Another hammerblow.

England's world cup ''hopes'' truly are in tatters.

Which may suggest he was scapegoated?

Also, given the coach (assuming its his decision) has presumably spent weeks getting them bonding to pick one out for dismissal could completely wreck the campaign. Coach / management could lose control. Just hope the players don't let it fall apart and make the game a laughing stock. Hopefully, they'll channel their frustration well and get it together to do the business.

I don't like the sound of this at all.

Losing a bellend like hock is one thing, but if theres unhappiness and unrest in the camp because of it?

England will be well beaten on saturday. no doubts there.

100% agree. As I said elsewhere, British sports fans get taken in by flashness rather than effectiveness. IMO Hock is ineffective because he gives away more than he adds.

Personally I thought Ferres was immense this season and deserved a chance anyway. Lets look on the bright side, the idiotic penalty machine is out and someone on form who will play his heart out is in

But ferris will be totally ineffective against the Aussies, he's borderline average.

Wil; he play against Australia? Probably not, so what's your point. Hock would have been a huge liability "against the Aussies" IMO in the unlikely event of having been selected.

I suspect the good Dr (love that twitter name) was never employed as a professional sportsman, who was selected to represent his country, was expected to behave himself, Limit himself or abstain from alcoholic drinks, but still broke the rules. Neither do I think the good Dr had previous form including illegal drugs.....
....remind me again who picks the team at Salford?

I thought that the World Cup rule was that, once you'd selected a squad of 24, you could only replace a player because of injury?

Money Bill Williams opened that door...

And how many of our pack do you expect to "rip it up" againgst the Aussies. My point is that on form I'd have Ferres anyway based on what Ive seen this season.

Definitely Sam Burgess for one and Hock before this happened.

Makes me laugh how a Salford fans defends Hock and yet ridicules the inclusion of Ferres who should've been selected IN FRONT of Hock. Glad Hock's out, he would've left England down to 10 men against Aus.

www.superleague.co.uk/stats/player_stats Ferres made more tackles, more meters, more breaks, more trys, more try assists, more tackle busts, more carries, better average gain than Hock. The only stat Hock beats Ferres in is offload count. Stats dont lie. There seems to be a feeling that Hock is some awesome player because of how good he was years ago.

www.superleague.co.uk/stats/player_stats Ferres made more tackles, more meters, more breaks, more trys, more try assists, more tackle busts, more carries, better average gain than Hock. The only stat Hock beats Ferres in is offload count. Stats dont lie. There seems to be a feeling that Hock is some awesome player because of how good he was years ago.

Impressive! How is/was he going to get the other 2 England players sent off?

If there was a way to make it happen, I have no doubt Hock would excel at it

[iThis Gaz hock business is getting tasty, mixed reports about what has happened, might not be quite as straight forward as people think?[/i - Eorl Crabtree

My apologies. Down to 12 men.

The good Dr seems to be defending Hock all the way. Tweets say he's spoken to the RFL and all the facts will be announced tomorrow, but I fail to see any "facts" released tomorrow would point to anything other than Hock being a complete liability.

It's because he does a few eye catching offloads and runs. As someone rightly pointed out before people confuse a few flash plays with overall effectiveness.

[iAwful night with the England RL situation. And as I believe it's more than gaz hock. And if it is then everyone must be given same treatment[/i - Bobbie Goulding

For those who says RL is not big news in the South: www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/sport/n ... -1-5612552 Even the hotbed of Dunstable has the story already!

For those who says RL is not big news in the South: www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/sport/n ... -1-5612552 Even the hotbed of Dunstable has the story already!

If that's the case and, as suspected, he's been scapegoated the management need dismissing even at this late stage otherwise the whole thing could run and get worse. If true the management / coach will already have lost any respect the had from the players.

What an absolute sham.

This could get horrible. Gale force wind, lashing rain and a shambolic England on the opening day. Once in a generation opportunity to be laughed at by 60 million Brits.