It's a shame ain't it. I remember him on a kick chase once absolutely smashing the full back who dropped the ball about 5 yards out for someone else to pick it up and score. Everyone went to congratulate Mozza and not the try scorer. Can't remember who it was against though.

No one would ever 'smash' Morley so to speak. He'll be as tough as teak for a good 20 years. At 50 I doubt many players would be able to 'smash' him. But his contribution to games isn't what it was. His impact used to be massive and game changing. I just don't think he's like that anymore. He'll still put the odd big shot in, but his overall contribution is on the wane. Still good enough for SL for a year probably but we shouldn't be including him in the international setup. Peacock we probably should, he's more like Civonoceva for Australia, batters people with attrition rather than physicality.

Both Peacock and Morley have been terrific players over their careers but this series should definitely be their last in terms of international RL. Time to start blooding some of the youngsters. After seeing him week-in week-out for Wigan I would have thought Lee Mossop would have at least made the final 24 man squad, though I think his injury sustained in the CC final may be the part of the reason why he was overlooked.

I've been impressed with him during his days at Leeds and the Sydney Roosters. But I'm not very impressed with him at international level as he's never really done the business to any degree of consistency on that particular stage.

As someone pointed out earlier, his one great game was in 1997 against the SL Australian team which just happens to be the one Test match where I remain convinced to this day that it was a staged result in order to create a decider. The only other notable Test match from Morley was him getting sent off after 9 seconds! Overall, a very ordinary international career from a player who ought to have made a much more significant impact in the national shirt.

It is interesting isn't it Keith.

Can play well against aussies and kiwis week in, week out and is highly respected here by the RL fraternity (ignore aussie numpties on RL forums) as being another tough, no-nonsense Englishman who killed it over here. Yet, apparently he couldn't do it dependent on what jersey he was wearing.

Peacock has been immense towards the back end of the year after finally getting match fitness. Hope he recovers from his latest set back.

Morley unfortunately has been on the decline, over the last year or so he was regulary out performed by Paul Wood and Carvell.

With regards Wigan players, mossop will make the 2013 team all day long and is the next big English enforcer. Prescott is no where near international standard yet.

It is funny i started a thread saying exactly the same thing after the last 4 nations and said the time was ready to blood newer players and give experience to younger players. The aim should be to have a group of 8 props ready to pick from for the WC.

I was roundly condemned especially by Warrington fans.


Funny that those sheep are all now agreeing with me when it may be too late to give enough opportunities to get enough players experience of international games before the WC. At most they will have 6 International games before the next world cup. That is not enough for the likes ofHuby , Prescott, Mossop et al.

I'm still undecided about Adrian Morley but I believe Jamie Peacock is done at international level. Lee Mossop and Ben Harrison are the two for me that would have been in the final 24 man squad.

I thought Harrison dropped off a little last year compared to the previous season's displays.... i am however expecting him to come back strongly this season.

Seems a Tony Smith tactic to me. Let the young player build up, bigging him up all the time, telling him how good he is. Then the first time the player shows some swagger or cockyness they are dropped, cast aside and ignored. He then gauges their reaction and they go back in, lesson learned and raring to go. He has done it successfully with Myler and Riley.

Both Morley and Peacock were finished a couple of years ago at Test level.
When the Aussies seem them on the squad lists I am sure they smile, Morley was on the way down when the Rooster downgraded their offer to him, he was past his best, Peacock is a myth at Test level always has been. Just a grinder.

The fact they are still selected suggests the selectors do not want to blood new players or they think that the two old stager's are still better than the new boys.

You can get away with it with props. Australia would have selected Petro again no doubt and he was around when Stanley Gene made his debut in the fifties.

No Petro is done and he knows it, he was afforded a few Tests passed his best out of respect for his achievements in the game, same as Price.
Even in the case of Locky, respect plays a big role in rep selections.

We do underestimate the quality of some of our younger players. I'm sure there are other good examples, but I get the feeling that if Mossop had been turning in similar consistent quality performances in the NRL as he has done at Wigan, he would have been a shoe-in for Origin selection.

Is he injured?
If he was playing for Cronulla probably not.
The NRL is a grind every week, if it was like SL where the Melbourne Storm played Redcliffe Dolphins 2 out of three games it would be a fair comparison.

I really am a big fan of Ben Harrison. I think he can achieve as much as he wants to in the game.

Heighinton, Ellis, Graham and Peacock all missing from training apparently.

I'd say fill the bench with forwards.

Widdop to six, four forwards on the bench.

If all of those are missing, do England have four more forwards to come into the 17?

Bailey, Carvell, Ablett and...?

Who will they be?

I don't think they'll all miss out. I think Peacock and Graham will probably play injured knowing what they are like.

I remember that game, the whole crowd started cheering Morley. Awesome!!!

Not this one. This would have been an ideal opportunity to blood the next generation in preparation for 2013. Poor succession planning by the management.

If he stays clear of injuries and Leeds rotate him during the season, Peacock could probably do one more year. Given the inexperience at this level of the other props mentioned as replacements, that might be a good thing.

Morley looks shot. I think people (especially the ever mischevious swiftcorn) underestimate how well he's played in teams which have been battered across the park (including games I've watched in Brisbane, where he was miles ahead of his teammates in badly beaten sides). What would be interesting would be for McNamara to tell Morley that this will be his last hurrah, and see if he can get a couple of shorter "old-school" Morley stints out of him.

More worryingly for England is Ellis - not just his short-term fitness but how long he'll be as good as he is. As with Morley, his style probably doesn't lend itself to longevity, and I'd argue Ellis is by far our most important forward.

Morley and Peacock probably won't go round again with the internationals. Immediate replacements are there in Crabtree (who's impressed me at that level) and Carvell (who's been in outstanding club form).
There's a few others, like Mossop & LMS, who have been in good form and could possibly step up to international level next year.

However, perhaps its the Burgess clan that will bring our long term replacements?
The one that stayed at Bradford seems to have impressed this year (even though he's 19 odd) and in terms of size could be one of the biggest forwards around. One would assume his twin at Souths also has a decent talent?

I'm aware it wasn't the greatest test, but Burgess (Tom) went through our pack like a hot knife through butter at the back end of last season; 6ft 5 and over 18 stone - the kid's a monster.