Back on topic on what i have seen of Widdop he looks a bit sharper than what we already have at fullback in SL. Briscoe is not dangerous enough going forward and Smith has not played regularly at 1 now for some time. If he does want to play for England he has a chance at the end of the year i think.

Widdop plays 6 too? It would be a bonus for England to have a player like him that plays 1-6 at the highest level in their ranks. IMO it would be daft for him to want to play for Oz. It is ambitious for him to want to play for Australia yes, but he could walk into England team now i think.

It was in a Australian newspaper today that England have requested Widdop to be released for the French game.

This can only be good news if true. Our backline at the moment (especially 1-5) is one of the worst threequarter lines we have had for ages. Players like Atkins, Smith, Briscoe are not nearly international class. Neither were a lot of what went before since 2000. Shenton, Tomkins and Tom Briscoe could be good enough internationally in time. To have an NRL standard player walk into the england set up now would be an unexpected bonus.

I would imagine having Billy Slater's understudy on your team would be 'helpful'
Good pace - Good eye for a weakness - Can kick as well.
BTW - Storm have said they have no problem with releasing Gareth for the French test.

Play him! We all want to see him over here. It's not a pointless international. It should stand alone as a fixture and there should be more internationals.

has'nt widdop already stated he wants to play for england and not australia or origin?....i'll try and find it somewhere

?

If he's shown himself to be even half decent in the NRL environment, then (as sad as it is to say) he's probably worth a starting place already. Get him in before the Aussies turn him.

Yep, get him a cap quick!!! How good is he?

I don't particularly subscribe to that view

On the wing, Hall, Fox and T. Briscoe are three excellent athletes... we surely can't be looking back fondly to the days when we had to put Horne on the wing (good player but never a winger)

Lee Smith is is probably the best option at fullback playing in Super League but the likes of Cudjoe could develop and (on topic) Widdop looks an excellent prospect

Tomkins, Eastmond and Myler represent the most talented young half backs I can remember coming through the England ranks with the likes of Burrow, Pryce and McGuire still in their prime

Centre is the obvious problem position - Shenton will benefit from the experience last year but I wish we had seen a couple of the young centres kick on this year - Lawrence and Watkins for example (I know Watkins os out for the year but he wasn't quite living up to his potential)

All in all, not a terrible picture

As usual we have a great pack, but at least we've got options at halfback now, which we havn't had for a while. It's the threequarters that we are lacking in my opinion. I'd gve youtha chance, let them develop.

Shock Call-Up? rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... gland.html

Shock Call-Up? rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... gland.html

Quote ="ShayFax"Shock Call-Up? rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... gland.html'" Anything in British newspapers about this? If it's true two alright first grade games in the NRL and he is set for an England call up...

Quote ="ShayFax"Shock Call-Up? rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... gland.html'" Anything in British newspapers about this? If it's true two alright first grade games in the NRL and he is set for an England call up...

Did New Zealand not pick a young lad before his NRL debut to play in the ANZAC day test last year?
All the mentioned players are at least holding their own in a tough competition so must be considered.

Hes had nothing good to say about GB RL or GB in general. Id rather he got picked by the aussies so Morley and Burgess can smash him.

Where has he said bad things? Is it possible to read them?

Be silly to call him up with so little experience and a damning indictment of the state of the game in England.

wouldn't say damning more true.

The English newspapers are ran by people called Tarquil, Rupert, Crawford and Herbert. They really do not care about Rugby League. When the BBC moves to Salford we may start getting a few more RL players on the TV and that may put them into the media spotlight, and eventually the newspapers.

not really....the kid is obviously a talent..and english to boot...best to get the lad involved sooner than later so that he does'nt get tempted by the state of origin carrot...so much so i'd be tempted to start him against france...

www.garethwiddop.myphotoalbum.com

www.garethwiddop.myphotoalbum.com

yep..that'll do for me...fly him over!

I guess this must be Gareth Widdop himself, what with the name and the content.



Gareth, if it is you, please come and play for England, but please resist the urge to ever sign for Warrington or Wigan. Warrington are cheating the cap by £14m per year (Just on Matt King) and Wigan are evil and will destroy your soul as well as your career. Stick to the NRL bud.

Quote ="Saddened!"I guess this must be Gareth Widdop himself, what with the name and the content. Gareth, if it is you, please come and play for England, but please resist the urge to ever sign for Warrington or Wigan. Warrington are cheating the cap by £14m per year (Just on Matt King) and Wigan are evil and will destroy your soul as well as your career. Stick to the NRL bud.'" " Sorry to disappoint, I,m a 48 year old fat lad from Melbourne, one of the proud Storm supporters. We support our guys. This is the original video I copied to the myphoto's album, naugthy I know. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivBwXWCaU9o

Quote ="Saddened!"I guess this must be Gareth Widdop himself, what with the name and the content. Gareth, if it is you, please come and play for England, but please resist the urge to ever sign for Warrington or Wigan. Warrington are cheating the cap by £14m per year (Just on Matt King) and Wigan are evil and will destroy your soul as well as your career. Stick to the NRL bud.'" " Sorry to disappoint, I,m a 48 year old fat lad from Melbourne, one of the proud Storm supporters. We support our guys. This is the original video I copied to the myphoto's album, naugthy I know. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivBwXWCaU9o