Key word: One.

not sure if it's an indication to the selection of the dream team, but looking at the goldthorpe medal table, only 5 of the dream team are in the top 20 of that table,kevin brown at no.2(27 points) daryl clark no.4 (24),matty smith no.10(17) chris hill no.16(13) and elliot whitehead at no.20(12)

no leeds player in the top 20, sinfield is the highest placed leeds player at 24(11)
of the other players
hardaker no.12 (11)
shenton no.29(10)
o'loughlin no.30(10)
peacock no.35 (9)
watkins no.41 (9)
hall no.50 (icon_cool.gif
makinson no.99 (4)
ablett no.190 (1 point)

the goldthorpe medal is a joke, well the scoring is, and i've told sadler that over on total rl.

I've seen over the last few years since it was introduced, the wire put a hurting on teams and just because when we've played bradford, sammut has done one of his weaving runs or a kick and chase which came to nowt, he got either the one or two points out of sympathy. or cos it was flashy even though it came to nowt.

Likewise i think wire are 4th in the table over all for this, we've not got anyone in the top ten.

Quote ="Albion"Who is james Deighton? This is the team he submitted (no joke): Zak Hardaker (Leeds); Ryan Hall (Leeds), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Kallum Watkins (Leeds), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield); Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Tim Smith (Wakefield); Jamie Peacock (Leeds), Daryl Clark (Castleford), Andy Lynch (Castleford), Brett Ferres (Huddersfield), Weller Hauraki (Castleford), James Donaldson (Bradford) m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/29175604 It's no wonder this lacks credibility when you have these sorts of people choosing???'" Whoever chose that team has one hell of a Yorkshire bias.

Quote ="Albion"Who is james Deighton? This is the team he submitted (no joke): Zak Hardaker (Leeds); Ryan Hall (Leeds), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Kallum Watkins (Leeds), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield); Kevin Sinfield (Leeds), Tim Smith (Wakefield); Jamie Peacock (Leeds), Daryl Clark (Castleford), Andy Lynch (Castleford), Brett Ferres (Huddersfield), Weller Hauraki (Castleford), James Donaldson (Bradford) m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/29175604 It's no wonder this lacks credibility when you have these sorts of people choosing???'" Whoever chose that team has one hell of a Yorkshire bias.

He's made more errors because he's made nearly 200 more carries! And Monaghan's played in the centres a fair few times this year hasn't he, which would explain why he's made more tackles.

But does the dream team really mean that much anyway?!

Err....no. The only extra Cas player I've said should be in is Sneyd ahead of Brown. I said Lynch deserved a place but Hill and Peacock are always going to be ahead, so how am I biased? If that was the case, I'd have selected Huby, Millington, Lynch, Carney?

As for your comment regarding Leeds, perhaps that's because 38% of the team is made up of Leeds players and they have the most players in, most of which are contentious and shouldn't. And unless I'm mistaken Brown (as per above) and Sean O'Loughlin both don't play for Leeds do they?

Said no issue with Hardaker being in though does raise issue about consistency in choices (Walsh should be in); Hall shouldn't be in plain and simple, ditto Watkins and Ablett. Those three are the ones I'd take out (that's my opinion). Nothing to do with bias. I've provided alternatives I'd choose, feel free to disqualify them at your will.

When did the super league dream team get picked based on personality? Hardaker may be a grade 1 a r c e o l e, but he's definitely the best full back in super league.

There only contentious and shouldn't be in,in your opinion, and a few others, who are only complaining because they are Leeds players.

With my mods cap on, if you're gonna try and bypass the swear filter, at least spell the swear word correctly fella.

Kinda defeats the point other wise.

No one is complaining because they are "Leeds players."

They are complaining because they weren't the best players in their respective positions to warrant being included in the so-called "best team" of SL players, and that includes other players too.

The fact is that Leeds, who have been largely mediocre this season, have players included that tie into that tag in terms of their form; up and down but generally average. Most people are supportive of Peacock and are open on Hardaker being included.

But surely you can admit there is a case for other players? In my opinion, Leeds players have been judged on their CC form, which defies the concept. Interesting stat tonight on Backchat that Hall hadn't scored a try in 70 days before last weekend. His inclusion is odd when you think that Charnley, who has missed 11 games, has still managed to outscore him.

As I've pointed out, I certainly didn't single out just "Leeds players" as you claim. I went down each position and provided my opinion and as I've pointed out O'Loughlin, a Wigan player, shouldn't be in either. Otherwise, Walsh should be scrum half.

The Goldthorpe medal is misleading. If you have an outstanding half back in a solid team they will more often than not get the 3 points. Whereas a top team has strength across the board so the points are shared out.

If Leeds have 5 of the best 13 players in the league, why are they in 6th?

Are the other 8 of their run on team so bad?

Watkins and Peacock deserve their place
None of the others do & Escare is better than Hardacre

The Dream Team loses all credibility. Is MacNamara involved in it's selection?

6th by a few points - We are however the only team to win a trophy this season.

Also Watkins is the one Leeds player who doesn't really deserve his place. Ablett and Hardaker have been superb. Escare isn't fit to lace his boots but guess we'll see on Saturday...

Actually, Saints are the only ones to win a trophy in Super league. Not saying its a trophy worth having, but it is the trophy associated with the league. That is after all the competition this team is supposed to be based on ...

Fair point.

The dream team should be decided after the playoffs then surely?

No they can't do that because you'll get people in it based on how they played in the GF a bit like the golden boot the other year.

Knobrot! Flip it over and Leeds had no representatives in 2011 and 1 in 2012 and we were SL Champions both years. I can't recall any outcry from anyone then. It means nothing anyway. The selected players have their photo taken in a hideous kit. Whoopee!

But in those 2 years you also had mediocre regular seasons which is what the team is based on so there would be no need for any outcry

Yet Catalans and Hull both had 2 representatives in 2011 despite finishing 6th and 8th! The Giants also had no representation and they finished 4th. I'm not querying the Catalans or Hull players inclusion but League position doesn't seem to be a factor. However in 2012 the only representative outside the top 4 was Ryan Hall.

13 English players. Uncanny. Steve Mac has it so easy.

This has to be the most clueless post on this thread. The only bit you got right is that Peacock deserves his place. (Even as a Rhinos fan I have questions about Watkins inclusion)

Leeds finished 6th because they blew 2 games in preparation for the CC final, then suffered a cup hangover in the following weeks. Hardly a surprise. The Cup had always been the main target this year for a group of players who have won just about everything else on so many occasions. Had they not played in that final (during which both McGuire and Burrow picked up injuries that kept them sidelined for the next 2 games, I am confident they would have been in the top 2. Incidentally, the league table doesn't tell it all. In the games Leeds have lost this season, only two have been by a margin of more than one score.

...and finally, Escare, brilliant though he is in attack, has a long way to go before he has anything like the all-round game of Hardaker.

If saints are top of the league, why are wigan favourites for the title?

Quote ="FlexWheeler"If saints are top of the league, why are wigan favourites for the title?'" www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... broken-leg

Quote ="FlexWheeler"If saints are top of the league, why are wigan favourites for the title?'" www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... broken-leg

and?

Because League position isn't THAT important. Hopefully that will change next year.

Sometimes, yes

Not sure about Kallum this season but JP was a shoe-in
If Abbo gets in then maybe there's a case for Frogger but it appears a bit Anglocentric. Escare is a show pony and not a patch on Zak defensively.

Did it have any credibility to lose? Looking at the selections I'd say so!