Hodgson
Richards
Carmont
King
Monaghan
Chase
Sammut
Mason
Buderus
O'Meley
Hoffman
O'Donnell
Fitz

this is where the rfl should use common sense and ditch the millenium magic weekend, use this game as the only game of the weekend, we lose fitz and o'meley for our game that weekend against quins, then possibly tom briscoe for england too

and Quins could lose Clubb, Purdham, Howell.

Would be ideal if this was played on a free weekend but we don't have that luxury. Lets see which players can back it up and play both games.

Well it wont be blowing Willie!!!

To be honest alot of players will play the sunday too, they do in Aussie and they have here before.

i see your point about injuries but injuries to players happen all the time even non rugby related injuries its part of life and sport that players will pick up injuries and i for one hope fitz and ogre play. the exiles will be a tough oppisistion but i very much doubt we will get beat by 50-60 points even so should we stop playing the aussie as they have put 50 plus on us plenty of times. as for the french well at the moment they arnt good enough to compete with england, there first 17 is pretty good and could stay close with england but the chances are they are going to be injuries ect then they are having to play part time players that is why a secound team in super league is vital but thats another disscission. what needs to happen though is the french should play wales in a test that weekend as that would be a good competitive test and will give both teams ideal gametime going into the interantionals

gives a great oppitunity for players like lynne,kent,green ect to get some game time, nrl clubs dont complain when they lose players to stae of origin and thats 3 games

Generally people don't like change. Eventually they'll get used to it and wonder what they were ever concerned about.

The RFL need to stick with this Exiles game. Great idea, great concept with fans choosing most of the squad, decent venue, should be a cracking occassion.

agree, the exiles game is a brilliant concept and with the fans involved now its makes it a little more intresting and like you say people will get used to it. hopefully if it is a success then we could start to look at playing it at bigger venues like elland road and really market it but its got to be a success first cant wait tbh

I have no problem with it as a concept just the timing seems wrong. It will be a good spectacle yes but would be better if it wasnt in the middle of the season IMO. Fair enough players can get injured in many ways but I will be majorly p!ssed off if we lose someone to injury mid-season for a game which essentially means little.

was shocked to see vella only got 2% of the votes to be honest!
Cracking idea, provides a much bigger test than a french match , but fireworks there will be indeed and aplenty i am sure.
guys coming to the ends of their careers wanting to prove it at the highest level just one more time and all that!!

some lash up afterwards as well

Not sure it does mean little. I could easily become our version of the state of origin going forwards, and as long as the English side is selected in future based on this as a trial game i have no problems.

I fully understand some fans view around injuries, and Prekkie has been mentioned a couple of times but that's a rare one off for me.

If that is the intention of it the it puts a different slant on it for me, but wasn't that what they tried to do with the "war of the roses" but it never really took off?

Yeah i agree,would love to see this game take off and maybe become our version of State of Origin,eventually turning it into a 3 game series.

I can see there being alot of fan interest for it aswell...certainly more than a non event that was the france game.

Yorkshire v Lancashire never really had the intensity for me. The biggest problem was that players were allowed to pull out through made up injuries and then still be in contention for the national side. It needs to become the pinacle of a players career to represent England v the Exiles and if it's badged in the right way it could become just that. Should put our players through a far better test.

Agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment but I'm not entirely convinced it will become that sort of SoO equivalent, for example the English exiles over in Oz who wont be released for the game will still be in contention for the national side unlike SoO so wont that diminish it's credibility?

Yeah thats a grey area. In Oz any player playing in the UK doesn't get picked for their national side. Would it benefit us to say that anyone playing in Oz becomes out of contention for the England side?

Full back
[iBrett Hodgson 48%[/i
Brent Webb 42%
Brett Kearney 7%

Wingers
[iJoel Monaghan 39%
Pat Richards 39%[/i
Francis Meli 16%
Amos Roberts 6%

Centres
[iMatt King 36%[/i
George Carmont 29%
[iIosia Soliola 25%[/i
David Howell 6%
Amos Roberts 4%

Stand Off
[iRangi Chase 87%[/i
Brett Finch 13%

Half Back
[iThomas Leuluai 64%[/i

Hooker
Danny Buderus 72%
[iMichael Monaghan 28%[/i

Props
[iWillie Mason 37%
Mark O'Meley 21%[/i
Kylie Leuluai 17%
Tony Puletua 16%
Ray Cashmere 4%
Jeff Lima 3%
Michael Vella 3%

Back Row
Craig Fitzgibbon 16%
Clint Newton 15%
[iLuke O'Donnell 15%[/i
Steven Menzies 13%
Ryan Hoffman 11%
David Fa'alogo 10%
[iDavid Faiumu 6%[/i
Ben Galea 6%
Glenn Morrison 5%

Loose Forward
[iCraig Fitzgibbon 32%[/i
Steven Menzies 17%

Is Richards going to be fit?

Good to see Tommy L has only 64% in what appears to be a one horse race too

richards played 20s last week and will play on fridday for wigan agaiant catalan so yes but isnt matt king out for the season?

Glad you mentioned that... dream team amended.

I think it would benefit the credibility of the Exiles game as an England call-up test, but not necessarily the national team itself. That being said it wouldn't automatically weaken it either, but traditionally the English players in Oz are a couple of our best current crop whereas the Oz players in England tend not to be; would that cease to be the case if the selection criteria was based on a SoO style Exiles game/series, keeping our best talents here? Although I would love to think so I cant see it because of the financial incentives of being good enough to play at the top level down under.

so the RFL have organised a game that will put key players at risk mid season - great idea! NOT

I assume the RFL are paying their wages, insuring them, and insuring the clubs against loss of income if a key player gets hurt?