Possible English squad for 2008 WC.

[Coastbloke]

I have a ulterior motive for this thread.

I'm trying to work out a possible squad for the WC, and I know it is early, but I guess I'm also tying to educate myself a bit better on players and their positions, so If it's a bit 'not right' be nice....

I will update my personal records as the ESL season progresses. I am trying work out a squad for all 10 countries...

Anyway. This is my preliminary English squad.

1. Paul Wellens
2. Ade Gardner
3. Keith Senior
4. Martin Gleeson
5. Richie Mathers
6. Leon Pryce
7. Rob Burrow
8. Adrian Morley
9. Matt Diskin ( I know Roby is a more than probable starter here)
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Gareth Ellis
12. Paul Sculthorpe
13. Kevin Sinfield

14. Stuart Fielden
15. Nick Fozzard
16. James Roby
17. Danny McGuire / Kirk Yeoman..

 

[roughyedspud]

you forgot some kid called sam burgess


if scully stays fit he has to start @ lock,putting him in @ 2nd row will weaken our pack,we are'nt short of quality 2nd rowers.

kevin penny & chev walker will be in there too.

 

[Coastbloke]

you forgot some kid called sam burgess


if scully stays fit he has to start @ lock,putting him in @ 2nd row will weaken our pack,we are'nt short of quality 2nd rowers.

kevin penny & chev walker will be in there too.

Yeh I just had a look at a BBC story on Penny....Looks impressive.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/warrington/7228150.stm

Where does Burgess play..??

 

[roughyedspud]

he can play anywhere in the pack....apart from hooker obviously..he's 6'4" lol

in the northern union v all golds game he played lock

and in the test series he played prop & 2nd row

 

[East Coast Tiger]

WC squads will be 24 players. I still doubt Diskin or Fozzard will be there. There are better options.

 

[roughyedspud]

if diskin stays fit he could bag a squad place, fozzard no chance imo

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Diskin will only make it if he gets Newton's spot. They'll only take Roby plus one other hooker, especially with other dummy half options like Sinfield, Burrow and maybe McGuire or Horne (assuming he is now "English").

 

[Evil Homer]

Poor squad. Most of those players are well past it and the same tried and tested losers that were picked by the likes of Waite.

On current form, I would be very annoyed if 8 of that 17 were even in the preliminary squad, let alone in the starting team. If you are trying to educate yourself about the British game, then you have a long way to go

 

[The Clan]

Wellens
Raynor
Senior
Gleason
Penny
Pryce
Burrow
Morley
Clarke
Peacock
Ellis
O'Loughlin
Sculthorpe

Sinfield
Burgess
Fasavalou
Roby
McGuire
Yeaman
Gardner
Graham

Look out for these bolters who might stake a claim during the season:
Westerman (Castleford), Brough (Wakefield), Smith (Leeds), Mathers (Wigan), Walker (Hull KR), Smith (St Helens), Hall (Leeds), Hall (Hull FC), Langley (Bradford), Lee (Hull FC), Hock (Wigan), Wild (Huddersfield), Westwood (Warrington), Lynch (Bradford), Carvel (Hull FC), Moore (Wakefield),

 

[Coastbloke]

Thanks you blokes, you have all been very helpful - even the sarcastic ones...

 

[JasonE]

The good thing is there is much more depth now compared to two years ago and that should continue to pick up.

Skillful and talented players such as Paul Cooke and Danny Sculthorpe don't even get a mention which is evidence of this.

Talking of WC bolters, keep an eye on Castleford centre Michael Shenton this season, very promising player.

 

[roughyedspud]

big things are predicted for a lad called joe westerman from cas..

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't expect Westerman to step up to the plate this season.

 

[Coastbloke]

All, the same, I think it sounds good that all these names are being considered....

The depth that wasn't there before seems to have increased significantly. There seems to be more serious possibilities in every position...

 

[JasonE]

I'm sure in 6 months time we will be talking about a heap of players not mentioned yet, will be very interesting to see.

 

[roughyedspud]

i think most of the matchday 17 picks itself, it's the 18 to 24 that is looking much stronger than say in 2006 when brian noble picked virtually the same team for every tri nations game we played..tony smith proved in the NZ series thats he's not affraid to swap things about..

also the center position looked very weak 6 months ago,during the NZ series keith senior & martin gleeson really stepped up,krik yeaman played well in the all golds game before getting injured..in the close season we've seen the return of chev walker who is operating in the centers these days,karl price, who at 6"5' & 18st could play in the centers too...

another center that caught my eye is craig hall from hull fc,he scores tries ,kicks goals and is a big lad too....plus he's only 19 which boads well,if not for the world cup defo for the 4 nations..

all in all,and i said this before the kiwi series, our national team has options for the first time in years...a good sign me thinks.