Shocking GB 1st Test selection

[Fairleigh Good!]

The GB am is out and is as follows:

1. Radlinski
2. Carney
3. Connolly
4. Senior
5. Horne
6. Sculthorpe
7. Long
8. Fielden
9. Newton
10. Morley
11. Peacock
12. Farrell (C)
13. Forshaw

14. Anderson
15. McDermott
16. Deacon
17. Gilmour

Absolutely shocking selection for mine and it has removed any possibility of a GB win in the Series. Particular disappointments are the selections of Gary Connolly and Mike Forshaw at a combined age of 68.

Richard Horne on the wing is a dangerous move too, much like the decision to play Pratt against the Kiwi's last season. Good luck to the young lad, but I can't see him lasting long on the wing.

I am horrified that Forshaw has been picked. He is a slow, lumbering workhorse, and not nearly good enough to play for GB. What have Kevin Sinfield and Ryan Hudson done wrong to not be ahead of him in the reckoning? Three loose forwards is still too many, why could GB not have picked a proper stand off and played Sculthorpe at 13, where he is undoubtedly the best in the world?

Deacon on the bench? What skills can he use from the interchange? Ermmmm.... His one and only ability is his kicking game, but why the hell would you want that on the bench? Surely to god it would have been better to have Burrow or McGuire on the bench for a 20 minute burst late on. The Roos were crapping themselves about Burrow against England 'A', and either he or McGuire would cause havoc late on against them in the Ashes.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Damn Gleeson should be there ahead of Connolly.

 

[dimitri]

i am shocked
itd make much more sense
to play
gleeson at centre
gilmour on wing
orr at5/8
sculthorpe at lock

what on earth is foreshaw doing there

:?: :?: :?: :?:

 

[JJ]

Hard to know which side looks more ordinary - the Aussies or the Poms.

At least the Aussies have the excuse of about 20 players being out!!!!

 

[dimitri]

i dont think the aussies can use that as an excuse at all

beside andrew johns and ben kennedy i dont think theres anybody else who would have made a difference

tallis and fittler have retired so they dont count

even though they have injuries to players like girdler etc i dont think those guys would have had that much an impact

so id say


AUS 2 (johns and kennedy)

GB 1 (cunningham)

 

[Disco]

i dont think the aussies can use that as an excuse at all

beside andrew johns and ben kennedy i dont think theres anybody else who would have made a difference

tallis and fittler have retired so they dont count

even though they have injuries to players like girdler etc i dont think those guys would have had that much an impact

so id say


AUS 2 (johns and kennedy)

GB 1 (cunningham)

Ur kidding right?????

how about
Lyon
Hodges
Bailey
Ryles
Timmins
Barrett

they would have been automatic selections for the 17, add johns and kennedy and we are 8 down on our top 17

 

[zulu]

There are still five or six players in the Aussie side who would've been regardless of injury. So saying 20 players are out of the top side is a bit rich.

Last time I looked Lockyer was our first string fullback.

 

[JJ]

i dont think the aussies can use that as an excuse at all

beside andrew johns and ben kennedy i dont think theres anybody else who would have made a difference

tallis and fittler have retired so they dont count

even though they have injuries to players like girdler etc i dont think those guys would have had that much an impact

so id say


AUS 2 (johns and kennedy)

GB 1 (cunningham)

Well, at centre there are 7 out, any of whom would have made a difference - Lyon, Tate, Girdler, Gasnier, Hodges, Timmins.
At half - Johns
5/8 Barrett
Front row - Ryles, Bailey
2nd row - Fletcher, Kennedy, Hindmarsh.

Aust are at full strength at fullback, hooker, and lock!!

No-one would have dreamed of a centre pairing of Phil Bailey and Craig Wing - would they???

 

[ali]

I'm not happy either but it was always on the cards. I still think GB will go ok, as they have pretty much the strongest side avialable to pick from in the Waite era. Even Cunningham is easily replaced by Newton, the only other missing player is Leon Pryce on the wing, but debate rages about his ability anyway.

I think Australia will win in a close one. For GB's sake, they would probably be better off for the series with an early flogging to get rid of the old guard. I'd bring in Gleeson for Conolly (although I don't see Conolly as a weak link), Sinfield for Forshaw, McGuire for Deacon and Wood or another young forward for McDermott.

 

[dimitri]

Well, at centre there are 7 out, any of whom would have made a difference - Lyon, Tate, Girdler, Gasnier, Hodges, Timmins.
At half - Johns
5/8 Barrett
Front row - Ryles, Bailey
2nd row - Fletcher, Kennedy, Hindmarsh.

Aust are at full strength at fullback, hooker, and lock!!

No-one would have dreamed of a centre pairing of Phil Bailey and Craig Wing - would they???

the fact is that GB have had to deal with many many injury problems in the past including radlinski, wellens, cunningham, fielden, morely, long etc etc

and they still havent used that as an excuse, and if they have tried the aussie media/public has passed them off as weak or whinging poms

now the shoe is on the other foot the aussies should just do their best and shut up

GB have had many many injuries in the past and now its australias turn

after saying all that

GO GB

 

[yakstorm]

Why does everyone bag Connolly so much? Who cares if he is abit on the old side, he is the best defensive back in the Super League Era. He proved last year against the Kiwis the good player he is, rarely putting a foot wrong, and brings a wealth of experience to the side.

I'll agree with you on Sculthorpe, however look at it this way, Sculthorpe and Long did play the majority of the Super League season together in the halves, so there is a level of experience there. GB have plenty of play makers to subsitute as well, with Horne and Deacon also there, expect Waite to play his general mind-games and move players around.

The side isn't that bad, it is a very good defensive side, clearly the Lions are hoping to restrain the Australians from scoring easily, which 'pisses' them off no end and makes them make mistakes (you only had to see them do that against the Kiwis in October)

 

[terracesider]

I took one look and thought "Oh sh1t". :roll:

The centres. Conolly is a good defensive player and will tackle all afternoon, but he's lost his pace. Senior can be devastating if he get's the ball handed to him on a plate, but if not, he will not go looking for it.

5/8: Scully is our best player. He's a brilliant 13 but he's said he dosen't want to play at 6.

Lock: Forshaw is a reliable plodder but doesn't have the flashes of genuis that Scully (or Sinfield, WTF is he?) can produce.

I might get out the tape of Wembley 94 and watch that instead.

I see an Aussie victory, about 30-12. :twisted: :twisted:

 

[bender]

I think most have got it wrong. Connolly should be a walk up start in the centres as he is easily the best available and is exactly the type of player to exploit the Aussie centre weakness. Gleeson is unlucky and he should have been on the bench for Gilmour or maybe even nabbed Horne's spot on the wing.

Foreshaw, seemed to play quite well. He is a no frills style of player who is good to have against Australia. I know that Sinfield or one of the younger guys probably could have played lock and been better for the experience, but he should provide the defence required. This is about winning not gaining experience. The British forward pack, for the first time I can remember actually looks slightly stronger overall to the Aussies, although there is not much in it.

The Halves chosen, really are the best and classiest available. Sean Long has been considered the best half back for a long time. He has always been well contained by Aussie defences, but so has every other halfback the poms have available. I know that some of the younger players are great prospects, but a side needs an experienced halfback and Long fits the bill perfectly. Sculthorpe might be out of position but he has performed in the position before. I would expect Horne or Deacon to move into 5/8 at some stage of the game. Compared to Gower-Kimmorley, you would have to think that the Poms again have a slight advantage, if all halves produce their best.

The back three, is probably the only area where Australia has the advantage. However, even then, Lockyer is not in the best form and the Brits are not too shabby. Radlinski, Carney and Horne might not have the class of the Aussies, but they do look to be quite a solid combination and it would not surprise at all to see Horne and Carney in particular have extra big games.

Even the British Bench doesnt look all that bad. Gilmour is not as bad as many seem to make out. And only Barry Macdermott looks to be a strange selection although he is not all that bad.

the more I look at this game, the more i think that a britian have picked the team to do the job.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

No, there are several better centres in Super League than Gary Connolly.

Whilst he is still truly superb defensively he no longer has the ability to break a defensive line, he is just too slow. This is a big let down for mine. They didn't pick him originally last year against the Kiwi's because he was supposidly retiring then injuries brought him into the squad. Now he is an automatic choice despite not playing centre for most of the season?

Martin Gleeson is GB's best centre, followed by Senior. Martin Aspinwall, Gareth Ellis and even Ben Westwood are unlucky not to be ahead of Connolly.

 

[ForestDragon]

Not too worried about GB selection,maybe a doubt about Forshaw and would have liked to see Aspinall involved.Gonna be a tight series,looking forward to some good rugby.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Not too worried about GB selection,maybe a doubt about Forshaw and would have liked to see Aspinall involved.Gonna be a tight series,looking forward to some good rugby.

And a few decent brawls. I'd absolutely love to see Gower go at the GB squad like he did against England 'A'. It would be a race to see who would floor him first.

It should be a tactic on the tip of Waite's tongue too. A good rip-roaring toe-to-toe early doors would really fire up the crowd and get the anti bread-thief chants going.

 

[Dave T]

No, there are several better centres in Super League than Gary Connolly.

Whilst he is still truly superb defensively he no longer has the ability to break a defensive line, he is just too slow. This is a big let down for mine. They didn't pick him originally last year against the Kiwi's because he was supposidly retiring then injuries brought him into the squad. Now he is an automatic choice despite not playing centre for most of the season?

Martin Gleeson is GB's best centre, followed by Senior. Martin Aspinwall, Gareth Ellis and even Ben Westwood are unlucky not to be ahead of Connolly.

From your name I take it you're a Saints fan.

Even the most loyal of Saints fans have admitted that Gleeson has been very poor all season, and OK he did have a good England 'A game, and I would have put him in, but to say he is the best centre in GB is way off!

Senior is far better than him, and on this seasons form, Gleeson, is only about 4th or 5th...

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

No, there are several better centres in Super League than Gary Connolly.

Whilst he is still truly superb defensively he no longer has the ability to break a defensive line, he is just too slow. This is a big let down for mine. They didn't pick him originally last year against the Kiwi's because he was supposidly retiring then injuries brought him into the squad. Now he is an automatic choice despite not playing centre for most of the season?

Martin Gleeson is GB's best centre, followed by Senior. Martin Aspinwall, Gareth Ellis and even Ben Westwood are unlucky not to be ahead of Connolly.

From your name I take it you're a Saints fan.

Even the most loyal of Saints fans have admitted that Gleeson has been very poor all season, and OK he did have a good England 'A game, and I would have put him in, but to say he is the best centre in GB is way off!

Senior is far better than him, and on this seasons form, Gleeson, is only about 4th or 5th...

Senior is not far better than Gleeson. I am a Saints fan, but that means I have watched the lad week in and week out. He has not had the barnstorming season this time around, mainly due to injury and Saints poor form. But this does not stop his being technically better than Senior, who for the record has done less than sod all this season. Senior is a lazy player who waits for the ball as someone posted earlier, Gleeson made 47 tackles in one game for Saints this season. I doubt Senior has made that many in his career. Gleeson has an amazing step and is very strong and fast. He made a few clean breaks against NZ last season and again against the Roos for England 'A'. What does the lad have to do to get into the squad?

You can say he has not had the best of seasons, but the same could be said for Radlinski, Senior, Sculthorpe, Gilmour, McDermott and Farrell but they are all picked without question, as ever.

Gleeson should have been in the squad, as should Burrow, McGuire and Hudson at the expense of Deacon, Forshaw, Connolly and Ellis.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Not too worried about GB selection,maybe a doubt about Forshaw and would have liked to see Aspinall involved.Gonna be a tight series,looking forward to some good rugby.

And a few decent brawls. I'd absolutely love to see Gower go at the GB squad like he did against England 'A'. It would be a race to see who would floor him first.

It should be a tactic on the tip of Waite's tongue too. A good rip-roaring toe-to-toe early doors would really fire up the crowd and get the anti bread-thief chants going.

LOL @ bread thieves. :lol:

 

[PARRA_FAN]

The two worst centre combinations in test football, Bailey and Wing up against Senior and Connolly. I still reckon Connolly and Senior are a lot better than the Aussie centres, I mean Craig Wing.... please he was sh*tt at five eighth, why do u think hes gonna be better in the centres.