The irony of Morley's selection is that Peacock's current excellent form is making Morley look decidedly ordinary and I don't think I would be picking Peacock, even if he made himself available.

What actually happens on this weekend when the squad meets up then? Will all of these players be absent from their respective clubs' games that weekend?

Aside from the fact that I disagree and would say he is average at best, I doubt he will be in the matchday 17 anyway. If we want a good kicking game we play Brough, it is as simple as that.

Wilkin has been one of Saints better players this year so far, and from bits that I have seen of other clubs I think he deserves his place.

If the squad is on form, how can Carl Ablett (who hasnt looked anything special on the games I have seen, and spent last Friday evening in the back pocket of an 18 year old academy centre making his 1st team debut) in there?

Ablett has been outstanding so far this season up until the Saints game, including the WCC.

Personally, I'm surprised Matty Smith, Danny Brough and Jermaine McGilvery haven't been included.

all i can say is congratulations to australia


seriously,looking at those players just proves how really very average we are,despite some of those players being seen as great players in the british game.

Cockayne aside, that is one of the best England squads I've seen in many a long year. A pity Daz Clark didn't get the nod though, he has been outstanding so far this year. If he played at one of the top clubs the Sky Sports boys would be having to take cold showers after watching him.

Why Cockayne? So far he's been better than the likes of Charnley and Briscoe, stats speaks for themselves

Really? One of the best squads for years? If you compare it to the probable squads of Australia, NZ and possibly even the likes of Samoa it doesnt look that great to me, think best we can hope for is another semi final (although hope I am wrong).

As for Clark, good young player and has a lot of potential but at the moment Roby, Burrow, Houghton & McIlorum all in front of him for #9 shirt

Cockayne is there on form. Don't see why he is singled out.

I haven't ever liked Ablett especially in the centre but he was very dangerous against melbourne so hard to say he shouldn't be in.

The thing about the squad is that it show that the average player in the league is better than they used to be so the squad as a whole is much better.
It does look a bit light on star quality but the aussie based players will help a little with that.

Are we going to beat Austalia? Well even when we were at our best and did beat them we didn't fancy ourselves.
But Leeds have recently shown that we can mix it with them. I think it is more about getting the right blend of players and right game plan as much as the individual players.

Eg.
Are JJB and Ablett the best in their position? No.
Are they as good as the Farrell and Sculthorpe's of yester year? No
Do they perform in big games and manage to outplay better opposition? Surprisingly they do.

I knew I had a reason for coming on the V.T

.


Let the old guard have their last hurrah, hopefully in four years time we should have assembled a core squad who play in the NRL, with a smattering of “top” S.L players – the end could then be nigh

I've often thought that Ablett is just as capable a centre as he is a second row. He was outstanding in the WCC, he has put in excellent performances in Grand Finals in recent years and he's a very solid centre.

He's not as explosive as the likes of Watkins or Atkins, but I find it very hard to fault Ablett when I see him play at centre or second row.

and lunt i'd say? been our standout player for me so far.

on the clark thing,yes he is a good prospect and i have been impressed when i have seen him,but wasn't adam milner in the same boat a couple of years ago? whats happened with him?

All you people who are turning your nose up at Cockayne need to get your heads out of your anus' and look at the form books

Quote ="wakey_saint"Really? One of the best squads for years? '" One of the best England squads. Particularly in the outside backs and particularly with the depth available. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Rugby ... Cup_squads en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Rugby ... Cup_squads As for Cockayne, I've singled him out because I really don't think he will play in the World Cup. He's in form now, he has been in the past, he will drop off again and won't feature come the end of the year (no doubt he will now prove me wrong.). As for Clark, if the squad is picked on form, or stats then he should be in there. Although I wouldn't pick him on match day above Roby. www.superleague.co.uk/player/279 Burrow www.superleague.co.uk/player/10953 Clark www.superleague.co.uk/player/1983 Roby www.superleague.co.uk/player/2385 McIllorum

Quote ="wakey_saint"Really? One of the best squads for years? '" One of the best England squads. Particularly in the outside backs and particularly with the depth available. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Rugby ... Cup_squads en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Rugby ... Cup_squads As for Cockayne, I've singled him out because I really don't think he will play in the World Cup. He's in form now, he has been in the past, he will drop off again and won't feature come the end of the year (no doubt he will now prove me wrong.). As for Clark, if the squad is picked on form, or stats then he should be in there. Although I wouldn't pick him on match day above Roby. www.superleague.co.uk/player/279 Burrow www.superleague.co.uk/player/10953 Clark www.superleague.co.uk/player/1983 Roby www.superleague.co.uk/player/2385 McIllorum

Quote ="rhintintin"One of the best England squads. Particularly in the outside backs and particularly with the depth available. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Rugby ... Cup_squads en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Rugby ... Cup_squads As for Cockayne, I've singled him out because I really don't think he will play in the World Cup. He's in form now, he has been in the past, he will drop off again and won't feature come the end of the year (no doubt he will now prove me wrong.). As for Clark, if the squad is picked on form, or stats then he should be in there. Although I wouldn't pick him on match day above Roby. www.superleague.co.uk/player/279 Burrow www.superleague.co.uk/player/10953 Clark www.superleague.co.uk/player/1983 Roby www.superleague.co.uk/player/2385 McIllorum'" I give you Shaun Lunt who compares very favourably with any of those you have mentioned and can score tries as well. www.superleague.co.uk/player/10166

Quote ="rhintintin"One of the best England squads. Particularly in the outside backs and particularly with the depth available. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Rugby ... Cup_squads en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Rugby ... Cup_squads As for Cockayne, I've singled him out because I really don't think he will play in the World Cup. He's in form now, he has been in the past, he will drop off again and won't feature come the end of the year (no doubt he will now prove me wrong.). As for Clark, if the squad is picked on form, or stats then he should be in there. Although I wouldn't pick him on match day above Roby. www.superleague.co.uk/player/279 Burrow www.superleague.co.uk/player/10953 Clark www.superleague.co.uk/player/1983 Roby www.superleague.co.uk/player/2385 McIllorum'" I give you Shaun Lunt who compares very favourably with any of those you have mentioned and can score tries as well. www.superleague.co.uk/player/10166

out of that a 17 would be

tomkins
hall
watkins
cudjoe (to be replaced by reed)
briscoe/charnley (riley should be there in the mix aswell imho)
sinfield
myler (to be replaced by widdop)
hill (to be replaced by S burgess)
roby
morley (experience)
westwood
hock
Ellis

carvell
mossop (to be replaced by graham)
wilkin (to be replaced by G burgess)
burrow

Quote ="Durham Giant"I give you Shaun Lunt who compares very favourably with any of those you have mentioned and can score tries as well. www.superleague.co.uk/player/10166'" I'd say Hodgson and Houghton are pretty well up there as well tbh

Quote ="Durham Giant"I give you Shaun Lunt who compares very favourably with any of those you have mentioned and can score tries as well. www.superleague.co.uk/player/10166'" I'd say Hodgson and Houghton are pretty well up there as well tbh

maybe as the poster who you replied too is a cas fan!



if going on form cockayne deserves a crack, apart from that mcnamara has done no different to other past england coaches in keeping faith with the same players that have failed in the past!

This. Too many old heads who have never done it on the test stage in the past. The Cockayne inclusion just seems like the Mark Calderwood fiasco all over again. He is in form, but sorry he's no test player. Don't know what Danny Brough has to do to get in the England squad.

Cockayne is rugby league's less intelligent equivalent of Joey Barton. But I do try not to let that influence my opinion of his playing ability

pot kettle black-chase!

Zing!

You mean the same Calderwood who got left out to dry and covered the other England winger (Gardner) on numerous occasions when out of position. Hardly think Calders did that bad considering how shiote we were.(World cup 200icon_cool.gif

Like I said, I try not to let it cloud my judgement of his playing ability. When Cockayne wins man of steel I might over look his indiscretions. (Owen would have been a better shout as he likes to beat up Santa.)