Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:31 pm  

With the 24 man squad announcement for the Four Nations coming up, I thought we'd see what team we put together as a board. I'll be putting on different positions every so often with a shortlist to pick from. The squad will have 2 Full Backs, 3 Wingers, 3 Centres, 3 Halves, 2 Hookers, 6 props and 5 back rowers. If any players you'd like to pick aren't on the shortlist than please say.

For today we will do halves, you have three votes on the poll and please indicate your order of playing preference in a post. In the case of positions on the bench starting spots will be allocated on preference.

I know a lot of you will say Tomkins at 6, Hardaker at 1 but this is aimed for positions that it's likely players will be in rather than opinion on where you would play them.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:32 pm  

Matty Smith at 7
Gareth Widdop at 6
Kevin Brown in reserve

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:34 pm  

A poll is pretty pointless if you already know a lot of people will nominate someone who isn't listed.

I'd pick Ratchford as a utility. So from this list him, Widdop and Smith.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:36 pm  

SFW wrote:

A poll is pretty pointless if you already know a lot of people will nominate someone who isn't listed.

I'd pick Ratchford as a utility. So from this list him, Widdop and Smith.

but this is aimed for positions that it's likely players will be in rather than opinion on where you would play them.

You could argue saying you'd have Tomkins at 6 is pretty pointless if you know it's never going to happen. For arguments sake, I'd play Tomkins at 6 too but it just isn't going to happen.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:54 pm  

Widdop and Smith at 6 & 7 with Ratchford as back up.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:55 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

Widdop and Smith at 6 & 7 with Ratchford as back up.

I think this combo will probably end up the winner!

When you compare it to Cronk and Thurston at 6 with Cherry-Evans in reserve it makes me want to cry. Even without mentioning the players that won't make Australia's top 3, they're so far ahead of us in the halves its untrue.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:07 pm  

Widdop and Smith with Kev Brown in reserve.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:25 pm  

I'd pick Somkins and Widdop with Hardaker at FB. From that list I've selected Widdop and Smith.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:31 pm  

Yep, I'll go for the Smith - Widdop combo with Ratchford in reserve. Close call between Ratchford and Brown, but I think that Brown bottled his chance when he had one, and Ratchford is now ready for that level of competition.

Re: Your 24 man England squad - Half Backs : Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:41 pm  

Widdop at 6, Smith at 7, Ratchford as a more versatile back up who can cover anywhere in back line