: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:00 pm  

I concede the point.

Kirk Dixon and darryl Goulding would've walked all over Inglis and Hodges and gotten us a victory on Saturday.

Dear me.

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:12 pm  

The Clan wrote:

Wakefield had:
Sean Gleason (Irish)
Ryan Atkins (Injured)
Luke George (Centre/Wing who finished the season in better form than any other threequarter in the SL (except maybe Ryan Hall, scoringsomething like 8 tries from 6 games)
Aaron Murphy (Wing/Centre, who's not ready for internationals)

Ahhead of Smith, In no particular order I'd have picked:
Tony Clubb
Michael Lawrence
Leroy Cudjoe
Chris Bridge
Kris Welham
Kirk Yeaman
Chris Riley (wing)
Darrell Goulding

If that is based on the principle Simth is off to Union, fair enough. If it is based purely on ability then give your head a shake.

[Bullseye]

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:18 pm  

G1 wrote:

I concede the point.

Kirk Dixon and darryl Goulding would've walked all over Inglis and Hodges and gotten us a victory on Saturday.

Dear me.

[Mild Rover]

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:22 pm  

I've no problem with Smith going off to Union - he's a professional rugby player and if that is where he can get the best deal, then he is only exercising a right that Rugby League was founded to grant (I know it was more complicated than that, but humour me).

I think he is a decent and versatile back - ideal for a touring party, because he can cover 1-5, but I've never thought he looked very special. the alternatives might not have been much better on Saturday, but they could not have been much worse with hindsight. I don't want to slag him off particularly, but he should be dropped or at very least switched to the wing.

Bridge isn't much of a replacement unfortunately and T.Smith must have a really low opinion of other English centres if he was seriously considering O'Loughlin there. Eastmond would get the nod for me.

Of those not in the squad, I can of a good few I'd rather see in the centres for the New Zealand game than Smith - now

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:27 pm  

The only reason O'Loughlin played at centre in the warm up game was to try and get him 80 minutes - a number of other forwards had also either missed out on or taken little part in the playoffs and needed game time, so Todd Flanders got shifted into the centres so everyone could be accommodated.

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:34 pm  

G1 wrote:

I certainly hope so. We have Kallum Watkins at Leeds who I also have high hopes for. Maybe there's a little bit of hope for a year or two down the line but none of those players were ready for this series were they?

I would say no, I even have said before the squad was picked that Briscoe wasnt quite ready, even though he didnt do anything wrong I stad by ths, unfortunatley there was no other options on the wing.

I personally didnt think Yeaman had a bad season for Hull, he showed at times he was back to previous form and this is with no decent ball off the halfbacks. He is also very good defensivley andif he wasnt injured would have done a decent job at centre.

I acually rate Lee Smith, but he should have played at FB or on the wing.

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:40 pm  

Jason Crookes will mke an impact next season and will b selected in next years four nations squad

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:27 pm  

The Clan wrote:

Wakefield had:
Sean Gleason (Irish)
Ryan Atkins (Injured)
Luke George (Centre/Wing who finished the season in better form than any other threequarter in the SL (except maybe Ryan Hall, scoringsomething like 8 tries from 6 games)
Aaron Murphy (Wing/Centre, who's not ready for internationals)

Ahhead of Smith, In no particular order I'd have picked:
Tony Clubb
Michael Lawrence
Leroy Cudjoe
Chris Bridge
Kris Welham
Kirk Yeaman
Chris Riley (wing)
Darrell Goulding

Lawrence and Cudjoe certainly wouldnt have looked out of place in the english backs at all on Saturday, in fact I would suggest they would actually have been in the right position...rather than 15m in field leaving their winger to stop a 3 on 1.

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:29 pm  

Code13 wrote:

Lawrence and Cudjoe certainly wouldnt have looked out of place in the english backs at all on Saturday, in fact I would suggest they would actually have been in the right position...rather than 15m in field leaving their winger to stop a 3 on 1.

You mean they'd have stayed out wide to let the opposition break up the middle?

: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:30 pm  

Code13 wrote:

Lawrence and Cudjoe certainly wouldnt have looked out of place in the english backs at all on Saturday, in fact I would suggest they would actually have been in the right position...rather than 15m in field leaving their winger to stop a 3 on 1.

You probably thought the same about Scott Moore aswell.