Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 4:40 pm  

In the same way it can have Sinfield at 9 and no Roby.

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 4:53 pm  

Dunbar wrote:

Actually no - I think that overall Brough is better than Long and now he is in a top 4 team (and he has sorted his attitude out somewhat) he is proving it

He is certainly better than Long is now, but Long at his peak? I dont even think its close.
Long led his team to everything, had some massive performances in some massive games. 3 Lance Todd trophies, he won a GF with the last kick of the game. I struggle to see what Brough has done to deserve such an accolade. He has yet to play a complete season in a top 4 side. He is 28 years old.

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 5:00 pm  

This is what i'd go with basing the selection on the elite training squad, which i thought was the point??

1.Sam Tomkins
2.Leroy Cudjoe
3.Michael Shenton
4.Chris Bridge
5.Tom Briscoe

6.Danny McGuire
7.Danny Brough

8.Adrian Morley
9.James Roby
10.Jamie Peacock

11.Ben Westwood
12.Jon Wilkin
13.Sean O'Loughlin

14.Luke Robinson
15.Joel Tomkins
16.Eorl Crabtree
17.James Graham

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 5:05 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

He is certainly better than Long is now, but Long at his peak? I dont even think its close.
Long led his team to everything, had some massive performances in some massive games. 3 Lance Todd trophies, he won a GF with the last kick of the game. I struggle to see what Brough has done to deserve such an accolade. He has yet to play a complete season in a top 4 side. He is 28 years old.

It's a fair question – as always with these types of debates, you have to consider the teams Long played in, the Saints team that won those Grand Finals was class with players of likes of Sculthorpe and Cunningham etc to compliment Long (in much the same way as I cannot work out if Sean Edwards was a great player or a good player who happened to play in team of greats)

Anyway, back to the point – comparing Long in his prime to Brough now. I think that Brough has the better kicking game (long and short) while Long was more dangerous with the ball in his hands. Brough is solid in defence whereas I felt Long was a little weaker especially earlier in his career

I guess the question is, would Brough look out of place in that great Saints team and I don’t think he would – in fact I think he would have the ability to star in it. Brough has a lot to prove over the next two or three years both with the Giants and England (whatever you think of his transition from Scotland which we won’t go into) but I think he can be a player for England to build their team around – he certainly has that world class kicking game we have been badly lacking for years

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 6:07 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

If there was a young loose forward, regularly playing SL with the potential to be as good as Sinfield then stick him in. Im not sure who he is but stick him in.

Similarly, who is this young prop with the potential to be as good as Morley but isnt getting a chance?

Farrell or Harrison could easily be as good as sinfield.

I doubt mossop will play in the exiles game ahead of morley, maybe mcarthy scarsbrook could play there or maybe one of the younger burgess'?

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 6:41 pm  

Robinson or Lunt starting on the bench?

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 7:16 pm  

Ronnie Neale wrote:

Farrell or Harrison could easily be as good as sinfield.

at doing what?.....can't ever see farrell or harrison dropping in at 6...or 9...aswell as being able to play 13..


thats why sinfield has to get the utility spot on the bench

[Durham Giant]

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 7:19 pm  

Gamer 111 wrote:

Robinson or Lunt starting on the bench?

I watch them both every week and Robinson would be the one i would pick to come off the bench. As good as Lunt is ( and he will get a lot better) Robinson offers something different particularly in attack against tired forwards.

Remember that Robinson was the stand out English player in the 4 nations last year.

Lunt plays very similarly to Roby and would do a great job but Robinson offers something different at the minute.

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 7:29 pm  

my 17

1. s.tomkins
2. hall
3. j.tomkins
4. shenton
5. briscoe
6. brown
7. brough
8. peacock
9. roby
10 graham
11. larne patrick
12. ben harrison
13. o'loughlin

14. sinfield
15. crabtree
16. morley
17. westwood

Re: England team to take on the Exiles? : Wed May 18, 2011 7:47 pm  

Lazlo Panaflex wrote: Well, apart from the fact he's made yes yards, less carries, less offload, less tackle busts and averages less meteres per carry than Morley he's almost as good in attack, yes. And let's compare that to Lynch: http://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2011 Yep, I stand by judgement.

Lazlo Panaflex wrote: Well, apart from the fact he's made yes yards, less carries, less offload, less tackle busts and averages less meteres per carry than Morley he's almost as good in attack, yes. And let's compare that to Lynch: http://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2011 Yep, I stand by judgement.