England have named their team for tomorrow's game against the NZ Maori.... G Widdop (Melbourne); T Briscoe (Hull), M Shenton (Castleford), R Atkins (Warrington), R Hall (Leeds); K Brown (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan); A Morley (Warrington, capt), J Roby (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Burgess (South Sydney), S O'Loughlin (Wigan). Subs: L Robinson (Huddersfield), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington), B Harrison (Warrington), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield). news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 096373.stm

England have named their team for tomorrow's game against the NZ Maori.... G Widdop (Melbourne); T Briscoe (Hull), M Shenton (Castleford), R Atkins (Warrington), R Hall (Leeds); K Brown (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan); A Morley (Warrington, capt), J Roby (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Burgess (South Sydney), S O'Loughlin (Wigan). Subs: L Robinson (Huddersfield), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington), B Harrison (Warrington), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield). news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 096373.stm

Looks pretty strong to me.

I agree - looks like the first choice backline from the squad we have taken (I think it is better than a lot of people say)

I read that Fielden is being given time as he arrived in New Zealand late but there is no Graham in the squad for the Maori game - is this just recovery time from a hard season or is there a worry over him?

Good pack though and decent strength on the bench

Id say they are just giving Graham a rest. No need to play him in this game IMO.

Yes Graham is rested

I worry about Kevin Brown and Darrel Griffin. I dont think they're International standard but we will see, i'll be giving them all my support. I hope they do well.

Brown is the best and most underrated stand of England have. He might not wear bright yellow boots, but he is a superb distributer of the ball, and one of the top try makers out there.

You're a Huddersfield fan, i fully expect a reply like that.

I like Brown, he looks a decent player in a very good Huddersfield team. Does he look International class ? I personally dont think so but we will soon find out. I hope so.

Looks good to me.

No point playing Graham - we know he can hack it against the best and will be better off with the rest.

Question marks hang over Griffin, so McNamara has given him a chance to show his worth against a very good pack

The result doens't bother me tomorrow morning - the main thing is getting the 1,6,7,9 combo working.

The first 20 min of the second half are all important. The first half will be a bit of a write off as the players will be getting used to playing with one another and each others styles, then they should get in at half time, talk through where things are going right/wrong, and then 20 mins after the half to put them into practice. I expect England to drop off in the last 20 as they get tired.

Looking forward to it

I'm not a Huddersfield fan but I agree with Code13. Brown is there on merit. Good player.

I like Kevin Brown he is a good SL player but let's be honest he is not going to worry the Aussies.

McNamara's actually using Brown for comedy value, hoping that the opposition spend so long trying to figure out how he doesn't fall over with his head so far away from his body, that they won't notice Tomkins getting a hattrick.

Nice one I hope this comes to fruition.

DancingDodo, that's an absolute classic.

It's a decent team. I'd not even noticed Griffin had got in. Did he pay his own airfair or something? Where are Lynch and Scrutton?

You can't be serious?

Can you

Does anyone know how strong this Moari side is?

He must have had an injury or something. He's been an absolute rock for Bradford when ever I've seen him, even when he's playing on one leg.

Especially when he seems to be one of McNamara's favourites. Wasn't he captain for that cumbria game? He's definately be there if fit for me, Morley + Graham starting with Fielden and Lynch off the bench.

Some one postedthis on the international board

Didn't he play against Cumbria? Infact wasn't he captain?

Madness, then.

Strangely madness and McNamara seem to go hand in hand nowadays.

Especially with Peacock not going, I can't belive he's missed out.
Perhaps he's said he didn't want to go for some personal reason?

Can I ask you as a giants fan, were you suprised at Griffin's inclusion? I personally would have though Mason would have been picked first?

Peacock is on crutches.

I was =#FF0000surprised there was more than one Giant there.

Griffin has been immense this season and deserves a call up.