Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:20 pm  

Chris28 wrote:

If we're just picking people who aren't actually in the squad, I'd go

Hardaker

Lord Sugar, Hulk Hogan, Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Shearer

Lockyer
Thurston

Dame Edna Everage,
Doctor Who, Len Goodman
James Graham, Joshua Hodgson, Simon Cowell

Interchange: Sam Burgess, Flavor Flav, Carlos Santana, James Roby

Len Goodman has just had a knee reconstruction.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:22 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Bateman must still be playing centre.

My guess is Smith for Williams in the only change.

Ian Laybourn who usually knows what he's talking about says the 17 will have Smith for Williams and McGillvary for Burgess.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:43 pm  

Chris28 wrote:

If we're just picking people who aren't actually in the squad, I'd go

Hardaker

Lord Sugar, Hulk Hogan, Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Shearer

Lockyer
Thurston

Dame Edna Everage,
Doctor Who, Len Goodman
James Graham, Joshua Hodgson, Simon Cowell

Interchange: Sam Burgess, Flavor Flav, Carlos Santana, James Roby

I would go with this, Boris Johnson in for Shearer on the wing though, stipulation- can only play in three piece suit

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:44 pm  

craigizzard wrote:

Ian Laybourn who usually knows what he's talking about says the 17 will have Smith for Williams and McGillvary for Burgess.

If Smith is in I will tear up my ticket & pack in RL. He's not even good enough for the Wigan team.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:50 pm  

Try to keep calm TT. Tear up your ticket at the end of the match and re-assess the other bit when we know the result.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:26 pm  

tigertot wrote:

If Smith is in I will tear up my ticket & pack in RL. He's not even good enough for the Wigan team.

I called it straight after Saturdays defeat, So predictable. Harsh on Gale, who probably should have started the series on form and now when it is glaringly obvious to all he should come in, McNamara selects a guy who has been average at best this year.Shows his attention is far away from SL at this current time and he needs moving on after this series

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:03 pm  

The thing most clearly lacking last week was any form of attacking flair and creativity. Smith is probably the most conservative and risk averse half back in the league. It makes no absolutely no sense to pick him.

The only performance McNamara has seen this season was the grand final, where Smith was so ineffective that Tony Clubb had to take over the kicking duties.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:05 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

I called it straight after Saturdays defeat, So predictable. Harsh on Gale, who probably should have started the series on form and now when it is glaringly obvious to all he should come in, McNamara selects a guy who has been average at best this year.Shows his attention is far away from SL at this current time and he needs moving on after this series

This series has me questioning whether McNamara is trying to get sacked on purpose. He probably feels like he can't walk away from the job, but if he gets sacked he can fully focus on his training cone duties in Sydney.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:12 pm  

Said at the time McNamara was a terrible appointment and still stand by that. Should be sacked after this series, England are so dull and boring to watch.

Re: Changes for 3rd Test : Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:44 pm  

I can't defend McNamara anymore. If we win the Series it will be because of poor NZ performances and despite McNamara not because of him.

His selections make no sense and his stubbornness in this series has seriously affected the team.
He was obviously dead-set on Tomkins at full back, regardless of his form or even his physical condition. He's now dead set on Bateman at centre when it's obvious it's not working and frankly wasn't a clever choice in the first place. He was dead set on having Smith regardless of his form. He's also obviously dead set on a very conservative game plan.
What exactly do the likes of Gale and Cudjoe have to do to get in the team?.

It's a stupidly chosen 19 but from it I'd have to go with:
1. Hardaker
2. McGilvary
3. Watkins
4. Bateman
5. Hall
6. Smith
7. Widdop
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Hill
11. Farrell
12. Ferres
13. O'Loughlin

14. Hodgson
15. Burgess
16. Cooper
17. Whitehead

If I had a choice I wouldn't have Bateman at centre. I'd have him at second row in place of Whitehead. But the coach has bizarrely dropped Cudjoe from the 19. I'd also rather have Gale in for Smith, but again, bizarrely, the coach has chosen Smith over Gale.