All the squads have now been announced, as follows:

AUSTRALIA:
Greg Bird (Gold Coast Titans)
Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters)
Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers)
Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters)
Ryan Hoffman (Melbourne Storm)
Ben Hunt Brisbane (Broncos)
Greg Inglis (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Michael Jennings (Sydney Roosters)
Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Josh Mansour (Penrith Panthers)
Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights)
Matt Moylan (Penrith Panthers)
Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)
Corey Parker (Brisbane Broncos)
Beau Scott (Newcastle Knights)
Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos)
Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
Dylan Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)

ENGLAND:
George Burgess (South Sydney)
Tom Burgess (South Sydney)
Joe Burgess (Wigan)
Josh Charnley (Wigan)
Daryl Clark (Castleford)
Mike Cooper (St George Illawarra)
Liam Farrell (Wigan)
Brett Ferres (Huddersfield)
James Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Ryan Hall (Leeds)
Zak Hardaker (Leeds)
Chris Hill (Warrington)
Josh Hodgson (Hull KR)
Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan, capt)
Stefan Ratchford (Warrington)
Dan Sarginson (Wigan)
Michael Shenton (Castleford)
Matty Smith (Wigan)
Joel Tomkins (Wigan)
Sam Tomkins (New Zealand Warriors)
Kallum Watkins (Leeds)
Joe Westerman (Hull)
Elliott Whitehead (Catalan Dragons)
Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra)

NEW ZEALAND:
Gerard Beale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Adam Blair (Wests Tigers)
Jesse Bromwich (Melbourne Storm)
Lewis Brown (Penrith Panthers)
Greg Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks)
Kieran Foran (Manly Sea Eagles)
Tohu Harris (Melbourne Storm)
Siliva Havili (Vodafone Warriors)
Peta Hiku (Manly Sea Eagles)
Shaun Johnson (Vodafone Warriors)
Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters)
Thomas Leuluai (Vodafone Warriors)
Issac Luke (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors)
Suaia Matagi (Vodafone Warriors)
Sam Moa (Sydney Roosters)
Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm)
Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
Martin Taupau (Wests Tigers)
Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors)
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers)
Dean Whare (Penrith Panthers)

SAMOA:
Leeson Ah Mau (St George Illawarra Dragons)
David Fa'alogo (Newcastle Knights)
Pita Godinet (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats)
Tim Lafai (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Joey Leilua (Newcastle Knights)
Isaac Liu (Sydney Roosters)
Dunamis Lui (Manly Sea Eagles)
Penani Manumalealii (Cronulla Sharks)
Mose Masoe (St Helens)
Suaia Matagi (New Zealand Warriors)
Peter Mata’utia (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Reni Maitua (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Tautau Moga (North Queensland Cowboys)
Dominique Peyroux (New Zealand Warriors)
Frank Pritchard (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Ben Roberts (Melbourne Storm)
Tim Simona (Wests Tigers)
Michael Sio (New Zealand Warriors)
Kyle Stanley (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Sauaso Sue (Wests Tigers)
Sam Tagataese (Cronulla Sharks)
Daniel Vidot (Brisbane Broncos)
Antonio Winterstein (North Queensland Cowboys)

What line up are Aus and NZ likely to pick? I'm struggling to predict the Aus team line-up!

It's the weakest squad I've seen from Australia for a few years, lots of players out, but some of the yougsters brought in are brilliant.

Now Hayne is ruled out, Aus could line up against us/NZ something like:

Inglis
Tupou
Jennings
Walker
Johnstone/Mansour
Cherry-Evans
Cronk
Parker
Smith
Woods
Thaiday
Cordner/Scott
Bird

Farah + three forwards from Klemmer/Jackson/Papalii/Hoffman/Cordner/Scott/Guerra

As it's a year of monkeys being removed from backs (Saints with the GF, Leeds with the CC, Souths with their first premiership since '71), could this finally be England's year? We've seen some weakened Australia sides over the years, but I can't remember one as depleted as this, and we now have a healthy proportion of our side doing well in the NRL. It's a great opportunity (although we can't forget NZ, of course).

There's no such thing as a weak Austrailia RL team. Most of the players in their squad would still get into the England team so only a fool would write them off, but it has a now or never feeling to it does this comp for England now.

Shame we're missing Roby and Burgess. On paper I think we have a brilliant squad. Just don't think we'll make the final with McNamara in charge unfortunately

It does look weaker on paper but don't be fooled. Any side containing the talents of Cam Smith, Inglis and Cronk is a huge threat. Our Front row options look far better, however that is reversed when looking at the respective back rows.I think we can match them in the three quarter line for once too.

We can certainly compete and if we had the services of Sam Burgess and Roby i would be confident of a win. It NZ's for the taking though imo.

We'll see. For the first time in a very long time we have a coach working week in week out in the NRL, he will have been able to do more analysis on the opposition and actually know some of the players personally. That can only be a good thing IMO.

To clarify

, I wasn't (and I don't think Dux was either) calling that squad weak by any means. But comparing it to the world cup squad with Hayne, Slater, Boyd, Thurston, Scott, Tamou, Morris etc all out - we have a huge opportunity.

Don't get me wrong - they're weakened but I'm not suggesting they're by any means weak. But I can't help thinking this is a fantastic opportunity for England. As you say, though, NZ would have to be negotiated as well.

Samoa will be no pushover for England.

If that is the team then this is the moment for England to step up. We are not going to get much of the better chance than this.

Well, it's the team I've put together from their squad



Matt Moylan has been called up to their squad to replace Hayne, but I imagine Inglis will feature at 1, against us/NZ atleast.

Moylan I really rate. I was surprised he wasn't picked in the first place.

That Aussie team is still very strong but if there is a weakness it's up front. Not sure they've got enough big props in that squad. Klemmer is a big lad but plays short periods for Canterbury. Parker can be dominated by bigger forwards. It's a lot of responsibility on Woods.

The Samoa team will be tough but they're lacking halfbacks.

NZ look very good.

GB and England have always struggled when Australia move the ball around. Sheens has no intention of trying to match either England or NZ for hard yards up the middle - he's gone for mobility which suggests they'll just try to go round the defence. Our backs aren't as impressive as Australia, even without Hayne, and I think Australia can score a shedload.

With Burgess and Roby I think England could have given NZ a hell of a game. I just can't see us scoring enough points against Australia though.

The Burgess twins will be crashing up the middle, and James Graham will be making lots of yards, giving Widdop and his halves partner plenty of time to put Watkins, Shenton, and Whitehead through gaps out wide. England will score quite a few tries against Australia. The question is whether the English defense can hold against the fleet footed Michael Jennings and others.

England's defence has not 'held' in recent memory when Australia move the ball around. Just because you can make dents up the middle doesn't mean you can score for fun either.

As ever I hope I'm wrong, but it's been a long time since I watched GB/England vs Australia and actually thought we had a chance.

The key for England is to control field position.

If the forwards can make good yards up the middle and the halves kick well, then if Australia want to go around rather than through they will have to do it from deep and risk turning the ball over near their own line. Australia are significantly weaker at half-back IMO with DCE rather than Thurston.

Too often in the past England have kicked straight down Slater's throat and given Australia breathing space away from their own line to play a more expansive game. Back them up into the shadow of their own posts, compress in the middle of the field and make them take risks to beat you.

I don't disagree with the tactic, but I do question how potent England will be, even with the big boppers making hay.

I think the big key for us is belief. I've not watched an England side play with any against the Aussies for a long time. I look at the sides on paper for this tournament and whilst guys like Inglis and Smith ensure they probably sit that bit above us the rest of their team doesn't hold it's usual fear factor. If the lads get in to them and aren't afraid to chance their arm now and again we have a chance of getting over them.

The same applies to the Kiwi game. They really aren't all that and we should be looking to win that game. There should be no fear factor about playing the Kiwis at all.

I admire you optimism but I think it is misplaced - we need to score plenty to beat either Australia or NZ because both will score plenty against us - not sure we have the quality in the backs to break either of the two sides down. We haven't got a real quality half back who can control and dictate play that is a huge issue for me.

On Samoa - if we cannot beat them there are so real questions that need answering. It is a squad of pretty average NRL players that neither Australia nor NZ wanted to claim.

Even though Australia have Thurston, Slater and Hayne not available we will still need to be at our very best to beat Australia. The likes of Moylan, Mansoor, Walker and Johnstone still have the quality and could be the future stars for them. They have a lot of young players with a point to prove.

If we cant beat a 2nd string Kangaroo squad with a 3rd string pack then the english game really is in dire trouble.

Don't get me wrong I know it's one heck of a challenge still. I just want to see us compete and really throw everything in to it. They're both top sides but not as strong as they could be and that should instill some optimisim in the players most importantly.

I just don't want to see us play like rabbits caught in headlights like we've done at times in the past.

We always will.Australia could field probably 3 different sides that could beat us.Obviously with them missing a few key names this time it means we should at the very least compete but they are still big favourites on home soil.