Unless they bottle it like they did in last year's CC final. That was an unaccountably limp-wristed performance from a team I had down as favourites.

Still, they may have learned from that, as we learned from our poor Wembley showing in 1984.

Indeed and I hope we have learned from our poor semi final showings of the last few years.

I think a key advantage we have over Huddersfield is the strength in depth we seem to have all of a sudden. If Madge carries on Dropping/resting/rotating players the youngsters coming in will be able to get some experience under their belts meaning they won't be targeted as weak links if called upon for big games later on in the season. I don't think that we have any players who would leave us totally struggling if they got injured whereas Hudds losing Kevin Brown last year for example left their attacking play in a mess at times.

I know this goes without saying, but just ignore "Bradford's top lad"

Sean O'Loughlin & Sam Tomkins world class















And yes, I do know the latter easily has the potential to become that

I don't know about world class, but Sean O'loughlin is probably the best player in our side and if he can keep can himself fit for the full season I think he will earn a place in the dream team and could be a possible nomination for Man of Steel.

Stick my neck on the line time, but bookmark and come back to it later in the season.

Sam Tomkins has more International caps than Scruton and Langley put together. And he's only played 1 SL season.

That was a claim made by me based on a random system I came up with.

I said i'd class somebody in the world class bracket if they were in the top 10 in their position in the world. Sean O'Loughlin walks a place in the top 10 loose forwards in world rugby league.

I also went on to point out that in real terms theres no way of judging who is or isn't world class because it's based simply on matters of opinion.

Do you not remember him ripping it up against the Kiwis not so long back? He's an even better player now.

According to some there are only about 3 or 4 world class players in the world at any given time.

[urlhttp://www.englandrl.co.uk/international_stats.php?EnSearch=Scruton&GBSearch=Scruton&submit_x=4&submit_y=7&submit.x=11&submit.y=13[/url
[urlhttp://www.englandrl.co.uk/international_stats.php?EnSearch=langley&GBSearch=Scruton&submit_x=11&submit_y=13[/url
[urlhttp://www.englandrl.co.uk/international_stats.php?EnSearch=tomkins&GBSearch=Scruton&submit_x=11&submit_y=13[/url


Wrong.

To me a player is world class if he's the best in the world at his position, or at least would get into any 17 in the world. Otherwise he's just international class. Wigan have no world class players, indeed the super league as a whole only has Peacock and Morley who I would call world class. Most world class players are plying their trade in the toughest RL competition in the world, the NRL.

I totally agree with that, Burgess would have been in last year aswell, but imo, truly world class are players like Slater, Inglis, Watmough, Folau, Smith who just make you sit back and go "wow"

Morley no longer counts as world class in that position imo, and Peacock's performance in the 4 nations was borderline to. Off recent form, Sam Burgess is right up there.

Aye I would have included Burgess if he was still here.

So by your logic Grimmy a player could potentially be the second or third best scrum half ever and not be world class?

He said or at least get into any 17 in the world.

Not second, you'd get a spot on the bench, but yes potentially third, but how likely is it that the three best ever scrum halves would all be at their peak at the same time? The term "world class" is banded about way too liberally IMO, we have some very good players at the moment, some of them are the best in their country in their position, but none of them would get in a world 17.

All fair enough imo.

Going off your way of judging world class i'd say England have 4(Graham, Peacock, Ellis and Burgess) which again is about right imo.

He did you're right, missed that bit



I think a lot of players are overlooked because of who they play for rather than how good they are. Some players are immensely talented but the rest of the team let them down. A player can only be creative if the rest of the players are able to read their creativity. I may get shot down in flames for this but I think for example if Brough played for Leeds or Saints he would have been selected for England on a regular basis. Due to strength across the board individual Aussie players have a far greater chance to shine but at the same time have far more competition for their places, swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Brough would have walked a place in the England side for last years four nations if he'd been at one of the big clubs.

He should be selected at 7 for the mid season French test imo.

Agree, I'm surprised he's not been snapped up by Warrington with their seemingly endless funds.

why would they want Brough when they have the world class Richie Myler and Galactic class Lee Briers?

my thoughts are that if we dont win we arnt as good as we think

Agree completely.

Going by that only Burgess and Graham deserve consideration amongst British players IMO.

no matter if we are as good as we think we are.... we have improved on last year IMO