They may have been rock solid as a partnership, but you lose so much attacking threat down that side with Bateman at centre, because he doesn't pass the ball and/or create any options for Hall. Hall was pretty much a passenger for most of the tournament and therefore all of our attack has to come down the other side - hence all the tries McGillvary scored and the metres he made compared to Hall.

One player that seems to have gone under the radar is Joe Greenwood. I think he'll be thereabouts in the next few seasons.

No, I can't. But I assumed that the decision to play as Great Britain was in order to create the possibility of that happening. If, as you say, we can basically do the same as England cricket and include those players anyway, there's not really any need to not play as England.

It seems like muddled thinking to bring GB back for one year and then have them disappear again for who knows how long.

I believe that the phrase "Muddled Thinking" is carved above the doorways at the RFL.

We need more players to come through every year. That's basically the difference between us and Australia. Thurston and Cronk retire and Morgan is already ready and Munster not far off, with the likes of Ivan Cleary not far behind. Ditto when Slater quits there are already 4 or 5 better options than the best English full back.

Twas ever thus.