You've got to think Bennett had 80% made his mind up after that Samoa test. Surprising not to see a couple more additions from Leeds/Hull tbh. T Burgess has had an absolute mare of a season.

I think watts is a lot better player than Taylor to be honest got a lot more to his game for me

wouldn't argue too much with you on that one

lomax at full back for england!

just no

Don't see that as a good thing as it indicates he doesn't like to get tackled and would rather not bother returning the ball

Watts is a penalty machine. To beat the Aussies you need error free Rugby and i'm afraid to say, Watts wouldn't provide that. If he sorted his discipline then I think he would be a shoe in but atm I think its the right decision.

Don't be blinkered by the 2 incorrect red cards Watts copped.

Watts has been the best prop in SL this season, his omission from the national side magnifies just how poorly run the RL is.

You'd think the Aussies had picked that squad themselves, oh hang on .............

People who are unlucky to be out:

Liam Watts
Mark Sneyd
Jamie Shaul
Brad Singleton
Greg Eden

People who are lucky to be in:

John Bateman
Chris Hill
Ben Currie
Jonny Lomax
Stefan Ratchford

One decision I can't explain except if Bennett has been eating brownies made by Zak Hardaker:

Kevin Brown

Only seen his tv games and to be fair he does seem to give a lit of daft pens away at bad times.
How shaul and sneyd never got the nod is baffling though. If hardaker was in the I'd get leaving shaul out but with him missing it's laughable. As for Brown, he's probably the worst HB in the comp . To have so many wire players in after this season is baffling. Either Bennet just really isn't bothered or the emperor is running round in the buff.

I think Ratchford is there as a utility back.

It's more a tactical thing I think as our wingers are much stronger, so more likely to get a quick PTB. They were doing it during his first stint as well so not due to his injuries. I think teams potentially liked that they could send their forwards in for a free shot on our best player on kicks so we changed to nullify that. Moot point now anyway, I've no argument with Lomax and Ratchford.

Next year could be slim pickings if Escare and Barba force Lomax and S.Tomkins out of the full back shirts, and obviously Hardaker will be banned.

Can see him playing Currie in the centres rather than Percival.

Nothing left to say that hasn't been said already I don't think. Brown??!!! he must have some pictures/videos of Betts somewhere I reckon! Gotta be honest, last week my Dad and me were having the conversation and the 3 Cas players I would have picked were Hardaker, Gale and McMeeken, so no complaints from a club bias point of view. McShane maybe unlucky, but an in form Roby wins everytime at international level at the moment for me, and McShane is too similar in style to Hodgson. Sneyd should be in for Brown in my opinion, I'd have given Shaul a shot after Hardaker had to be stood down. Heighington should be nowhere near that squad, and Currie too much of a risk for me after his injuries this year. Watts should be there without a thought in my opinion too. Even though Farrell hasn't been brilliant this year, he's proven and can do 80 if required so he's unlucky for me too. Matty Ashurst has flown under the radar aswell, been great for Wakey from what I've seen. Bennet not watching Superleague games and Betts watching the middle 8's not exactly a great base for selecting a world cup squad!

The fact Kevin Brown is anywhere near the England squad is laughable.

Wayne Bennett is a JOKE, THE SOONER WE GET RID, THE BETTER. Whilst he is coaching Brisbane Broncos, he will NEVER be able to attend any SL games, so rely's on Youtube. The RFL & Bennett deserve each other. Hope we lose to France, so we can sack the 'slanted mouth' old Aussie git.

Too many jokers from Dire for me.

How are we supposed take on the might of Australia with players who have just recently been plying their trade against the likes of London, Featherstone and Halifax? (with all due respect to these clubs)

agree, Chris Hill definitely and maybe Ratchford or Clark.

I don't quite get the balance of the squad. To go over without any cover for the wings and no specialist centre cover is baffling to me, even more so when we're taking four halfbacks plus two fullbacks who can play at Stand Off.

I'd have left out Lomax for Tomkins or Shaul, Brown for Greg Eden and Heighington/Taylor for Liam Watts (maybe both with a centre coming in also).

Stevie Ward looked in pain at points on Saturday so I presume that's why he's not in because he's finished the season very well.

Got to give Bennet some credit, he realised the darling of pie land is an over rated niggling git who gets homesick away from his mam.

I'd add Ashurst to that list.

I agree other than Greg Eden, to prone to brain farts.

I'm going to give this series a miss for the first time ever as Bennett is taking the mick - it's just going to be too embarrassing

Hang on. We are 14 pages in and no one has claimed "the England forwards are much better than the aussies" after about 15 years of this line being trotted out, only to see our forwards get mullered, have the users of rlfans finally come to their senses?

Regards

King James

No complaints about the squad. Great players have missed out but it's time to support the boys regardless if I think they've merited the shirt or not.
Let's head into the next SL with a buzz.

Get real this is a job for the boys squad picked by an absentee coach. I like a lot of people I know will be supporting Ireland a team that may not be Irish but at least appears to be picked on merit.

Have you had some of Hardakers talcolm powder...