Why does everyone have the sh*ts about him. I think he is a talented forward with a big strong go forward.

Warrington fan by any chance?

Dont you know who I am? I thought everyone does!



Leeds BTW. When it comes to the international game though I see it as it is without a bias look towards things.



Hence why I havent picked Sinfield or O'Loughlin.

One GB player that's performed consistantly well at International level! No bias there then eh?





Incidentally, also the subject of this thread where the England manager said we missed him badly last time out....

In defence I agree we missed him but the pack I have chosen is very good defensivly. It also has more going forward with Burgess at 13 than it does with Sinfield or O'Loughlin. Do you realise we are the only country in the world that sees it fit to have a play maker at loose forward? With Tompkins/Myler/McGuire/Eastmond in the team we have skill there not to need a 3rd playmaker.



Ryan Hoffman isnt a playmaker but he's a damn good loose forward.

O'Loughlins not just a playmaker, he puts some big hits on people, makes decent yards forward and gets a couple of breaks a game. He's twice the player sinfield is imo just without the kicking, I will admit that KS's kicking both out of hand and g/k is one of the best in the league, but you can't just put him in the team for that.

Trust me I'm not looking for an O'loughlin/Sinfield p**sing match but that's just ridiculous.



Whoever Smith picks that's fine by me.

You see this is why I seldom post about RL anymore on here. People think because im from Leeds im putting the Leeds players in. I have explained that I MISS Sinfield out ASWELL!



Yes, O'Loughlin is a good solid player but the person I have ahead of him is Burgess, a player who has in the past played for the Bulls regular in the 13 position. This isnt a slur on O'Loughlins abilities but more a point that if we want to compete in the 4N then we need to pick our best pack for making metres forward. Burgess isnt just a solid player, he can be outstanding. And while I have never seen O'Loughlin have a bad game for GB I have also never seen him have an outstanding game either.



Also there are at least 3 games to go at so im sure O'Loughlin will get game time in there, be it 2nd row, or at loose.



My point was originally that the pack I picked is the biggest, strongest pack we have in the squad, and to compete due to the lack of strength in the threequarter line we need the biggest, strongest pack possible.

man of the match in the last Internnational he played!

Was that against the worst ever Kiwi touring team ever to visit these shores?



Anyway, as I said, its not about O'Loughlin performances in the past which have been solid if not spectacular. Its about Burgess being better.

Il post my backs too (im sure this'll get the sh*ts up you too in some way shape or form

)



Briscoe

Smith

Bridge

Shenton

Hall

Tompkins (McGuire)

McGuire (Myler)



Eastmond



Brackets indicate 2nd choice.

That's the thing i don't think i would put in anybody ahead of him. I'd also go with Shenton and Ellis, lockers at 2nd row. It's sad though that we're looking at a potential best option at centre of a 2nd rower (I know he's played centre earlier in his career) - we seem to have an alarming tendancy as a RL nation to turn and decent size kid who's playing centre into a 2nd rower, are we putting something in the water or is it we've not got the coaching skills to develop them at centre so it's easier to put them in 2nd row? I dunno really.



If I wasn't going to put Ellis in centre, i'd have to go with Smith or Bridge though i'm really really loath to do that for essentially a '1 off'

I really hope Wigan don't do that with Ian Thorley.

I spoke to a guy involved with Acadamy team coaching (not Wigan's) and he thinks Thornley will make a great second rower. He doesn't think he has the handling skills of a quality centre.