has been named in the England elite squad.

I think that is a questionable decision, his form is improving, but not to international level yet.
That said it is the most random selection of players ever announced!

It is, will be interesting to see who else is added to the squad throughout the season

A fullback might be nice!

Initial England elite training squad: Ryan Atkins (Wakefield), Tom Briscoe (Hull), Sam Burgess (Bradford), Rob Burrow (Leeds), Maurie Fa'asavalu (St Helens), James Graham (St Helens), Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Danny McGuire (Leeds), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Richard Myler (Salford), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan), Jamie Peacock (Leeds), James Roby (St Helens), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Joe Westerman (Castleford), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Jon Wilkin (St Helens) www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 15,00.html

Initial England elite training squad: Ryan Atkins (Wakefield), Tom Briscoe (Hull), Sam Burgess (Bradford), Rob Burrow (Leeds), Maurie Fa'asavalu (St Helens), James Graham (St Helens), Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Danny McGuire (Leeds), Adrian Morley (Warrington), Richard Myler (Salford), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan), Jamie Peacock (Leeds), James Roby (St Helens), Michael Shenton (Castleford), Joe Westerman (Castleford), Ben Westwood (Warrington), Jon Wilkin (St Helens) www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 15,00.html

I can never understand why McCarthy-Scarsbrook gets picked. Granted, i've not seen a great deal of him, but when i have he's never done anything worth noting. IMO, the only reason he gets picked is because hes from London and come through there system.

Maurie has been our best prop this season IMO, especially recently. The big omission for me is Paul Clough. If they are picking a young squad then he has to be in there.

Quote ="Ashy"Maurie has been our best prop this season IMO, especially recently. The big omission for me is Paul Clough. If they are picking a young squad then he has to be in there.'" Your joking obviously???? i really hope so, but just incase you arn't cough, Graham ,cough www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 there really is no comparison

Quote ="Ashy"Maurie has been our best prop this season IMO, especially recently. The big omission for me is Paul Clough. If they are picking a young squad then he has to be in there.'" Your joking obviously???? i really hope so, but just incase you arn't cough, Graham ,cough www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 there really is no comparison

Quote ="Saint Simon"Your joking obviously???? i really hope so, but just incase you arn't cough, Graham ,cough www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 there really is no comparison'" Your comparing stats of a player who plays nearly 80 mins with a player who plays less than 40 so they mean nothing. Graham has looked very tired and hasn't been as effective for a few weeks now. Maurie has had a big impact every time he has come off the bench recently. If you look at the stats that matter you will see that Maurie is making over 8 metres per carry and Graham just over 7.

Quote ="Saint Simon"Your joking obviously???? i really hope so, but just incase you arn't cough, Graham ,cough www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2009 there really is no comparison'" Your comparing stats of a player who plays nearly 80 mins with a player who plays less than 40 so they mean nothing. Graham has looked very tired and hasn't been as effective for a few weeks now. Maurie has had a big impact every time he has come off the bench recently. If you look at the stats that matter you will see that Maurie is making over 8 metres per carry and Graham just over 7.

ok, you're not joking, which is a concern
how can they mean nothing, if Maurie can't do as many minutes as Graham at the moment surely it shows he isn't as fit?
A 40 min prop should do more mtrs per carry than an 80 min one, but he does around the same.

Maurie is a form player.

Seemingly unstoppbale when on from
Dire when off form, been off form IMO for a while now.

LMS is a great go forward prop, quick and has good hands, well worth a place in the EES.

Rubbish!

Maurie has been very, very good for us this season. He has made an impact and has worked harder than ever given the weak squad we've got.

He's done well, name a better BRITISH (For all the many jingoists on RLFANS) impact prop?

Luke Burgess?

I agree, I think Maurie, whilst not hitting the heights of 2006, is improving again.

That says it all then.

And before you run off to the SL and BAMBOOZLE me with your stats il list them here.

Maurie: 960 metres, 118 carries, 166 tackles, 10 offloads, 39 tackle busts, 8 errors.
Burgess: 922 metres, 130 carries, 187 tackles, 14 offloads, 14 tackle busts, 6 errors.

That a good enough impact prop?

I'm gutted for Cloughie. He's been a real stand out for us this season. Big mistake in not picking him, imo.

He could still be added though, this is only an initial training squad

He'll be in by the final squad

Hock's not in either, which raises an eyebrow. I would've though TS would've liked to have seen Clough at training though, since he's never worked with him before.

I think Maurie's worth a spot. His form has been pretty good, and the odd bang on the head seems to be doing him good. He does bring a slightly different approach than any other british prop available and it would be tempting to take him for a bench spot.

Is there only one hooker there? Will it be Myler on the bench and Burrow as interchange hooker?

So Maurie makes more metres off less carries and a lot more tackle busts. Well done for proving Saddened right!!!


Well obviously an impact prop isn't as fit as a starting prop but what has Grahams superior fitness got to do with current form? And Maurie does make more metres per carry so whats your point?

You said Burgess was a better impact player, but the stats are in Mauries favour. Imconfused :S

No full back either

No Leon Pryce in there either. Very much an initial squad by the looks.

I'm confused as to the point of this announcement, tbh. Is it basically TS saying "I like these guys"?

I'm also confused by the argument between Saddened and Ande, if they are arguing, that is...