If Leeds got knocked out by Hull or Huddersfield in the play-offs, do you think half of those players... Bailey, Ablett & BJB, would have been selected?

In fairness, I selected 6 when asked last week - Sinfield, Peacock, Burrow, Hall, JJB & Clarkson.
4 weeks ago, I selected 3 - Sinfield, Peacock & Hall
JJB and Clarkson in through injuries & Tomkins off to union. Burrow on form.

The kiwis have a ruck of injuries

A total of 12 players have been ruled out of consideration due to injury - Josh Hoffman (Brisbane), Lance Hohaia (Warriors), Sam Rapira (Warriors), Matt Duffie (Melbourne), Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters), Frank-Paul Nuuausala (Sydney Roosters), Greg Eastwood (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) and Bronson Harrison (Canberra) plus Vatuvei, Matai and Johnson. In addition, Bulldogs second rower Frank Pritchard was unavailable after committing himself to Toa Samoa and now Inu has withdrawn.

Can somebody post the squad. Blocked in work that link.

Maybe we're all being a little myopic here, about our own pllayers.
Let's face it, Atkins came up well short 12 months ago. Despite his excellent season for us this year, last year's letdown will have gone against him
Myler, not good enough yet, v Aussies/Kiwis. Maybe in a year or so's time.

As for some of the others, Ablett...RL's equivalent of Blackpool Rock, he's got 'AVERAGE' running right the way through him.
Bailey. Is this some kind of joke. The Aussies will pinpoint him, not for just being poor, but for his notorious short fuse. An accident waiting to happen.
Sinfield. His decent games of Test rugby can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Great SL player though.
McIlorum. This IS a joke, right?
Congratulations McBanana. You've now just elevated yourself to the position of Britains Top Funnyman. More jokes in an hour than TimVine, and making us laugh for more time than the duration of a Ken Dodd gig. DIRE. Last one out, turn the lights off.

At least Atkins will now have a full pre-season to prepare for next year

Ablett
Bailey
Briscoe
Carvell
Chase
Cudjoe
Ellis
Graham
Hall
Heighington
Jones-Bishop
Jones-Buchanan
Lomax
McIllorum
Morley
Peacock
Reed
Roby
Sinfield
S Tomkins
Westwood
Widdop
Wilkin
Yeaman

I guess Roby is doing the full 80 then. Using a squad place for water carrier is a bit daft.

I thought Wilkin was due to have ankle surgery?

Lefty, from a Wire point of view, only Atkins I think has been unfairly left out. IMO Myler & Harrison have not been good enough in their respective positions for a jersey this time round.

[urlhttp://www.warringtonwolves.org/8-wolves-named-in-england-squads-4748[/url

Atkins not even named in Knights squad? seems strange.

So with that I'd go;

Tomkins

Hall
Reed
Yeaman
Briscoe

Chase
Lomax

Graham
Roby
Peacock

Ellis
Westwood
Sinfield

Subs
Morley
Carvell
Heighington
Widdop

As much as i've said Atkins isn't good enough for England, he's a heck of a lot better than Carl Ablett!

I also don't understand how Ryan Bailey is in, aside from him being a complete tool, he's a very average player. I'd have had Mossop in ahead of him every time.

and where's Bridge as well?

Bridge injured.

Bridge + Burrow have both withdrawn injured I believe.

7 Leeds players? Ridiculous. Regardless of the fact they won the GF, they were the 5th best team over the course of the season.

Should have a warm up game... ETS v Knights. I think the result may end up suprising quite a few people, and embarass the banana himself.

It's a glowing reflection on the sorry state of international rugby when so many players are pulling out of representing their country. I understand that clubs pay the bills for the players but clear out op can wait until after getting rep honours (if it's still thought to be an honour)

For what it's worth, I'd probably go with

Tomkins
Briscoe
Reed
Yeaman
Hall
Chase
Widdop
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Westwood
Ellis
Heighington

Sinfield
Carvell
Morley
Wilkin

Ben Jones Bishop? Sweet Jesus, surely Mac is pulling our todger with that one! Although I doubt he'd get the nod over Hall and Briscoe.

McLlorum? I'm not even going to bother with that inclusion because quite frankly, its bizarre!

Is Burrow injured? He has been sensational since Wembley and surely must be in the squad? He's the type of player who could score world class tries against the Kiwi's and Oz.

Leroy Cudjoe

! Seriously? Against the best two Nation's in the world?

Finally, and the inclusion which makes my pi55itch the most, Rangi Chase? Granted he's a sublime Rugby League player and deserved MOS. There's just one slight problem .......

Rangi - 'I didn't have to think too hard about it. I came over here knowing that I'll [inever get picked for New Zealand[/i. So that dream had gone

Steve Mac - 'Yeah no problem. You're in!'

From that squad this is the team that I think McNabanana will pick:

FB - Gareth Carvell
LW - Adrian Morley
LC - Ryan Bailey
RC - Kevin Sinfield
RW - Gareth Ellis
SO - Jamie Peacock (C)
SH - James Graham
P - Sam Tomkins
H - Kirk Yeaman
P - Ben Jones-Bishop
SR - Tom Briscoe
SR - James Roby
LF - Ryan Hall

Nobody can question McNabanana's decisions!!! Have you not seen his coaching pedigree?

As Side Burns but swap the wingers round. Keep Briscoe and Yeaman together on the left edge. Sinfield to be utilised as replacement hooker thanks to Banana's stupid selection process.

Haha, i think Carvell would be a good FB!

Here's the best thing i can find written about Steve MacNamara's coaching career so far;
"His coaching career while at Bradford contains several unwanted records, such as being the first Bradford coach in Super League to fail to guide his team to the end of season play-offs and being in charge for the worst losing streak the club has seen in 20 years."
He was then selected to be England RL head coach by the RFL.

HAHAHAHAHAHA mclorrum, bailey, abblett? was mcnamara on crack whilst choosing this team???

What I want to know is, who was McBanana's oppostion when the RFL were interviewing for the England job

Jedward
IgglePiggle
Susan Boyle
Steve Anderson (didn't reach the interview stage)
Dr Conrad Murray
"Pop-tastic" Pede Pinnington (knows just as much about RL as McBanana, if today is anything to go by)
Wayne Sleep
Dame Barbara Cartland

squad NEEDS bridge and atkins in it.
Might not have got to final but we topped the league, points for/against quite significantly!

I'll bet Danny Brough feels a bit annoyed at the minute. He jumped ship and all that, then doesn't even make the squad.

I guess Chase buggered him up.

From George Riley on twitter