great britain team

[ledzep]

what's the great britain team looking like being at this stage of the year?

 

[Sun_Down]

2005 train-on squad:

Ryan Bailey (Leeds Rhinos), Kevin Brown (Wigan Warriors), Rob Burrow (Leeds Rhinos), Mark Calderwood (Leeds Rhinos), Brian Carney (Wigan Warriors), Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield Giants), Keiron Cunningham (St Helens), Matt Diskin (Leeds Rhinos), Gareth Ellis (Leeds Rhinos), Stuart Fielden (Bradford Bulls), Nick Fozzard (St Helens), Ade Gardner (St Helens), Lee Gilmour (St Helens), Martin Gleeson (Warrington Wolves), Iestyn Harris (Bradford Bulls), Mickey Higham (St Helens), David Hodgson (Salford City Reds), Richard Horne (Hull FC), Paul Johnson (Bradford Bulls), Paul King (Hull FC), Jamie Langley (Bradford Bulls), Sean Long (St Helens), Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos), Adrian Morley (Sydney Roosters), Terry Newton (Wigan Warriors), Jamie Peacock (Bradford Bulls, vice-captain), Leon Pryce (Bradford Bulls), Kris Radlinski (Wigan Warriors), Gareth Raynor (Hull FC), Stuart Reardon (Bradford Bulls), Keith Senior (Leeds Rhinos), Paul Sculthorpe (St Helens, captain), Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos), Jamie Thackray (Hull FC), Chris Thorman (Huddersfield Giants), Danny Ward (Leeds Rhinos), Chev Walker (Leeds Rhinos), Paul Wellens (St Helens), Stephen Wild (Wigan Warriors), Jon Wilkin (St Helens)

 

[Sun_Down]

My pick:

1. Kris Radlinski
2. Brian Carney
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Leon Pryce
5. Stuart Reardon
6. Danny McGuire
7. Iestyn Harris
8. Stuart Fielden
9. Matt Diskin
10. Adrien Morely
11. Jamie Peacock
12. Gareth Ellis
13. Paul Sculthorpe (c)
--
14. Ryan Baily
15. Sean O'Loughlin
16. Kevin Sinfield
17. Paul Wellens
--
Mickey Higham
Keiron Cunningham
Sean Long
Terry Newton
Keith Senior

I know probably noone will agree with my team, but meh...

 

[Weasels Ripped My Flesh]

Cunningham ahead of Diskin, Wellens at Fullback and Long at hlafback then that team would better

 

[Sun_Down]

Cunningham ahead of Diskin, Wellens at Fullback and Long at hlafback then that team would better

I havent seen Cunningham play in a while, whereas Diskin Im more fammilar with, Wellens your correct...But Long? His kicking game is garbage!

 

[ledzep]

i've seen a couple of leeds games on fox, but i was wondering whether someone could tell me why mcguire is starting on the bench

 

[lyon is a saint]

Bloody hell can people name Iestyn Harris in a GB starting line up?

Maguire has been starting on the bench because Burrow and Sinfield have been outstanding at half back.

1. Wellens
2. Carney
3. Gleeson
4. Senior
5. Calderwood
6. Sinfield
7. Long
8. Fielden
9. Cuningham
10. Morley
11. Peacock
12. Ellis
13. Sculthorpe

Bailey
Gilmour
Mcguire
Fozzard

Sean o loughlin is out for the season.

 

[Phillips]

5. Calderwood

](*,)

 

[The Clan]

Wellens
Carney
Gleeson
Senior
Walker
Sinfield
Horne
Morley
Cunningham
Fielden
Peacock
Ellis
Sculthorpe

McGuire
Fozzard
Tickle
Bailey

 

[Stormin Norman]

yeah i'd have horne at half back

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

I reckon if you're going to pick McGuire in the team, you need Sinfield there to compliment him and get the best out of his game. And we've got to play Sinfield in the 13 because he's been sensational this year.

I've always been a huge fan of Horne but I haven't been that impressed with him this year (though amiditdly I haven't seen heaps of Hull lately). My team would be:

Wellens
Reardon (Carney if he can string a few games together and get some form back)
Gleeson
Senior
Walker
Sinfield
McGuire
Fielden
Cunnigham
Bailey
Peacock
Morley
Sculthorpe

Ellis
Fozzard
Burrow
Bailey


If Diskin can get back to his form, I'd be tempted to have him at 9, with Cunningham to come off the bench.

It's a bit tricky picking a side. What sort of tactics we will adopt can have a bearing on a couple of positions that I would personally have picked.

Don't be surprised to see Harris at 6 and McGuire get half an hour throughout the whole tournament

As a Saints fan, I wouldn't pick Long either. I rate him a lot but he's come in for a lot of stick (some fair, some unfair) and doesn't seem to be able to do it at international level. At least if he isn't playing, people will realise that Long isn't the real problem and reason why we can't win silverware. It's just the sheer gulf in class and depth between the two nations.

 

[bartman]

Interesting selection dilemmas...

Sinfield - must play somewhere. Captain Sculthorpe at lock, so five eighth and Harris to the bench?
Scrum half - persist with Long, or McGuire paired with Sinfield, or someone else?
Bench utility - if Cunningham chosen as hooker, Diskin or Burrow competing for a bench spot?

 

[Phillips]

1. Paul Wellens
2. Chev Walker
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Keith Senior
5. Brian Carney
6. Kevin Sinfield
7. Danny McGuire
8. Stuart Fielden
9. Keiron Cunningham
10. Adrian Morley
11. Jamie Peacock
12. Gareth Ellis
13. Paul Sculthorpe

Ryan Bailey on the bench.

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

Interesting selection dilemmas...

Sinfield - must play somewhere. Captain Sculthorpe at lock, so five eighth and Harris to the bench?
Scrum half - persist with Long, or McGuire paired with Sinfield, or someone else?
Bench utility - if Cunningham chosen as hooker, Diskin or Burrow competing for a bench spot?

I'll cry if Harris is let anywhere near the squad! Never mind the bench IMO. He's living off a reputation earnt before he went to Union. I don't really think he deserved a spot last year and his performances haven't improved this season. Used to be a great little player and up to GB standard but looks washed up, unfit and a shadow of his former self today.

We need to try something new and Long struggles against the Aussies. McGuire may offer a fresh enthusiasm and something a bit different.

And if Sinfield takes the number 6, it'd be beneficial for us to have McGuire playing alongside him. They know each other well and compliment each other.

The hooker spot is a dilema. Cunningham has been in great form, but if Diskin can get back to his best, I think Cunningham off the bench could be explosive, after Diskin puts in the hard graft early on (which he's good at).

 

[bartman]

No arguments there. I'm just suspicious that Brian Noble likes to pick his old faves despite form, and Harris seems among them?

GB do need something new in the halves imo, to try and conjure up some more scoring options against the Aussies.

 

[Evil Homer]

I'd rather try someone like Cooke or Thorman ahead of Harris.

 

[Sun_Down]

I'd rather try someone like Cooke or Thorman ahead of Harris.

No way imo. Harris is quality, Thorman is utter crap.

 

[Phillips]

No way imo. Harris is quality, Thorman is utter crap.

go watch some Bradford games than go watch some Huddersfield games.

you will see who is "crap"

 

[Sun_Down]

go watch some Bradford games than go watch some Huddersfield games.

you will see who is "crap"

Have don so. and IMO Thorman is crap.

 

[Ari Gold]

theres no way thorman can get anywhere near that GB jersey...