second rower.



Tomkins is better than Hohaia

He's committed which is what i'm glad of. What my fripe was it looked like it was going to be a case of us having to name him in our squad to make sure he's English, rather than him committing himself. But fair play to the lad he's committed to England.

I hope Mcnamara doesn't become obsessed with choosing players just because they play in the NRL. They were talks of Mark Flannagan last year just because he did OK. There are some poor players in the NRL as well. We're not talking the same differnce as say SL and the Championship.

Having watched a lot of Brisbane games this year I can't say I'm over impressed by him, he's solid and thats about it.

I fail to see how we can overlook Yeaman after the season he's had, stats say he's the best defensive centre available to us, scored lots of tries, forms a dangerous club partnership with the best winger in our game (Briscoe) and selected in the dream team.

The last time he played internationaly he was very good against arguably the best centre in the world at the time, only injury and poor selection policies have robbed him of more caps.

I would'nt even consider Jack Reed ahead of Yeaman.

Is this list supposed to disprove roughyedspud’s point that there is a worrying lack of Australian talent coming through in the three quarters?

Matt Cooper is a quality player but he is 32 years old and has managed to acquire 7 caps for Australia in the last 7 years – if this was a list of outstanding talent coming through in 2004 then I would agree with you

Michael Jennings seems to be a talented drunk

Chris Lawrence is a good young centre

Shaun Kenny-Dowall is a New Zealander

As an English fan, this list doesn’t exactly scare me to death

Shenton on one side Reed on the other. 2 Cas lads hopfully tearing apart the Aussies.

Shentons done nothing to warrant being considered for England, he should be somewhere around 7th or 8th choice on this seasons form.

Absolutely. Hasn't really hit form for Saints yet.

Gary Wheeler is a player I had hoped would have kicked on by now, halfback naturally but I think he could have done some real damage at centre for England, he's always looked quality but has always been hampered by injury.

Yeaman + Reed would be my centres for the warm up game, see how they go. Bridge will be pushing them close though.

Does Reed play on the left or right?
Think Yeaman deserves his shot personally. Only English centre in the Dream Team. What more does he have to do?

Reed plays left centre

He's an Englishman that moved to Oz, don't see the problem.