We haven't closed the gap. We really need to think if we want International footy to be the peak of our game or not. The rule changes to superleague will suit those who can buy the better players but until we have footy every week where it is bloody intense and bloody close we have no hope other than in one off matches.

we need a comp where any club has an outside chance at the beginning of every season. We need less emphasis from the clubs on parochialism and we need more desire to drive the national side.

So very gutted, after 60 minutes the game was gone and we reverted to type. Time for some honesty and some direction to where we want to go. I personally would spurn the chance of Salford winning the Superleague over England winning the 4N or World Cup. Problem is, there are many on this site who think the other way round and that is endemic in our sport.

Ah well, maybe next time.

Salford i talked this match up so much i really really thought this england are THEE team but alas we resort to form why o why o why when all seems to be progressing and building up twaekin the last bits then og my giddy aunt we through the f***** rule book out and go autopilot tomkins hypnotised by derren brown "go to sleep tomkins relax have a very quiet game" grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr up the friggin creek without a paddle I WANNA KNOW THE FORMULA OF THE LAST GREAT GB TEAMS IN THE 60'S THIER MINDSET

We really need to sort out the half back combo, Chase and Sinfield was just a quick short term fix for the four nations.
Would like to see Tomkins and Lomax in the halfs, but Tomkins will have to learn this position from his club.

In a strange way the thing which impressed me tonight was englands defence, australia chucked the kitchen sink at us in the first half and nothing came of it, second half we ran out of steam. The aussies kick pressure on tomkins was phenominal as was their attacking speed. What do england need to do? Get fitter! And build with constant halves! I don't think I have seen a settled 1,6,7,9,13 for years whereas the aussies have had a constant backbone to their side.

I would love england to base their core for the next years around tomkins,widdop,lomax,roby,o'loughlin

So for the next two years I would line up with

1. Tomkins
2. Charnley (although I feel this is unlucky on briscoe charnley is a massive talent)
3. Watkins
4. Reed
5. Hall
6. Widdop
7. Lomax
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Burgess
11. Westwood
12. Ellis
13. O'loughlin

14.Mossop
15. Carvell
16. Farrell
17. Burrow

Tomkins will grow in the full back role in defence he's world class! We need to invest in youth now the likes of lomax, widdop, watkins, mossop, charnley, farrell need to be invested in now!

I think quite a few who figured in this tournament will have pulled on the England shirt for the last time. We've got to be looking at 2013 so for me that rules out Morley, Peacock and maybe Sinfield on age. Are Chase and Heighington really better than any English born players in their respective positions? As a Wigan fan I know full well what Sam Tomkins is capable of but if he can't produce it on the biggest stage then he can't be classed as an automatic pick. On a positive Reed, Graham, Ellis, Roby look extremely good players, O'Loughlin and Sam Burgess would have started and with players like Jones-Bishop, Cudjoe, Broughton, Charnley, Myler, Arundel, Lomax, Makinson and Clarkson coming through we certainly have a base to build on.