can sort of see your logic but enthusiasm doesnt mean you are international class

The only way to prove international class is to be given an international game however I do think there are better players out there in the SL that should be in before him but on performances so far this season Fox and Brisk will be or should be nowhere near.

Morley
Atkins
Bridge
Riley
Westwood
Harrison

Could all be in contention to miss out for us

I think that there may be an unwritten agreement between the RFL and the clubs that only a couple of players from any one club will be selected.

I think Briscoe, Tickle and Tansey are all a chance at Hull TBH.

If Tansey gets to pull on that England shirt I will be shocked. The lad cant catch any kind of a kick, he makes plenty of poor reads, being played out of position at full back is the reason for this but if you was to play him in his natural half back role he would be a very average player not fit to lace Pryce's boots. There are at least 5 better English full backs than Tansey and at least three of them are fit and in form.

With Ellis and Burgess missing along with Wilkin I could actually see Tickle getting a hit out there. Our front row should be our biggest strength however our back row for this mid season test might be a tad weaker than it will be at the end of the year.

Westerman and O'Loughlin should contest the 13 shirt with Sean taking that spot IMO. Westwood is an option for one second row spot leaving the oposite side open to numerous players applications.

I agree with most your points particularly about the back row but I would be interested to know which 5 English full backs you rate higher then Tansey this season.

Halley.
Cudjoe.
Jones-Bishop.
Briscoe.
Wellens.
Pryce.
Whiting.

Halley who was dropped for Kearney when Orford was fit?


Cudjoe the right winger who stands in for Hodgson?


Jones Bishop who's injury coincided with a Quins return to form? (TBF he is one for the future

)
Briscoe poor form this year bud.
Wellens not much better then Briscoe.
Pryce, who is this full back called Pryce that you speak of?


Whiting - could play prop and get MOM. Super Leagues most versatile player of quality.



I know Tansey wears the black and white but he is a chance cos Barrie McDermott just said so on Boots an all.

Tansey will never play full back in international rugby.

He may well get a squad place against France though.

squad place i could agree with as a versatile player with good ball in hand

Only 3 of them actually play FB oh dear.

If Briscoe can pull on an international jersey while being so limited in attack Tansey has evey chance.

You dont play a striker in goal so unless your good under a high ball and one on one tackles you cant have a player like Tansey at full back. If Ferriol was to run at him I'd expect nothing less than for Jordan to move out the way and allow him to score. Attack I cannot criticise but he's hardly Webb now is he!

Wellens is having a pretty good year
Mathers is better than Tansey
Briscoe IS better than Tansey and although a dip in form wouldnt play JT in front of him.
Murphy deserves a shot.

Then players that are not playing there at club level but are better than Tansey there - Lee Smith, Michael Platt, Kyle Eastmond, Leon Pryce.

We also have that lad at Melbourne who should be in the squad at the end of the year even if its just for experience.

These are all better than Jordan Tansey as full backs. I would also argue that I'd sooner see Ben Cockayne line up at full back than Tansey if it were a choice between the two.

I like Tansey as a half back but he's nothing more than a back up player at a top level. He can be an exciting try scorer but he can also be a liability in defence.

For our National team we need security at the back. If we are playing Macguire and Burrow at halfs we have enough flair about us to not need an exciting attacking full back however neither are strong in defence against the top International teams so we would need a last line of defence we could trust we'd also need someone safe under the high ball because their kicking games are superior to ours.

Christ its the Motu Tony sitaution all over again!!

Nick ate you suggesting we fly a young lad over from Melbourne to train with a squad? The lad hasn't even played first grade yet.

And maguire and burrow at half back? Your kidding right?

I think once Hodgeson moves to wire Cudjoe will be given the 1 shirt at hudds, he will become a very good full back.
Smith will be getting a couple of games at FB for Leeds in the absence of Webb, I'd personally give hime the england spot. Good under the ball, decent defence and very good attack.
A fair few Hull fans were saying Tansey wasn't a good enough full back for Hull never mind England, never international quality.

To be fair looking across the English Full backs we are woefully short of anyone who is even close to a Billy Slater

If Tansey improved his errors ( a few are basic ones) then he would have a chance at international honours, think this shows the lack of good FB's about at the moment.

Tansey with ball in hand is excellent, still think he would make a great 6.

Been impressed with Mathers this season, seems to have stepped up since they signed Hodgson.

Lee Smith could get a shot, the main problem is that he doesn't paly there for his club that often, but think he is England Best option at the moment.

Not sure Fox deserves to be in the sqaud been disapointting this year, but again lack of options may see him included.

England are so poor in the backs at the moment, the worst I have have known since following RL.

I think Smith is a great option for a touring squad, because he can play fullback, wing or centre. If everybody is fit, I can think of 2 or 3 better for each of those spots.

I would prefer to see Briscoe & Fox miss out and play for Rovers at Warrington. With the game being switched from the Sunday that removed any chance of backing up and playing both games (as Fox did in 200icon_cool.gif.

I still have nightmares about how poor we were against Quins last year when they both went off to play France. It didn't help that Cockayne & Colbon both missed that game as well.

Interested to know who do you think is better at FB and wing? Centre I would agree.

FB - Wellens, S. Briscoe, maybe Murphy or a fit Owen as one for the future.
Wing - Hall, Fox, T. Briscoe, maybe D. Hodgson or a even a fit Calderwood.

Smith doesn't exactly look out of place in an England shirt. But if he was at a different club, I think he'd be lower down the international pecking order. More valuable at club level, over the course a long season, because of his versatility, IMO. Ignoring availability for England, at Leeds Webb is a better fullback, Delaney and Senior are better centres and Hall is a better wing.

On current form I would have Mathers ahead of Murphy and obviously Owen(due to injury)in your list.
Cudjoe and Riley would also be in front of Calderwood for me in your list.

I agree our backs are poor when compared to the quality Australia have available, they are freakish at the moment. I had a chat with a friend of mine the other day, we both found it difficult to believe the amount of quality full backs they manage to produce. In the NRL, if the first choice full back is injured, in pops the young blood who look like he has been playing regular first grade all his career. No wonder they can afford to lose players to SL and union.

this is alledgedly the reason for no relegation, so youngsters can get first team experience. dont see it workin that much to me

personally i dont think either Briscoe or Fox should get a call up, Briscoe ahs been poor over the last month or so, and Fox hasnt been much better either IMHO,
on current form id have Mathers at FB and Briscoe and Hall on the wings,
hopefully Mcnamara will remember that its only a friendly and try a few younger kids,