I wouldn't play McGuire at 6 even if he was the last 6 alive.

Swap Moore and Roby and I agree. I would be tempted to play Sinfield at hooker if I am honest, I think that might happen, smith did it alot with Sinfield at leeds

I know he is fast but there has to be someone better than Fox. Ever time I see him he makes basic RL mistakes.

As for Sinfield he will be broken in half if he gets on a field with the Ozzies or NZ. You will be able to smell the fear when he gets on the field.

And Sykes, laughable, truely laughable. I bet when he got the call he said 'is this a joke?'.

Think Smith will step down anyway. Sure its his last year now and not heard anything about contract extensions.

What about Bridge

we are in trouble in the backs, big time.

Tomkins, Eastmond and Myler must all be given a chance just for our future chances and I don't think they can do any worse than the others.

that's why I said "arguably"

slightly OT, looking to book some tickets for the England game a your place, how many rows are are there in the north/south stands? booking them online and its giving us row Y.

TIA

Whilst Bridge's inclusion is a bit of a shock, I must admit that all the negativity towards his abilities are a bit baffling....



Having seen Gleeson at Wire for the last 3 or so years, I can promise you all that Bridge brings as much to the table as him in the centres.

His main problem throughout his career has been the fact that he was always a bit of an enigma at stand off...Tony Smith took a gamble on him at centre, and to be honest, he looks a different player.

Not saying he is a World beater, but he defintiely isn't the dud some of you lot seem to believe.

Row Y would be about half way up. They go through the alphabet and then again ie AA, BB etc

To be honest any seat at our place is a good view but its doesn't take a genuis to know that it's far back. It starts with row B though I think so it's row 25,26 or 27 not sure how it works but it is pretty high but good seats.

Ones in bold are simply not international standard IMO and this just highlights why we will always struggle. That said at least smith has got something right dropping wasters like pryce, wellens, etc....and its looking like myler/eastmond and tomkins will get a run, though smith will no doubt pick his favourates and go for myler at half.

Have to say though I do worry somewhat....as good as myler/ tomkins/ easmond and shenton are i can see them smashed by the aussies as im not quite sure their up to that standard yet....although at least most of the liabilities have gone.

Starting 17 for me would be

Briscoe
Fox
Ellis
Smith
Hall
McGuire
Tomkins
Peacock
Roby
Graham
Wilkin
O'Loughlin
Burgess
---------------------
Carvell
Moz
Sinfield
Crabtree

Ellis is a must in the backs for me or we'll get minced and beefs us up in the backs where we're weak

Ryan Hall is the best winger we have and he is not played enough to judge if he is international standard.

Wilkin is not international standard, Gilmour should of been in for him, he has always performed at international level.

We should start with Burgess and Morley at SR IMO.

I agree with you about Ellis but will he have enough pace against Hodges and Inglis?

Haven't seen much of Bradford this year. Has Burgess been playing loose? I only ask as quite a few have him down for that position in their starting 13's.

Would it be better to have a 4 prop rotation of Morley, Peacock, Burgess and Graham or seeing all these are probably capable of long stints, using one of Morley or Peacock in the second row and having a 3 prop rotation system? Just a thought.

He has played 13 but he is not as good with ball in hand as lockers.

I would play Burgess full game pretty much at SR with Morley and Ellis rotating maybe. Keep Peacock and Graham at prop with Carvell and Morley and Crabtree doing stints at prop but keep Peacock and Graham on as much as possible.

Not a big fan of Crabtree. I'd be tempted to go with:

Peacock
Roby/Moore
Graham
Ellis
Lockers
Sinfield (for his kicking game - likelihood is we'll be in our half quite a bit so need a long kicking game)

Morley
Burgess
Carvell/Wilkin (if using Morley/Burgess as back row cover go with Carvell, Wilkin if not - I'd sway to an awesome foursome Bradfut oldskool)
Roby/Moore

Maybe your right, but has Sinfield done that much kicking for Leeds, I thought it was Maguire.

I'm not sure to be honest. I've just always noticed Sinfield's long kicking game especially in the last three GF's. Plus he's a good goalkicker which is a bonus.

I like McGuire's short kicking game and he would start at stand off for me partnering Tomkins or Myler.

Morley
Moore
Graham
Peacock
Ellis
Lockers

Burgess
Crabtree
Carvell
Roby

That would be our best pack and our most effective way of beating th'aussies. Especially considering how light they are in the front row

Good point, Sinfield is actually going to play he is the only kicker



Him and Bridge.

I was half thinking that.......we need a monster pack to have any chance IMO....if theres a way we can get Peacock, Morely, Carvell, Burgess, and Graham starting we should do it using Crabtree off the bench.

Pack of Morley, Roby, Graham
Peacock, Carvell
Burgess
and your talking for me!!

Thats the only way we'll do em.

Ellis has to be centre, he may not have the speed but at least he'll match inglis and hodges in strength etc. Stick shenton in there and he'll get steam rollered!!

The big thing that worries me is the No9 situation. Roby is just not a leader, and Moore is untested. Look at the Aussie's they have Cam Smith, we have J. Roby WTF no comparison. I still see Roby as a player coming off the bench. But would like to see Burrows on the bench as a make shift hooker.

1. Starting pack

8. Graham
9. Moore
10. Peacock
11. Ellis
12. O' Loughlin
13. Sinfield

The other problem for me is the centre's, who in the England squad is going to stop Falou, Hayne, Inglis, Hodges??? Bridge, Eastmond, Shenton, Smith. Don't fancy any of our players chance's against them. Maybe take a gamble play Ellis & Lockers in the centre's and have a pack of

2. Starting Pack

8.Graham
9. Moore
10. Morley
11. Peacock
12. Westwood/Wilkin
13. Sinfield

Don't fancy being Tony Smith and having to sort out that one.

Would expect players like Watmough to have a field day against a pack that would not be very mobile like that..we need the likes of Ellis and lockers at second row and loose to combat the speed of theres

STARTING

PEACOCK
MOORE
MORLEY
ELLIS
LOCKERS
BURGESS


Would start with peacock and morley to give that bit of "DONT MESS" if they started to target and rough up the youngters in the first 30 mins

Morley hasn't played 2nd row since he left Leeds, and no way is he athletic, or mobile enough for the back row any more. Same goes for JP. I think we need to go with a large front and try and atleast match the Aussies. We won't dominate them up front, Civoneciva, and Price maybe getting on but they are two of the best props the game has ever seen. And, no matter how many meteres Graham makes in SL he's still got a lot to prove at test level, and for some reason I just don't see him being able to be as effective at test level as he is in SL. Personnally I'd have Crabtree on the bench as he has the ability to offload which is something our pack is lacking.

We need a pacey back row, speed in the pack is just as important as in the backs IMO. Thats why Ellis has to stay in the pack.

my team would be:

Smith
Fox
Shenton
Bridge (who else? I would have had Pryce in the squad instead of Sykes)
Hall
Tomkins
McGuire
Graham
Roby
Peacock
Ellis
Burgess
Sinfield / Flanders (who plays depends on, whether Smith thinks one of McGuire or Tomkins, has a good enough kicking game, and organisational skills)

Eastmond
Morley
Crabtree
Carvell/Westwood

I have now decided.

Graham
Sinfield
Peacock
Burgess
Morley
O'Loughlin

To start with.

I mentioned something like that earlier today at work, but I went for

Graham (Yardage and work rate)
Sinfield (Leadership and organisational skills)
Morley (Big hits)
Peacock (Work rate and inspiration)
Ellis (Work rate and tackling)
Lockers (Work rate, tackiling, the best 13 in the squad)

Burgess, Carvell, Crabtree on the bench.