no offense, but you are the worst team in SL.

as good as gale was, you cant judge him on that display.

he was excellent though.

we are, not saying we aren't.

Gale is a top player, always seems to play well against us so was no surprise.

Like the majority of half backs he needs his pack singing from the same sheet, winning collision, offloading, quick ptb. Junior Moors, Grant Millington and Mike Mcmeekan gave him all that tonight. He was sublime though.

The main contenders at the moment should be Gale, Sneyd and Widdop.

People are talking about Tomkins as an option which I think he is, he plays in a similar role to a '6 at full back so it would be a simple transition but he must get back to fitness and form first. That said we may need him at full back given that Hardaker is playing terribly on the wing.

Have to agree.
Gale last night was top drawer (especially for a comeback game).
Of course, any half back needs a decent pack to play behind but, his all round game, running, kicking, organising, passing was close to 10/10.

He should have been given a game in the second test against the Kiwi's last season but at the moment remains an unknown at the top level but, on the basis of England having such a strong pack, I think he would do really well and he has more to his game than any of our other options.

I'd certainly add Myler and Ratchford to that list - both up there with Sneyd and Gale.

I don't think Myler is an international. He's playing well but I think he needs a Tod Carney or similar quality next to him which we don't have. Over time Myler will probably develop in a similar fashion to Maguire at Leeds but it may be too late by then. Ratchford is a decent call but wouldn't be in the halves at Warrington with Sandow and Gidley fit, in fact he wasn't in the team for a good chunk of the season. I'd have him in the squad for his utility value but not as a starter.

Shaul is currently the best English fullback this season and if he carries on in this form has to be favourite for the number one shirt. Tomkins shouldn't be picked ahead of him just because of his name and who he plays for. No doubt that he will though.
As for the halves, Sneyd is also in fantastic form. But I don't think he'll get the gig for England, I can see it been Gale and Widdop with Smith in the squad too (which I wouldn't agree with having him in there).

If I were picking an England team tomorrow then Shaul would be a very good shout, his form has been fantastic. Tomkins at his best is a class above IMO and providing he demonstrates form and fitness before the end of the season will be picked and rightly so. It does depend on him showing the form and fitness though.

I've said before a big part of who Bennet picks will depend on how he wants to play. He's a top class, if not the best coach in the game. I believe he will pick a 17 to fit a system rather than picking the best 17 players and then trying to fit them in.

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... ed862bc74f I wonder if 18 year old Nick O'Meley might be a future England prospect? He is a very good half/5/8 who started at Hull FC before his father moved back to Australia. He spent a few years in the Newcastle Knights system, which is the best system for halves in the world right now, with 5 out of 6 of their current junior halves in NSW train on squads right now. Nick had to play with central coast under 18s this year, but he is pretty good.

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... ed862bc74f I wonder if 18 year old Nick O'Meley might be a future England prospect? He is a very good half/5/8 who started at Hull FC before his father moved back to Australia. He spent a few years in the Newcastle Knights system, which is the best system for halves in the world right now, with 5 out of 6 of their current junior halves in NSW train on squads right now. Nick had to play with central coast under 18s this year, but he is pretty good.

I know players seem to switch international allegiance regularly these days. but I'm not sure how Nick O'Meley suddenly becomes English?

You'd think with James Graham, Chris Hill, Alex Warmsley, Sam Burgess, Mike Cooper and, if they book their ideas up before the Autumn Tom and George Burgess, we'd give our halfbacks a good platform to work from for England with the quality English prop forwards we have.

Gale and Widdop for me. Widdop had a quiet start to the season but improved in April and Gale's been the best English, and one of the best full stop, half backs in Super League for two years.

Have you heard him talk?
I can't understand a word he says.
Spent most of his formative years in some place where they talk funny.

Lucas Gale and Richard Myler are so far ahead of all the other England half backs that it is inconceivable that Wayne Bennett would look beyond those two.

Matthew Smith seems like an earnest young man but he does not compare with the two whom I have identified above.

Fortunately Wayne Bennett goes into his team selection process without any of the "baggage" of his predecessors.

Myler????

Do you type this stuff with a straight face or have you been drinking?

Think The Hull lads Shaul, Taylor, Houghton and Sneyd should all be in contention for England after the Wigan game.

Richard Myler, who is English, has been outstanding this season. Haven't you been watching him?

Are you for real, Ive seen him play numerous times this year and for once the feux frog is right, he's way better than any of the other names suggested - get real, I mean Gale are people actually watching the game anymore - he's Liam Finn but faster and not quite as smart.

Yes i am for real,he is a decent club player but no more. He always went missing for Warrington in the big games, the Aussies and Kiwis would make him look a mug but hey hoy, only my opinion.

Gale i agree with, he should have had a chance last year.

He is playing well off the back of a dominant Catalan pack creating all kinds of space and getting rich pickings with his huge strength, his support game coming to the fore.Do you really envisage him controlling a game in the heat of intense battles against the Kiwis and Aussies? cos the thought of him in there would scare the hell out of me, i'd rather have Smith and that's saying something!

Luke Gale is Liam Finn but faster



Are you forgetting we have seen them both play for Cas together. Finn doesnt come close. If you watch Gale week in week out like we do. He controls games, he kicks teams to death and he can actually make breaks.

Quite right, Gale was great all last year and is again proving it to be no fluke, he has a genuinely rounded half back game.

I see the clamour for Joe Mellor has died down now too after he had a few good games early in the year.

I hear Liam Finn once KO'd Mike Tyson and Bruce Lee at the same time then when he got bored walked to the pub where he threw a 9 dart finish with only 8 darts.

I actually like Lucas Gale. I rate him. But Richard Myler has to be up there in the mix, way ahead of Matthew Smith.