a little fun topic before the World Cup, what would YOUR 17 be if you was England manager?

mine would be -

tomkins
charnley
reed
watkins
hall
widdop
myler
hill
lunt
peacock (id get him out of retirement)
westwood
G burgess
S burgess

houghton
crabtree
graham
hock

The way stuff goes down on the Virtual Terrace, and knowing McBanana, it will probably go something like:

Tomkins
Tomkins
Tomkins
Tomkins
Tomkins
Sinfield
Sinfield
Peacock
Roby
Peacock
Peacock
Peacock
Sinfield

Tomkins
Sinfield
Peacock
Roby

Tomkins
Hall
Hardaker
Cudjoe
Charnley
Sinfield
Myler
Graham
Higham
Carvell
Westwood
S burgess
Ologhlin

G burgess
Crabtree
Farrell
Rangi chase

Liked the move sinfield to hooker and myler / chase partnership they did v exiles

Hardaker
Hall
Watkins
Cudjoe
Charnley
Tomkins
Myler
Hill
Roby
Graham
Westwood
Ellis
Sinfield

i/chg -
S Burgess
G Burgess
Burrow
Ferres

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
Widdop
Myler
Graham
Roby
S Burgess
Hock
Westwood
Sinfield

Higham
G Burgess
Hill
Crabtree

I'd have O'Loughlin in IF he was fit but that looks unlikely

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
Widdop
Chase
Graham
Sinfield
Hill
Westwood
Ellis
S Burgess

Roby
Hock
Crabtree
G. Burgess

Rest of the 24; Hardaker, Goulding, Myler, Lunt, Ferres, T. Burgess, O'Loughlin,

Tomkins
Charnley
?
?
Hall
Widdop
Myler
Hill
Sinfield
G Burgess
Westwood
Hock
Ellis

S Burgess
Graham
Roby
Farrell

Our lack of international-standard centres is embarrassing. With Reed out injured I can't think of anyone who is good enough ? Watkins ? BJB ? Atkins ? Cudjoe ?..... none of these would get into an Aussie 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th squad.

Tomkins
Charnley
Cudjoe(rather not but that's how poor we are)
Watkins
Hall
Widdop
Chase
Hill
Sinfield
S Burgess
Hock
Westwood
Ellis

Higham/Lunt
Farrell
G Burgess
Graham

Reed has been ruled out and not sure if Myler or O'Loughlin will make it due to injury

Hardaker (safer under the bomb than Tomkins and just as good a broken field runner)
Charnley (knows his way to the line)
Watkins (excellent line breaker)
Cudjoe (would have prefered Reed as he seemed to be scoring a few of late in a poor Broncos team and would have kept right hand side safe. Leeroy is teh best of teh rest)
Hall (WBW)
Sinfield (Mr. Organization personified - also a very good conversion/penalty taker)
Myler (come on lots this season)
Hill (solid if a little prone to the red mist)
Houghton (doesn't seem to make mistakes and super solid in defense)
Graham (great hands and now knows how to crack an NRL line)
Westwood (solid and aggressive)
Hock (aggressive and if intersted can change a game)
Sam Burgess (Big line breaking unit who has no fear of an Ozzie)

Crabtree (makes good metres and rarely misses a tackle - only 7 all season!)
Peacock (Super leagues's top metre maker - are there two Peacock's on the field?)
Higham (Micky's played a blinder this season)
O'Loughlin (gives a lot to the team and can provide cover the the back line)

You can't leave Tomkins out. You just can't. I also would move Sam B to the second row and start O'Loughlin. Rest of your team I agree with. Front row is excellent. Peacock has retired though.

not bad:
Hardaker to miss out completley for Tomkins. Though I fully understand your logic (and hardaker Like Tomkins cant play anywhere else other than fullback)
I'm struggling to find any decent s at the minute so i'll go with your very average two
Roby In for Houghton... tough call though
I'd stick Burgess in the Second row alongside Benny drop Hock to the Bench and stick O'loughlin at 13
unfortunately I dont think Peacock is for Chaninging his mind so thats him out for George Burgess

no place for the injured widdop and Salford Superstar Rangi Chase

Tomkins

Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe (Assuming Reed is injured)
Hall

Sinfield
Chase (I'm basing this on Myler not getting the game time before the start of the WC)

Graham
Roby
Hill
Westwood
Ellis
S Burgess (Assuming O'Loughlin not fit, otherwise S Burgess to prop for Hill)

G Burgess
T Burgess
Hock
Higham/Widdop/Ratchford

I struggled with the last bench spot to be honest, I'm unsure whether to go conventional and have an out and out hooker on the bench, or bring in someone like Widdop or Ratchford who can cover positions 1 to 7 and rotate Sinfield at hooker if Roby needs the break.

Tom Burgess seems to have been making Souths 1st 17 each week since his debut - I haven't seen him play NRL so I'm basing it more on reports than my own knowledge. I could be convinced to move Crabtree in his place...

George burgess has GOT to be in the 17. I'm struggling(like everybody it seems)to find somebody to put in the centre over the average cudjoe. Can't hardaker play at centre? I'd have him all day over cudjoe. Higham should also make the bench in my opinion, but i very much doubt that he will.

Hardaker has played at centre quite a lot. I seem to remember him contributing to one of our defeats to Leeds when he played in the centre.

O'Loughlin is injured, touch and go if he'll be available.

That's surprisingly close to what I'd have. Except I'd swap Hock and Peacock for Tom Burgess and O'Loughlin (at 13, shifting Sam to prop probably). And although I rate Houghton, I don't think he offers much from the bench so would probably just about give it to Roby.

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Cudjoe
Hall
McGuire
Myler
Hill
Higham
Graham
Westwood
Burgess (Sam)
Sinfield

Burgess (George)
Burrow
Crabtree
Farrell

Its getting hard to tell there is even a world cup coming. I fear rl will once again shoot her own foot! I sense a real opportunity is gonna pass us by.
rl looks doomed to be forever in the shadow of international union.

Thats because those are actual quality players.

Some of the names that people are picking on here are absolute jokes. They will never get near the Aussies within a million years.

I would leave Tomkins out, simply becasue he's a liability under the high kick near the line. If I know this, you can be damn sure the opposition know it too.

I know Peacock has retired, I was hoping he'd see my line-up and think "I have some of that!"

I don't get people saying Hardaker at Centre. He's a full back and a decent one at that. We have better English centres in SL just hope McB thinks the same.

I can't see Widdop being back in time for the World Cup, and Rangi just goes missing in big games so he's out.

I can't see Roby being confident enough in his ankles to be putting in the type of performance that would convince a coach to pick him on current form over Houghton, after all he may only have one more game this season if HKR continue this seasons form and add to their three wins over the Stains.

Sad about Peacock, but we'll just have to live without him.

Other parts of the pack will really just have to wait until the end of season and any injuries be assessed.

Widdop not played enough, Reed is out, Heighington not good enough to displace anyone.
Peacock has retired
Roby not fit enough
O'loughlin is injured
Houghton is nothing special.

Tomkins
Charnley
Watkins
Atkins
Hall
Sinfield
Myler
Hill
Roby
Graham
Westwood
Ellis
S Burgess

Burrow
Crabtree
Hock
Widdop

It's not going to matter - the Kiwi train on squad would turn us over without the ones that are in the NRL playoffs. As for the Aussies, they could probably send squad full of NSW/Q'land cup players and turn us over.