Why is widdop goal kicker?

The bateman ratchford centre wing combo must be the most lightweight partnership in England RL history.

That sums Bateman up that.

Totally agree.

Awful second half. Should have been 60 plus points against this lot.

We've sunk to ther level a bit. Yes player combo's changing has affected our fluency but some of the mistakes are just concentration.

Great first eight minutes

Okay rest of the first half

Absolutely terrible in the second half!

PNG will be rubbing their hands because we are simply average in our execution and fluidity.

Agreed, on this occasion I think it'd be harsh to criticise the players too much as I have some sympathy with them given how much chopping and changing throughout the game has gone on.

What's our threequarters now?

W - Percival
C - Brown/McMeeken???
C - Bateman
W - Ratchford

A centre and FB/HB on the wings and two 2nd rowers/a HB in the centres. The lineup has become a mess from the first lot of substitutions.

I think we have to conclude that we're just not capable of putting in an eighty minute performance. That is very concerning.
It's going to be tough in Port Moresby, I think we'll have enough but no one is going to be worried about playing us.

It looked like an England football friendly, throwing players in loads of different positions and making loads of changes.

First half good enough but the second half was poor. I think Bennett thinks he knows his best team but not many would agree with it.

Trouble is Brown and Gale are well known flat track bullies. They looked great here against a side that gave them space but will choke against any side with good line speed, so what to do with the threequarters is a really tough choice. I hoped williams would look good today , but he was probably our worst player. One thing for sure is that percival must play, and i would go with him and watkins in the centres with obviously hall and mcgillvary outside. I know one of them would have to take the centre position they are not used to in their club games, but better than playing can't pass, won't pass bateman there again.

As to 1, 6 and 7 that is a real problem.

On a positive note, I think we've found the right spine:

Widdop
Brown
Gale
Roby
Flanders

Should start next week.

I think you are right but feel bennett will revert to a similar line up to the Australia game, with Roby on the bench and Widdop and Gale in the halves.

Brown will be terrible and go missing against better sides, just as he is at club level. Playing well against a sub-SL level French side does not mean he will be good against Tonga/NZ/Aus

Hodgson will probably start and Lomax will be FB.

If PNG can stay in the game for 60 mins they have a real chance.

we arent playing in port moresby

we will beat png in melbourne

Yep. I don't worry about us playing PNG outside port moresby.

We're not playing in PM are we, it's Melbourne. Oh looks like others have beat me to it.

I think we are capable but ateotd this a Tournament and for us it's been about finding our best combos and pack, especially with losing Sam so early and also we've got to peak at the right time. No point blasting teams to bits and been spent when it comes to the business end.
Hopefully as the teams we play get better, we will play better & play more like we did in the 1st half with the same skill levels and intensity. Also we've obviously been working on the combo's that work best (such as starting with Roby) and fingers crossed when the time comes we put an 80 minute performance in.We do sometimes against the lesser sides have an habit of starting well then sinking to the opponents level. Plus we should get Sam back.

Watkins plays RC for Leeds and Percival LC for Saints so no problem there.

Yeah, realised as soon as I'd said it.
PNG will be a decent test, control the ball and complete to a decent level and we'll have to much.

I think so too. PNG will have their moments im sure, but they barely beat a game but average Irish team with everything stacked in their favour so the game being played in aus makes a huge difference imo.

Davies and Wilkin in the BBC studio naming their 17 for next week both had Widdop at FB and Roby starting but then had a bench of Hodgson AND Lomax. Only a two forward bench against the size of PNG just to include Lomax.....no thanks.

I'd go

Widdop
McGillvary
Watkins
Percival
Hall
Brown
Gale
Hill
Roby
Graham
S.Burgess
Currie
O'Loughlin

Hodgson/Williams
T.Burgess
Walmsley
Bateman

Not certain on Brown but he was better than Williams today who disappointed and started well with Widdop and Gale. Likewise not certain on Percival but can't keep picking Bateman at centre. Question over who you have on the bench between Hodgson and Williams. Whilst Roby can play 80 mins would it be better to give him a breather during the game, if your halves are going well then Williams becomes tricky to bring on and your going with 16 men.

Reality is though that I think Hodgson will start and Whitehead will be back in the 17 and Bateman will still be centre.

I don’t buy into this PNG can’t perform outside of Port Moresby. The PNG Hunters play in Australia every other week, they are used to traveling and playing away from home. I’m sure the locals in Melbourne will be supporting PNG, if not as passionately as the Port Moresby locals.

It will be a tough game but I expect England to win by 14 points.

One big reason why we did so well with the ball today was that we didn't have the stupid shuffle step that Hodgson does to contend with, meaning faster ball out of dummy half and hence the space out wide. Roby has to start, but probably won't.

If we play to our strengths like we did early in the game today we will beat PNG comfortably. PNG forget how to use the ball later in the game, last week against Ireland they looked poor in the second half in terms of the Rugby they played. As long as you deal with the early physicality they really don't have the ball movement to trouble good defences.