England head coach Shaun Wane has been encouraged to make key changes to his spine if they’re to avoid losing the Ashes in the second Test at Everton.
With Australia having taken a 1-0 lead by winning the Ashes opener 26-6 at Wembley, England must avoid defeat to give themselves a chance going into the final Test at Headingley.
Saying that and doing that are two very different things with England looking a good few gears behind Australia, who didn’t really seem to ever take it out of second gear.
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In Reece Walsh, they have arguably the most in-form player in the world and he showed that as he tore Shaun Wane’s side apart with England having no answer to him, and no one who could do similar damage to the Kangaroos.
That has seen widescale calls for NRL playmaker AJ Brimson to feature, either at full-back or in the halves, and the NRL media are making the same suggestion as well.
What changes do England need to make to beat Australia?
Fox Sports’ Andrew Voss and Greg Alexander debated where he could play with Voss not advocating for a change in the halves, but Alexander insisting that Brimson must play, even if as a 14.
Former England international Josh Hodgson argued that more players with experience against Australians should have been selected, as he claimed that Luke Thompson could have featured.
On that basis, Michael Ennis agreed: “George Williams was their best today, he’s played against these blokes.
“I felt like Welsby and Lewis just sat back a fraction today. At least Brimson plays against these blokes every week.
“If you’ve got Williams creating those half chances, well AJ can turn half chances into points pretty quickly.”
For him, either Mikey Lewis needs to start taking the line on more or Brimson assume that role but for Matty Johns, a change at full-back is needed and it’s not Brimson replacing Welsby.
Explaining that England are ‘not good at advancing the ball sideways’, he called for Herbie Farnworth to shift to full-back and help lead a middle of the field assault.
“I’d be going Herbie to fullback, I’d be bringing AJ into the side and finding a way,” Johns argued.
“I’d just do a middle third assault, beat Australia right through the middle. Get guys like Dom Young in the middle of the field.”
Shaun Wane has plenty of options but he has just a week to work out the formula for his side to either win or at least avoid defeat and give themselves a chance at Headingley.
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Eric T Cat
October 26, 2025 at 11:31 am
Dom Young wants to play at centre, so bring him into the centre, push Farnworth to full back, bring Joe Burgess in on the wing, swap Williams and Lewis around, with Lewis at 6, as there’s no way Wane would ever drop Williams. Litten should start, he looked far more lively from the play the ball. McKeenen and Trout to start, as they looked far more intent. The second row and loose forward…I thought they were anonymous to be honest, so much so it’s hard to say annything about them. I thought both wingers had good games. Australia had a theory Tom Johnstone would crack under the high balls, he proved them wrong, he was solid. Dom Young ran the ball hard and fast, he looked threatening.
But, the best players are sat at home watching, or if any sense on a beach somewhere recovering from a long season, taking a break, working on their tan, eating food and drinking things they don’t during training and the season, relaxing, not being traumatised out on the pitch by Australia.
Shame we can’t play the Man of Steel Jake Connor at full back. But the England coach doesn’t puck on form, except when explaining why he’s not picked a player, unless it’s a player he won’t pick, then itks a different reason…
The New England coach then? Who do we get for that job? Steve McNamara back?
john weldrick
October 26, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Lewis was simply disregarded by the aussies, england have no maverick in the team , Connor needs to play with smith an williams, litten from the start and welsby dropped , they also need a complete rethink in the pack, it won’t change the result as the aussies are in a different league , but we need to make a statement of intent next week , to show we have some spirit and fight.
John Dalton
October 26, 2025 at 12:49 pm
I suppose that we will get more of the same in the next two tests, just to prove that it does not work. Why suggest that we can even beat them, if we are so crap?
Mr R Johnson
October 26, 2025 at 7:12 pm
Was williams playing?
John Rushbrooke
October 27, 2025 at 11:14 am
Couldn’t agree more. I fail to understand what game was being watched by some of the commentators on here and other forums. I thought Williams created absolutely nothing and missed at least two crucial tackles. of the few “chances” we created, more were on the left flank than the right so if we are going to drop one of the halves, Williams should go. Obviously that won’t happen as he has “credit in the bank” and is Wane’s talisman captain, so I fully expect he will replace Lewis with Smith.
Only one person needs replacing and that’s dinosaur Wane, otherwise we will never progress.