Phuzzy wrote:
You mention Sinfield as one who didn't make an impact at international level but he was picked out by the great Wally Lewis as one to build the England team around. More importantly he got his chance despite perceived weaknesses particularly around his build and lack of pace. Marshy has been the best winger this year. I doubt any reasonable judge would argue against that. In fact he has outscored Tom Johnstone by more than 2 tries to 1! Now I'm not arguing against Johnstone being picked; far from it. I'm just saying any team "picked on form" would include the best winger in the comp, and that's currently Marshall.
Obviously, then, it isn't a team picked on form which then becomes an entirely separate discussion.
Is anyone saying the form team has been picked officially? I appreciate that’s the title of the article but a coach has to select a team he thinks is going to have the best chance of winning and for whatever reason Bennett and Wane have not picked him.
A coach always picks on style and coaches always have players they like and don’t. No coach will know more about Marshall than Wane and again I think it simply comes down to raw athleticism.
I’d also say and this can only ever be speculation would TJ, Handley or Ashton have the same number of tries, less or more were they playing for Wigan over their respective teams. It’s all speculation and ultimately what a coach at international level lives or dies by.
I genuinely hope Marshall gets a cap at some point, I think he deserves it, but like the current coaches I’m less confident with him on the wing vs a tier 1 side than I am some of the others who are ahead of him in selection at the moment and that comes down to style over form.