: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:55 pm  

j_hunter_hkr wrote:

Kris Welham. Not ready for internationals yet (in my opinion) having only just finished his first full season but in a few years time he could be an option. It's safe to say Fox and Welham would have been a lot more organised on England's wing than Briscoe and Smith were!

They'd have the advantage of being working together though.

In all honesty Briscoe has done well to be just in the squad considering his age and how FC have performed as a team this season. I see Briscoe as a future centre though not a winger and it looks like he will be given that chance with him being assigned the number 3 shirt for next season.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:56 pm  

G1 wrote:

You support Wigan don't you?

What were the alternatives from your club that Tony Smith could've called upon to play centre for England in this tournament? Why did those alternatives (if there were any) not perform better during the domestic season to give us all a hint at how much better they would've been at outplaying Inglis on Saturday?

Sorry, did not read it properly at all.

I know for a fact that Goulding would of done a much better job than Smith did in defence, infact Feka would of done better.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:02 pm  

Odemwingie wrote:

I know for a fact that Goulding would of done a much better job than Smith did in defence, infact Feka would of done better.

Why did they hide this trophy winning level of ability all season?

[Durham Giant]

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:02 pm  

At Huddersfield Michael Lawrence young athletic and defensively very good. Reminds me of a young Gary Connolly. Would have been far better than Smith defensively.

Alternatively Lee Gilmour Huddersfield and Saints would have been the better bet at this moment in time

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:04 pm  

All the suggestions are awful and none of them play for leeds.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:05 pm  

pmarrow wrote:

They'd have the advantage of being working together though.

In all honesty Briscoe has done well to be just in the squad considering his age and how FC have performed as a team this season. I see Briscoe as a future centre though not a winger and it looks like he will be given that chance with him being assigned the number 3 shirt for next season.

That was my point. Smith and Briscoe didn't look like they'd been speaking to each other, never mind training/playing together! I'd like to see Briscoe move to centre and Fox to the wing for the NZ game but Smith won't get dropped to let that happen.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:19 pm  

Is this the point being tried to make?:

Chris Nero
James Evans
Mark Dalle Cort
Matt Gafa
David Howell
Paul Whaturia
Jake Webster
Willie Talau
Mark Henry
Todd Byrne
Tony Martin

All "first choice" centres who offer "nothing" keeping out young British centres



So England have to pick between a full-back, half back or 2nd row for centre?

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:22 pm  

back to back to back wrote:

All the suggestions are awful and none of them play for leeds.

Nail on head!

I've no problem with trying to defend Smith, but at centre on Saturday he was found out. Can't people just accept that? He might have a stormer this week but last week he was poor.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:28 pm  

Thanks Mark.

There are two issues.

Firstly, too many clubs play non qualified players in the centres, not to mention other positions.

Secondly, the alternatives being suggested simply didn't play as good as Smith during the course of the season and if they're really the big secret to out playing Inglis then they need to up their game.

What I am trying to do is get some recognition that, in all probability, Tony Smith picked and played the best team he could and whilst you can slate player X or Player Z until the teams you support follow the lead set by Leeds and St Helens and start playing and producing young English players then nothing is going to change.

Unless of course people seriously think that if Darryl Goulding had played right centre we'd have beaten Australia.

: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:31 pm  

We were done on the fringes because they shipped the ball quickly and our middle didn't push hard enough so players like Smith, Mcguire, Briscoe were left against 5 men consistently. Any team would struggle man on man (5 on 5) against Lockyer, Watmough, Inglis, Slater and Hayne, never mind 3 on 5.

Peacock in the right centre was a major error, slow and flat footed. For all his plus points, he is not a second rower anymore.