What would you say the strongest Knights team is? I think the below is a good team but would struggle to get within 25 of the full England team for me

Chris Riley
Jodie Broughton
Kris Welham
Joe Arundel
Josh Charnley
Stefan Ratchford
Richie Myler
Lee Mossop
Danny Houghton
Liam Watts
Liam Farrell
Ben Harrison
Joe Westerman

Mike Cooper
Paul Clough
Scott Moore
James Donaldson

they'll beat france though

How the hell did Ryan Atkins not make the squad?.
How did Ben Jones-Bishop get in over Josh Charnley?.
Michael McIlorum is a very limited player and nowhere near International class.

Why is Macnamara bragging that over 75% of the team is federation trained? Surely this squad has a lower percentage of 'fed trained' than any other in the past?

Doubt it mate, I rate that France team. It'll be close though, and for £3 to watch its a bargain.

Not impressed by the squad at all. Be interesting what will happen if England don't make the final again. But i'll cheer them on loud & proud.

Bailey has been the in form prop, no one can argue with that, but he doesn't have the temperment for test match IMO, but this could be Mcnamara's trick up his sleeve, Bailey might cause a brawl, and usually when England/GB have beaten the Aussies, we've come together after a brawl. We shall see.

Ablett, done very well at centre for Leeds this year, but no international class am afraid.

Mcllorum is a baffling decision. He's big standard at the very very best. Love to know what he has over Robinson & Houghton. Awful decision. Also disappointed not to see Brough & Atkins there.

I agreee with most of this post.

To me the selections smack of the same mistakes that English coaches have been making for years which is picking an INTERNATIONAL team on the basis of which players have looked good in the teams which have done well domestically.

It smacks of a safety first approach so the coach can hide behind i picked on form.

What needs to be done is to select those who are ABLE TO STEP UP TO INTERNATONAL level.

Bailey is not an international and other than winding up opponents does very little on the field.

McIlorum is not international class.

JJB is not international class.

Ablett has some versatility but is not international class at either second row or centre.

Good players have been overlooked because they have played in poor teams ie Brough and Robinson.

I hope England win but i am not confident and even worse they may do OK against weakened Aussie and NZ teams and we will learn nothing which will be a disaster for the WC.

How often have we heard on these forums though that England coaches should be picking on form? It's something that supporters of the Giants have usually commented on i.e. the team is picked on reputation and not form. I'm not suggesting you are one of those people but it does get an airing quite regularly here. With such polarising opinions the coach is on a loser to nothing with regards to selection, particularly because the best selection policy lies somewhere in-between the two.

As for TMFMISL, let him have a go at the Australians. We've got nothing to lose so let him prove to us all he is more than a trendy moniker.

I'm absolutely astounded that he's chosen Ablett over Ryan Atkins. Also McIlorum, Bailey and JJB being in the squad proves once and for all McNamara is an idiot.

If Baileys been the form prop then I've been watching different games to you also IF he was the form prop then we'd be in more desperate trouble than anyone imagined.

If he did start a brawl he'd be nowhere to be found when the fists started flying that's for sure.

Sinfield has to start otherwise we won't have anyone in the team who can kick for field position. Still would have had Brough in there, as I still think he is the best alround SH we have.

Thought Atkins has done enough to get a place in the squad, Ablett should not play in the centres, a good NRL centre will run him ragged, Yeaman is a safe option as he offer good defence, but not too much going foward thats why I would have played Atkins.

Shame Burrow has not made it, would have been great having him on the bench to cover Roby, as others have said I don't see the fuss with Mcllorum, would have had Houghton in there who is better than him in every department or Robinson.

Baileys the best form prop, not sure, where you got that. Lee Mossop has made more yards per match, made more tackles, missed less tackles, scored more tries, been penalized less and he ends up in the Knights. I am sure supporters from every club will be able to find props who are better than Bailey.
As for hookers I would have loved to see Burrow come off the bench as interchange for Roby

For me, I know Peacock is the captain, but I would have Bailey on the bench over Peacock. As people say, Bailey might be the kind of player to come on and niggle the aussies, and he is not afraid to run in hard (sometimes with knees raised)

indeed. Roby is an 80minute hooker, so McIllorum is in the squad as back up at best - but Sinfield can slot in at 9 should Roby get injured, so McIllorum is 3rd choice hooker, and highly unlikely to play.

he will be stood behind Jonny Lomax giving it is "dont hold me back" face.

I totally agree.

Regards,
Luke O'Donell, Mauri Fasavalu, Eorl Crabtree, Kevin Brown & Lee Radford

I think that was the biggest example of hiding there is!

You are missing the point with Bailey. He is in to get the Convicts distracted, to give them something to whinge to the ref about pre game - Mossop will actually play.

Would they? even if they had ever heard or rated him.
I doubt he will even register on the radar in Oz.
Australia will be more worried about containing whiz kid Tomkins.

McNamara is barking up the wrong tree if he thinks the Kiwis or Roos will be at all worried about Bailey. Strange selection for me.

Why is LMS not in either squad? Surely he's better than the Knights props?

Danny McGuire replaces Jonny Lomax who pulls out due to injury.

Danny McGuire? Are they for real?

Suddenly from looking like we have real competition for the half backs spots, I can now see why McBanana was scouring New Zealand for them.

Chase and Sinfield at 6 and 7 now perhaps?

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So a 7 pulls out, and Crapbanana drafts in a 6!

Genius

surely someone from the Knights squad should be moved up to the main squad. Richie Myler (or Matty Smith) should logically be in ahead of McGuire.