Re: England : Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:29 am  

Saint #1 wrote:

My team would be:
1. Hardaker
2. Joe Burgess
3. Watkins
4. Reed
5. Hall
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Widdop
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Walmsley
11. Whitehead
12. Bateman
13. Cuthbertson

14. Josh Hodgson
15. George Burgess
16. Chris Hill
17. Liam Farrell

This team would excite me. Lots of strike, lots of power.

Re: England : Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:42 am  

How good is Widdop's kicking game? It'll have to be good, because in most of these teams he'd be doing it all on his own.

Re: England : Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:20 pm  

Dux wrote:

How good is Widdop's kicking game? It'll have to be good, because in most of these teams he'd be doing it all on his own.

That wouldn't concern me. Both Roby and Hodgeson have a decent boot out of dummy half. Tomkins' kicking game is good enough to be a back up to Widdop.

Re: England : Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:45 pm  

South Coast RL wrote:

:READING:


That wouldn't concern me. Both Roby and Hodgeson have a decent boot out of dummy half. Tomkins' kicking game is good enough to be a back up to Widdop.

Yeah I agree, plus Widdop has done most of the kicking for St. George this year.

Re: England : Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:07 am  

Hodgson's excellent kicking out of acting half.

Farrell is nowhere near international quality. Its one thing making yards in SL, but he was just far too small last year, even losing the ball in the collision a few times. We need backrowers who love the tough stuff. The only way you could get away with a smaller second row is an absolute workaholic who runs good lines (so avoiding head-on collisions with bigger forwards). I don't see any of our options having that kind of engine or rugby brain.

On Savelio, if he's got the potential to pick other national teams, I'd be very tempted to do a Widdopp and get him in the squad ASAP even though he's not quite ready. That was a really smart move by our often criticised coach.

Re: England : Fri Aug 14, 2015 10:58 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Hodgson's excellent kicking out of acting half.

Farrell is nowhere near international quality. Its one thing making yards in SL, but he was just far too small last year, even losing the ball in the collision a few times. We need backrowers who love the tough stuff. The only way you could get away with a smaller second row is an absolute workaholic who runs good lines (so avoiding head-on collisions with bigger forwards). I don't see any of our options having that kind of engine or rugby brain.

On Savelio, if he's got the potential to pick other national teams, I'd be very tempted to do a Widdopp and get him in the squad ASAP even though he's not quite ready. That was a really smart move by our often criticised coach.

An absolute workaholic who runs good lines is how I see Farrell to be honest.

Re: England : Fri Aug 14, 2015 11:07 pm  

if you're picking players solely on form and not just on team colours, then Jerry McGillvary would be a shoe in!

Re: England : Fri Aug 14, 2015 11:25 pm  

meast wrote:

if you're picking players solely on form and not just on team colours, then Jerry McGillvary would be a shoe in!

I can't see past Hall and Burgess if I'm honest. Back up I prefer Makinson, in part because he can cover fullback too, but McGillvary after that I'd say. He's unfortunate to have came along at a time when England finally has some decent wingers!

Re: England : Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:12 am  

Farrell was awful last year. I didn't see him run any good lines at all - generally straight at bigger forwards who knocked the ball out in the tackle too often. Its bad enough that both Burgii will drop the ball cold every now and then without having other forwards do it on regulation carries.

The sort of smaller forwards who work are Guerra/Cordner at the Roosters, Ryan Hoffman or even Greg Bird. All run really good angles making yards by running at gaps rather than defenders even under pressure. Like I say, Farrell may do that in SL but he was horrible for England last year (as was Joel Tomkins who at least had the excuse of only just having come back to RL).

Re: England : Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:14 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Farrell was awful last year. I didn't see him run any good lines at all - generally straight at bigger forwards who knocked the ball out in the tackle too often. Its bad enough that both Burgii will drop the ball cold every now and then without having other forwards do it on regulation carries.

The sort of smaller forwards who work are Guerra/Cordner at the Roosters, Ryan Hoffman or even Greg Bird. All run really good angles making yards by running at gaps rather than defenders even under pressure. Like I say, Farrell may do that in SL but he was horrible for England last year (as was Joel Tomkins who at least had the excuse of only just having come back to RL).

Fair point, but I think we don't play enough internationals for us to be able to ignore how players perform in Super League. Based on last years Four Nations, Sarginson would be very hard to leave out, but he's been awful this year for Wigan. I don't think Farrell is ever gonna win you a game but you have an idea of what you're getting - a workhorse who hits a decent unders line and tackles well. I'd only pick George Burgess out of the Burgii.