https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/50042143 Hardacre William's Gildart Hastings Regards EW

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/50042143 Hardacre William's Gildart Hastings Regards EW

I’m guessing Hardaker has profited from Makinson’s injury. Makinson would’ve been first choice winger and back up for centre and they probably feel Hardaker can cover both as well as backing up the full back spot.

That squad looks pretty ropey to me, lacking balance and, in some areas, quality.

What sort of a squad has more half backs than props in it?

Only two wingers as well.

From a purely selfish Wigan point of view I wouldn't mind seeing Zak get a run at right centre against some decent opposition, give Lam something to think about for next season.

Coote
McGillvary
Hardaker
Gildart
Hall
Lomax
Hastings
Thompson
Hodgson
Walmsley
Bateman
Whitehead
Graham

Clark
Burgess
Hill
Jones

Guess they’re taking Trueman for experience but even without him, I think we’re one too heavy in the halfback department and one too light up front. I’d have left Blake Austin out to be honest. He’s struggled for fitness at the end of the year and to pick an overseas player with heritage they’d need to be in absolute top form and better then what we have already. In the cases of Coote and Hastings I think they are but is Austin that far ahead of Lomax or Williams? I’m not sure he is and I think Widdop is a better player.

We look light on options for the wing position but where do we go? I heard Ash Handley mentioned and nearly fell off my chair and I don’t think Charnley has ever been physical enough to be a good international winger. I think Hardaker has dropped on with his versatility to cover both those spots.

Overall Watts for Austin would’ve been my only change.

Agree with all of that.

As far as wingers are concerned, I'd have been tempted to name Grace once Knowles withdrew given it's a Lions squad. Even ignoring the Welsh aspect, I find it hard to make a case on this season's form for JMG or RH ahead of him, but happy to admit they have pedigree on this stage and defensively Grace would represent a risk.

Personally I’d swap Thompson and Graham, I think Thompson is more suited to 13 but either way it’s a very good team

Yeah if I remember rightly he played 13 against New Zealand very well last year so you’re correct, as previously mentioned above I’d like to see Zak given a go at 3 as that’s where I’d like to see him for Wigan next year

I’m not a Grace fan tbh and thats not because he’s a Saints player. He’s limited for me in regards his all round game and scoring some nice try’s using his searing pace, in a fantastic Saints side is a different ball game to coming up against the bruisers Tonga and NZ will have on their wings.

I’m a huge fan of McGillvary and Hall tbh. I’ve never bought in to international selections being done purely on form, they’ve also got to be done on suitability to the nature of internationals and you need the right characters. Those two have been brilliant for England over a long period and they’re safe as houses and will get us off our line even on a bad day. If we said let’s pick superleagues two available form wingers of the season for GB then you’d probably be looking at Handley, Grace, Marshall etc. All three would get butchered at that level IMO.

As an aside, no-one from Leeds, must be a while since that happened.