In the coming week, before the anticipated announcement of the official squad for the 2026 World Cup, Ian and I will be assembling our own predicted teams to go to Australia next month. To say that I’m glad that I am not Brian McDermott is an understatement. No matter who the England head coach picks, he’s undoubtedly going to upset someone, as am I with my selection.

Here are the parameters I’m going to work in: I’ll name a starting nineteen (playing under NRL rules) for who I think should start the first game against Tonga, and then name a further four players who I think will be taken as rotation options. I’m considering anyone eligible, but wherever possible, going from the players named in the extended training squad, as this is a good guide to who is more likely to be on the plane. I’ll go position by position, and then some reasons behind the four spares at the end.

Full-back: AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)

This is one of my most worrisome positions. Yes, Brimson will probably be the starting full-back; however, he hasn’t played full-back all season. At club level with the Gold Coast Titans, he’s either played in the halves or at centre, and in a particularly poor Gold Coast side at that. Still, I would rather take and play him than Jack Welsby, who I don’t think has been worth an international call-up for a few years now.

Winger: Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)

An easy selection here: Dom Young has enjoyed a great season Down Under with the Knights, not only bouncing back from Wooden Spooners to Grand Finalists, but also scoring 23 tries in 26 games. He’s sure to be one of the first names on the team sheet, as he has been for a few years now.

Centre: Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)

Another player who’ll be amongst the first names on the team sheet is Herbie Farnworth, who is in the conversation as one of the best in the world in his position. The season may have ended disappointingly for Herbie and the Dolphins, but he still had an incredible influence over a side that finished third, crossing for 14 tries in 24 games. A partnership with Young is simply mouthwatering stuff.

Centre: Billy Smith (Sydney Roosters)

I don’t hold with the argument that if they’re not born here, they shouldn’t play for England. The fact is, we’re picking a team hoping to win, and anyone who wants to play and is eligible should be picked if they’re the best available, and Billy Smith is one such example. He’s been a part of a Roosters side that has reached the Grand Final, scored 12 tries in 16 games, and registered 5 try assists. This, coupled with a defensive tackle efficiency of 88.3%, makes Smith a shoo-in to join this dangerous-looking back line.

Winger: Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity)

I’d originally given this spot to Liam Marshall, completely forgetting about Tom Johnstone, something I quickly rectified after looking back through this season’s stats. He’s been a standout player for a Wakefield side who’ve really made the rugby league world stand up and take notice, following their victory over the Wigan Warriors to reach their maiden Grand Final this week. An outstanding finisher with a freakishly consistent output, Johnstone rounds out a back-line that could strike feat into the heart of any nation.

Stand-Off: George Williams (Warrington Wolves)

Casting my own personal tastes in players aside, it’s a given that George Williams will be in this spot on the 17th of October. He’s the captain of the side, for one, and I will say, somewhat begrudgingly, that he has been in form since his return from a neck injury. He could also head Down Under with a Super League winners medal around his neck, but time will tell.

Scrum-Half: Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors)

Once again, it is a great shame for Jake Connor that he may well miss out on an England starting berth. Having missed out on The Ashes last year, he looks certain to be behind Harry Smith this year, at least for the opening rounds. Whereas I, and many others, had Connor down to partner Williams until about the mid-point of the season, the excellence of Smith’s performances simply cannot be ignored, and no doubt it will cause McDermott no end of headaches.

Prop: Max King (Canterbury Bulldogs)

A surprise inclusion in the performance squad earlier this year, Max King has been a regular NRL player since joining the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2022. In that time, he’s racked up 109 appearances for the Bulldogs and crossed for 4 tries. As a forward, he’ll be expected to be at the sharp end of the defensive effort, which should be no problem given his 94.7% tackle efficiency this season. He’s also a threat going forward, too, winning 897.2 post-contact metres this season.

Hooker: Brad O’Neill (Wigan Warriors)

Another easy call here: Brad O’Neill has enjoyed probably his best personal season in terms of performance in 2026, as is proven by his shortlisting in the top three for the Man of Steel. He and his Wigan Warriors teammates might have fallen short of the treble this year, but O’Neill has been one of the league’s standout performers all season, make no mistake. The bigger dilemma for McDermott will be who deputises for O’Neill, but keep reading for my take.

Prop: Ben Talty (Brisbane Broncos)

Partnering Max King in the front row is fellow NRL player Ben Talty. He might have been a part of a dismal title defence with the Brisbane Broncos this year, but his numbers are still very impressive, with a 94.5% tackle efficiency and 492 post-contact metres made, and even scoring two tries. The team needs winning experience, and Talty has that, following his Premiership win with Brisbane in 2025. I think he’s the strongest option there is for this spot out of those named.

Second-Rower: Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders)

I’m somewhat moving things around to get the best possible thirteen here, as Smithies is a loose-forward by trade, but has been known to play second-row, and all will become clear when I get to my selection for loose forward. Smithies has been a regular for the Canberra Raiders over the last three seasons, and must have impressed the great Mal Meninga because he’s off to Perth next season. He will add to this pack’s monstrous defensive output with a Tackle Efficiency of 95.7% for 2026.

Second-Rower: Kai Pearce-Paul (Wests Tigers)

A product of the famous Wigan academy, Kai Pearce-Paul has plied his trade in Australia for the past three seasons, originally with Newcastle before switching to the Wests Tigers prior to the 2026 season. He is coming back from a torn pectoral muscle, suffered in June, but was enjoying a rich vein of form for the Tigers before his injury, and if he is fit, he should slot right into the number 12 position.

Loose Forward: Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters)

The whole reason I’ve switched Morgan Smithies into the back row is that Victor Radley is simply too good in his position to pick anybody else. Set to play in his third NRL Grand Final this weekend (after winning his first two), Victor ‘the inflictor’ is a feared presence in Australia, and his inclusion here is a no-brainer.

Bench 1: Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves)

Edging out Jez Litten on form alone, at least in my opinion, Danny Walker hasn’t been far behind Brad O’Neill in terms of performance, especially towards the business end of the season. You could have either Litten or Walker here and have a fearsome duo of dummy-halves, but Walker just about edges this contest.

Bench 2: Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors)

Had a much better season this year after a somewhat lacklustre 2025; it’s only his discipline that really lets him down. Not likely to beat any NRL talent into the starting lineup, but a good option to have on the bench.

Bench 3: Luke Thomson (Wigan Warriors)

Like Nsemba, Thomson won’t be picked before any current NRL talent, but he has made 31 appearances this season for a Wigan side that won the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ Shield. Plus, his experience will help the younger heads in the pack no end.

Bench 4: Caleb Hamlin-Eule (Wakefield Trinity)

A revelation at Wakefield this year, Hamlin-Eule is part of probably the strongest pack in the Super League (at least if you ask Jazz Tevaga), and has crossed for six tries this year. He’ll put fear into the hearts of defences coming off the bench.

Bench 5: Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos)

One of the few Leeds talents to be heading Down Under in 2027, the World Cup could be an opportunity for Oledzki to show the Aussies what they have to look forward to. Competition is fierce in the pack, so his minutes may be limited, but he’s worth having around, for my money.

Bench 6: Jake Connor (Leeds Rhinos)

Using the extended bench as is used in the NRL gives us the chance to have players on the bench who would never normally be there in this hemisphere. Connor might fall just short of a starting spot, but he would be a shrewd inclusion to have on the bench, should anything befoul the starting halves in any game. You can have a lot worse options as a back-up; that’s for sure.

Squad Players: Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos), Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves), Dean Hadley (Hull KR), Zack Eckersley (Wigan Warriors)

I’ve gone for two backs and two forwards to round out my squad, which I think is probably the wisest move for injury cover and rotation’s sake. Either Zack Eckersley or Liam Marshall could go to the World Cup as a back-up, but not both. I went back and forth on the matter (Liam Marshall was even briefly in my starting line-up!), but I’ve gone for Eckersley simply for his bigger output.

Ash Handley is a dicey inclusion, given that he suffered an injury that ruled him out of Leeds’ semi-final. If he is not fit, then either Jake Wardle or Umyla Hanley could replace him; Wardle is the most likely of the two, though. The remaining two picks are there on the merits of their performances in the past few seasons that often go unappreciated. Currie has had an outstanding season after being a consistent part of the Warrington set-up for years, and Dean Hadley is the ultimate Mr Consistent; never less than a 7/10 each and every week. It may be a somewhat rose-tinted pick to have Hadley, but it will be a shame if he doesn’t have an England cap to his name when he calls time on his career.

So, there we have it, this is the starting XIII I would play against Tonga, and the full squad I would take to Australia. No doubt I’ve missed someone fairly obvious, but I think it’s a team that could well compete Down Under. Expectations are low, so anything more than a semi-final will undoubtedly be a success. Let me know your thoughts in the comments! I’ve probably forgotten someone, so tell me how much of a moron I am in those same comments!

Written by Nathan Major (Site editor & Hull KR fan)