Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:31 am  

I don't really have much of a problem with Lomax now Hardaker is out but would have taken Shaul anyway because he's easily been the 2nd best FB in SL. Thinking about it, how many times as Lomax played FB for Saints this year.

Wayne Bennett obviously knows a ton about RL and no one eveer agrees on the touring squad. But imo picking a 35 year old Aussie Heighington, who's done bugger all when he's played for England over others, makes me doubt how much SL he watches. He maybe going off the help of his assistants but still they're are a few strange calls, I mean seriously Brown LOL. Then that's before we have a few injuries in the back line & we'll be putting square pegs in round holes because we've not taken any back up centres or wingers & end up playing Bateman & Currie at Centre & god knows who we'd put on the wing.

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:38 am  

tonga I think will beat NZ AND ENGLAND

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 5:35 am  

Think the squad is appalling.
Ratchford and brown i couldnt believe it. Watts and Shaul should be in without doubt.
Hall is slow as a snail cannot believe Eden isnt in and shenton. Makes me wonder if Bennett has watched any Super League. Think Bateman has had a v poor year also.

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:46 am  

Wouldn't bother too much about it they'll soon be back home!

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:27 am  

newgroundb4cas wrote:

Think the squad is appalling.
Ratchford and brown i couldnt believe it. Watts and Shaul should be in without doubt.
Hall is slow as a snail cannot believe Eden isnt in and shenton. Makes me wonder if Bennett has watched any Super League. Think Bateman has had a v poor year also.

Can't agree regarding Hall. For starters he's not that slow, he's great in the air and above all he's one of the very few English players to have proven himself time and time again at this level.

Those suggesting Eden need their bumps feeling IMHO.Running in a shed load of tries at SL level is nothin like International RL - Eden would get slaughtered.

I got the Brown thing but I can't for the life of me see whats wrong with Ratchford's selection, he's a quality player who gives lots of options.

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:48 am  

[quote="vastman"

I got the Brown thing but I can't for the life of me see whats wrong with Ratchford's selection, he's a quality player who gives lots of options.[/quote]

Agreed regarding Ratchford, however with the limited number of backs in the squad I'd have liked young Conner given a chance. He can cover all along the back line & I don't think he'd be phased at all by the opposition. He's raw but the kid is a natural athlete!

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:30 pm  

Lockers700 wrote:

Agreed regarding Ratchford, however with the limited number of backs in the squad I'd have liked young Conner given a chance. He can cover all along the back line & I don't think he'd be phased at all by the opposition. He's raw but the kid is a natural athlete!

That for me was the big thing, we've taken Ratchford who's got utility value but in the centres and wings especially we are way light. i could see Bennett doing a shuffle if a Centre gets hurt and sticking a 2nd rower in their, like Bateman, Currie or even Whitehead but who's the back up for the wingers. That's also talking if we have one injury, if we had a few down, we'd be sunk. It seems Aus like to pick players in the backs that have compatently played various positions and you can see why.

I also agree with Vasty, just because Eden scored plenty for Cas doesn't automatically means he should be included. You've got to look at his skills and frailties , inparticular his size, defense, jumping for high ball, defending high ball, pllus who's he's going to come up against especially Oz and MZ and even Samoa. Hall, even though some may say he's not as good as he was,is still an excellent winge. The bloke's huge for his position, who's played excellently for England for years against the best wingers around the World and never let us down, plus as scored a try a game just about. We know he's got a good solid all around game, something I'm afraid I can't say for Eden.

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Wed Oct 11, 2017 7:47 am  

No issues with Hall can see the rationale for that selection. But for me I'd be taking two other wingers in Eden and BJB to provide comp for places and to ask different kinds of questions of the opposition. McGilvary would be missing out.

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Wed Oct 11, 2017 3:30 pm  

newgroundb4cas wrote:

Think the squad is appalling.
Ratchford and brown i couldnt believe it. Watts and Shaul should be in without doubt.
Hall is slow as a snail cannot believe Eden isnt in and shenton. Makes me wonder if Bennett has watched any Super League. Think Bateman has had a v poor year also.

agree there is some shocking ones selected, yes ratchford and brown makes me laugh and yes hall ain't the player he was a few yrs go but is still a strong player, I'd of like to see some new players selected watts, shaul and ashurst, I don't like bateman as he's a niggley player that's only at club level he will be ideal for giving some poop out

Re: England World Cup Squad Named : Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:57 pm  

Trinity1315 wrote:

Wouldn't bother too much about it they'll soon be back home!

And Bennett will get the sack .
He may have the experience of how The Australians play but we cant compete with them and need something different to open their defence.
The likes of Shaul and Watts have that ability and should have been included in the squad.
Bennett is not interested in this job and the sooner we get Daryl Powell in the position the better for me