What a master class by Hardaker tonight. He is surely breathing down the neck of NZ Warriors star Tomkins.

Should Hardaker get the full back job ahead of Tomkins?

It is hard to justify Tomkins not being in the team somewhere.

Should Tomkins be moved into the halves with Widdop?

Good question. Being honest id be happy with either. Tomkins is more creative Hardaker better defensively. In an ideal world NZ Warriors would move Tomkins to 6 and we'd pick both. Not much chance of that happening any time soon though.

Tomkins was the best Fullback in super league for 4 years, and you must find him a place somewhere? are you on drugs? Unless tomkins starts playing 6 for the warriors he should stay at fullback. Why would you play your best player out of position?

I think Tomkins is both our best 1 and 6, but we have several good full backs and not many half backs. On that basis I would go for Hardaker at 1 and Tomkins at 6. I have previously said that actually I would like Lomax at 1 and Hardaker left centre, but his performances this season have shown he offers much more as a full
back imo.

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
?
Hall
Tomkins
Widdop

That looks good to me, we just need to unearth a top
class centre now. Fingers crossed for Percival or Crooks to kick on over the next year or two.

the challenge for hardaker is to keep up this level of consistency for the whole season. if he does he'll be hard to ignore

Jack Reed?

Yes.




Because there is a glut of talent at full back and a dearth of talent in the halves.

In any case I challenge your assertion that putting Tomkins in the halves would be playing him "out of position." It would be his second best position but one at which he is very adept.

Possibly. I can't say I've ever been blown away by him, but admittedly I've not seen a great deal of him. I thought he was fairly average when he played for England a couple of years ago, he did ok, but you need to do more than ok against the Aussies.

I think that Reed can add something with his leaping for the high kick on the 5th tackle.

BTW Hardaker is starting to look like Josh Dugan in his style.

He was Immense in that 4nations after that he piled on weight and has been over weight ever since.

I know he got some rave reviews on here during that 4 nations, but I never saw it myself. Like I said he did okay, but he was just steady, did some good things, but not a stand out for me.

What is positive for England is we can have this debate. We are starting to get competition for places and options for most positions which certainly in the backs we've not had for along time. We also have a number of clubs with quite a few exciting youngsters too. The future looks bright.

Indeed. A few years ago your fullback options were Wellens and er, that's about it. Now there's Tomkins, Hardaker, Lomax and even Shaul who would do a good job. Same goes for the wings. From Calderwood and Gardner to Hall, Briscoe, Charnley, Makinson, Lineham, McGillveray. It's exciting.

Have you watched any NRL this season? Reed has been outstanding for Brisbane.

yes i have watched every game. He is to slow and struggles with passing it to his Winger defensively he is good. If he looses half a stone i reckon he will get that speed back but for now he is a plodder with good defence.

tough choices for an England coach to make.I like it!

if you can afford to leave out players of the quality of hardaker and lomax and makinson and charnley in your back line then things are looking good.

When you have 2 talents like these two, you find a way. The obvious way is to play Tomkins at 6. Its not playing him out of position. Realistically he is a 6. Widdop and Tomkins in the halfs and Hardaker at FB? Id take that.

Cudjoe is a good all round centre and rarely lets anyone down, he hasn't reached his peak yet so i would stick with him as the other centre.

Tomkins
Briscoe
Watkins
Hardaker
Hall

Tomkins wasn't the best fullback last year. Hardaker was. Hardaker should have been England number 1.

Tomkins however, is a better player, or was, so you have to make room.

Tomkins in halfs for me, if his form warrants it.

How many years is it since Tomkins played 6?

Sorry Hardaker, you're a great backup and the strength in depth is good to have.

Less strength and more speed, but that's the exact comparison I was making in my head last night for sure.

Great to see the talent we have continue to progress. With Locke leaving the Warriors it doesn't look like Tomkins will be making the transition back to the halves just yet, so we do have a welcome dilemma.

Hardaker blew it when sent home from the England squad.

Based upon the current method of team selection Sinfield should be full back and Rob Burrow prop.

I'm in the camp of having Hardaker/Lomax at fullback with Tomkins and Widdop in the halves but it's a non debate. Sinfield is guaranteed a spot so this side won't move on in a different direction until he calls it quits.

I dunno. Ask Australia, who play Greg Inglis in the centres. (And also play fullbacks Darius Boyd and Jarryd Hayne out of position).

Hardaker is the best all-round fullback England have. Tomkins is the most dangerous attacking player. They both have to be in our strongest team, whether it's Tomkins 1, Hardaker 4 or Hardaker 1, Tomkins 6.

Given Hardaker is the better defensive fullback and unlike Tomkins will also actually return kicks, the latter is the common-sense option for me.