England’s predicted Ashes 17 with six Wigan stars and Mikey Lewis dropped

The Ashes is BACK! For the first time since 2003, England will play Australia in a three-Test series, and things are already heating up. 

England boss Shaun Wane will have some of the best players in the world at his disposal for the visit of Mal Meninga’s men, with a whole host of NRL and Super League stars available for selection.

Crucially, there seems to be a core England squad forming following successive series wins over Tonga and Samoa, but that could be bolstered by some new faces depending on form.

But, how will England line up this autumn? Well, here is our first look at a potential England match-day 17 to face the Kangaroos.

1 Jack Welsby

You’d imagine St Helens star Jack Welsby will once again don the number one jersey later this year. Welsby has become an integral member of this England squad under Wane, captaining the side in the absence of George Williams too, and you’d expect him to be a key leader in the side once again.

2 Dom Young

Arguably one of the best wingers in the world right now, Dom Young should start against Australia this autumn. His game has reached new heights since moving to the Sydney Roosters, and with his pace and power, he will probably be England’s go-to attacking option out wide.

3 Herbie Farnworth

Another NRL superstar in this side will be Herbie Farnworth. The Burnley-native proved in the Samoa series last year just how pivotal he is going to be for England moving forward, but again he has really upped his game at the Dolphins and should carry that form over to the white jersey.

4 Jake Wardle

A tough call between him and Harry Newman, but on current form, Jake Wardle just edges it for us. The Wigan back has been consistently brilliant for Wigan since joining the club in 2023, and has quickly established himself as arguably the best centre in Super League right now. His defensive output is also top draw, which will be needed against this Kangaroo’s backline.

5 Matty Ashton

There are a lot of great British wingers in Super League right now, but Matty Ashton should keep his spot in this England side. His performances for Wane in both 2023 and 2024 prove he can be an elite Test-level player, but he’s backing that up with some quality outings for Warrington too. Liam Marshall might want a word though…

6 George Williams (C)

Mikey Lewis might be the reigning Man of Steel and among the best half-backs in Super League, but George Williams is Wane’s go-to man at six and will also more than likely captain the side. The Wire man is also a seriously good player in his own right, and has shone for England in recent Test outings too.

7 Harry Smith

With Williams likely to feature in the number six shirt, Harry Smith should partner him in the halves. The Wigan man is a proper organising half-back, which in turn should let Williams have his attacking flashes ball-in-hand. His kicking game will also be crucial.

8 Mike McMeeken

There’s a lot of good props pushing for selection, but Wakefield skipper Mike McMeeken can’t be ignored on current form. He has just seemingly upped his entire game since his switch to West Yorkshire this off-season, and his experience will also come in handy in what is a fairly young England squad.

9 Brad O’Neill

Big call here considering he’s only just come back into the mix, but Brad O’Neil is our starting nine for the Ashes. The Wigan ace is just such a quality operator around the ruck, and crucially has a solid connection with Smith through the spine, which could be pivotal to the squad clicking overall. He’ll need to get some decent minutes into his legs to get back fully, but he’s a proper player when at his best.

10 Luke Thompson

There was never really going to be anyone else in this shirt. Since joining Wigan, Luke Thompson has excelled beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, but it’s also his ability to play big minutes that will please Wane heading into the Ashes.

11 Junior Nsemba

This time last year, Junior Nsmeba probably wasn’t on Shaun Wane’s radar, but now he will probably be one of the first names on the team sheet. His blend of power, pace and athleticism makes him a huge attacking threat, but he combines this with some strong defensive outputs too.

12 Kai Pearce-Paul

Newcastle’s Kai Pearce-Paul will likely start on the other edge this autumn, and that could again be a masterstroke from Wane. The former Wigan ace is another who has excelled since his switch to the NRL, and his inclusion could worry the Kangaroos’ pack as a result.

13 Victor Radley

Joining fellow Rooster Young in our 13 is Victor Radley, who will more than likely retain his spot despite competition from Morgan Smithies. Radley will not only add some serious quality to the pack, but he will also give the squad some proper experience on the pitch, which will be so important if they want to come away with the series victory.

Bench

14 Danny Walker, 15  Tyler Dupree, 16 Matty Nicholson, 17 Matty Lees

Wane is again spoiled for choice on his bench, but we think Danny Walker, Tyler Dupree, Matty Nicholson and Matty Lees are the front-runners to be named as the interchanges this autumn. All four men have been involved with Wane’s England squad for the past few years and will really add some balance to this 17.