Despite years of me singing about Sinfield's ineptability at Test level, I came around to him playing at hooker. If I were English, that's where i'd want him or not at all.

I understand the whole 13 at 6 thing hasn't worked with Sculthorpe, Farrell or O'Loughlin. I just don't see a better alternative, to Sinfiled, currently playing in SL. Sinfield is less of a forward and more of a 6 in my eyes anyway. Sinny's experience might just provide the link England need to get Sam Tomkins in some space.

McGuire and Pryce both look good with ball in hand at SL level, but, going back to my original point, both are big liabilities in defence. So how are England supposed to win anything with those two in the squad. If smith couldn't get the best out of these two what hope has McNamara.

Sinfield plays at 13. Thats where he is best. Mcguire at 6. O'loughlin starts at 2nd row with Ellis. Burgess, Morley and Carvell on the bench for impact. Peacock and Graham start. Tomkins at FB.

Roby at hooker.

6 isnt really an issue. 7 is our problem. If you really wanted Widdop in the team, put him at 6 and Mcguire at 7.

Having watched Melbourne's games this year I would have no hesitation to put Widdop in at 6 for England.

Someone said earlier he has the perfect game to support Brough, the commentators at the weekend made the same point about how he doesn't complicate his game and helps facilitate the games of those around him.

A spine of S Tomkins, Widdop, Brough, Roby would be pretty effective. Put a big pack in front of them and we ought to be creating enough to be in with a shout.

We might have to be brave in the three-quarter selection and I'd give some of our young kids a go, Jermaine McGillvery, Michael Lawrence, Callum Watkins, Tom Briscoe, Josh Charnley, Jodie Broughton etc should all be considerations.

Tomkins
Briscoe
?
Shenton
McGillvery

Widdop
Brough

Graham
Roby
Morley
Burgess
Ellis
O'Loughlin

Watts
Farrell
?
?

Agree with the above 100%. It is a straight shoot out between McG and Widdop for the 6 jumper i think. And Widdop could well be favourite at the moment because he is fit and in form whilst Danny is injured. McGuire will have to play well when he comes back i think to push him out. Which may not be easy as Leeds are not the team of old. Brough is the best half in SL and has been for some time. His inclusion in the Elite squad could be an admission of intent. Having sinfield coming off the bench is a good idea also as he can cover 9, 6 or 13. On the face of it there may be reason to be confident for a change.

I'm so glad you are not involved in picking the England team

Spot on

Why Mcguire has played 7 for Leeds and looked pretty good whilst doing it. He has taken the role of a 7 (along with playing a 6) due to Burrows regression for the past 2 years, and he is still probably the best support runner in the game.

Sinfield is a fantastic defender and extra pivot, he is inventive, has a quality passing and long kicking game.

O'loughlin is a quality defender who can play a lot of minutes. Ellis too.

We go with Peacock Roby Graham, Ellis O'loughlin, Sinfield, Mcguire/Brough Widdop/Mcguire

between the 15 and 30 minute mark we interchange with Carvell, Morley and Burgess to give us fantastic impact. a rotation between Ellis, O'loughlin, Carvell, Peacock, Graham, Morley, Burgess gives us a great balance between graft and impact.

It gives us great flexibility in allowing us, if we want, to go with 4 forwards on the bench. Sinfield can cover 6, 13, 9, if we need to move him, O'loughlin, Burgess and Ellis can all cover 13, Mcguire can play 6 or 7.

But unless you are expecting one of these to get injured during the game, what does he bring as a bench player? He wouldn't be an impact player like Roby @ Saints was for example, in my opinion

Lawrence, Charnley and Broughton I think are not ready yet.

My team at the moment would be:

Tomkins
Briscoe
Hall
Watkins
McGillavry
Widdop
Brough
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
O'Loughlin

Westwood
Sinfield
Morley
Patrick/Griffin etc

But that was just a quick put together of players who I think are playing well

Oh and i think thats 7 now.

There's any number of permatations we could go with in the pack, but you must be going mad if you'd play Hall at centre instead of Shenton. Shenton is the one class centre we've actually got! If we can keep him fit.

I agree Broughton isn't ready yet, if Salford don't bring in a better coach next season, then he needs to find a coach that can get the best out of him. He's, possibly, the finest finisher that England could put on the wing, but needs to improve his defence. Not sure Watkins is ready for international rugby league yet either, and could do with another season in SL before making the step up. Don't want to risk putting Watkins' development back, but he and Broughton could form an excellent partnership.

The front row, with Peacock and Morley starting to get on a little now, is a slight cause for concern. Nobody knows what sort of condition Peacock will return, from injury, in.

Sorry to disagree with you about Griffin, but he's too slow for international Rugby League. Maybe give LMS a chance? He's quick for a prop and shows good strength.

Just looked on the melbourne website and it seems that Widdop had another good game in a losing cause against nz warriors. He also has 10 clean breaks on the season in comparison to Slater who has 8. Again reason to be optimistic (and iam the ultimate doom mongerer with regards to Eng/GB) come the end of the season. Good to have quality competition amongst our halves for a change instead of having one dimensional ball runners there.

he did look good on NRL fulltime last week..

Personally I'd go with

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Jamie Foster
3. Michael Shenton
4. Joel Tomkins
5. Jermaine McGillvary
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Danny Brough
8. James Graham
9. James Roby
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Gareth Ellis
12. Sam Burgess
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Adrian Morley
15. Ben Westwood
16. Luke Robinson
17. Gareth Hock

then Tom Briscoe, Danny McGuire, Shaun Lunt, Eorl Crabtree, Gareth Carvell, Liam Farrell, Kevin Sinfield in reserve

Nothing like picking teams on form, eh?

How you could have Jamie Foster in above Tom Briscoe is beyond me, and thats ignoring the fact that you've named Hock and Peacock who haven't done a single thing this year.

Having seen J Tomkins play centre a few times, the last being a live view at Wakefield I'm warming to the idea of him being an option in the centres for England.

He even looks to have slimmed down a little and was very athletic and mobile, I have to wonder if he's been told that the centre is where his future at Wigan lays and is also, with our current abundance of back rowers, his best chance of being picked for England.

My current team would be:

S Tomkins
T Briscoe
M Shenton
J Tomkins
J McGillivery
G Widdop
D Brough
J Graham
J Roby
J Peacock *
G Ellis
S Burgess
S O'Loughlin

S Lunt
B Westwood
L Watts
E Crabtree

Wild card - G Hock
* subject to fitness

Just seen NLW post and team and the 1st 13 is pure coincidence!

After scoring 4 tries in his last appearance I think Tony Clubb can be entitled to expect a start against the Exiles

I don't, considering he's not that good.

Says someone with a piccy of a poor wendyball manager as an avatar!!!

He's right though. Clubb led the league in missed tackles last season. Not a good stat for a centre