I think it depends on how he goes at Melbourne next season. Keep reading about Melbourne wanting him to play stand off. If he can hold down a regular 1st team spot at the storm next season, and do well he will be in contention for next years tournament. I think it would not be fair write him of just yet. I know it was only one game but i saw him play against Canterbury this season for the Storm and he went really well. He has good all round attacking skills of what i have seen. He needs work on his defence (especially if he is to continue at 1). Few in SL have decent all round attacking skills. Plenty of one trick ponies in SL imo. Perhaps 6 is his best position and he will flourish there next season? I think it is too early to write of someone who does have something.

The best thing young Widdles could do would be to move back to England and play SL.



At least he would get a regular game.



He won't at the Storm.





That would benefit his international career.

Being a reserve player at Storm doesnt seem to be harming it does it...

You reckon?



He was pretty ineffective against nz from what I saw. Looked like a lack of confidence. The sort of confidence you get from experience?

Very few positives to take out of the game really. Our world class pack was pretty awful really, they failed to win the collusion and failed to control the PTB. Also, I though the work the NZ forwards were working off the ball was excellent and really confused the England defense out wide. Where as we were content to just trundle the ball up the middle of the field.



To me, England looked like a team trying not to lose rather than a team prepared to take risks to win the game. Widdop's try showed that if you give the backs enough space they are able to create something. But we didn't do that enough.



I thought both half backs were poor, and didn't really look like a combination. Tomkins tried to do too much on his own. Brown didn't do much wrong, but I can't see him having too many more games at this level as I don't think he's got enough pace. He might be the slowest stand off I've ever seen.



My team next week would be:



Cudjoe

Goulding

Briscoe

???

Hall

Tomkins

Robinson

Graham

Lunt

Burgess (we need more gramebreakers in the middle of the field)

Ellis

Westwood

Flanders



Roby

Crabtree

Fielden

Harrison