2017 Line-up

Lacking a experienced prop with a decent engine in that squad.
 
jamesqld said:
I disagree. I think our front row will be too inexperienced if we take Blair or McGuire out of it. Even if we pick up someone like Napa.

I'm one of the people who think Glenn might be our best option at lock. Thaiday and Gillett finished the year strongly on the fringe. Why change something that works? Plus he will hardly get any minutes off the bench.

Yes Glenn is playing great off the bench, but he also played great starting aswell, although that was in the 2nd row. He has added alot of size and strength in the last year and this has been why he played in the middle at the end of the year. I think he is the most reasonable option. Next option would be Gillett at lock and Glenn in the seccond row, however im hesitent to disrupt the defensive structure Gillett adds on that edge.

Arrow, TPJ, Offa need more time. Any of them could potentially be a starter by the end of the year though.

The way I'm looking at it is whats the best option for the team? Pretty much any of our forwards could play lock. However you don't want to weaken one position just to have the best option at lock.
Click to expand...
Taking Blair or McGuire out of the front row and putting them at lock still leaves them at middle third. We're not losing the experience at all, ones just going to be taking hit ups later in the set and increasing minutes /defensive workload. If anything, it will leave us with a more experienced head for a longer duration per game.

Should we get Napa I'd argue that's a stronger set of middle forwards than Coz/Moose/Teddy. Parker slowed down quite a bit by end of the year, and it's long been pointed out that McGuire would benefit by being paired with a bigger unit to complement his skill set.

Without Napa (or another hard nut acquisition), we will be forced to slot a relatively raw player in at prop or lock. In that event Ese'ese, Arrow, Ofa, TPJ, Funaki or Fai are just going to have to step up. There was always going to be a void with Parker and Wallace exiting. I imagine Ese'ese is the most likely candidate given he's been pretty solid in his first grade time thus far.

I agree both Thaiday and Gillett should be playing edge back row. If necessary Gillett has the defensive steel and endurance to fit in at 13 but I'm hoping we utilise him to better effect running lines out wide.

Back to Glenn : he's never been a particularly strong defender and his workload is going to go up immensely in the middle. He's not going to make 20 odd tackles against wide runners, he's going to make 35+ against big boppers from the opening whistle. He'll be falling off tackles and getting driven back when it's his turn to run.

Glenn at lock will weaken us far more than pushing one of our raw props into a more prominent role (which they're at least suited to, despite lack of experience). Out of any of our current forwards, he's the last I'd play at lock. Square peg, round hole.
 
Last edited:
Kyall said:
Arrow I'm not convinced by him he has no offload or step from watching him in the u/20s he would only b a battering ram n tackler we need more out of our lock in attack
Click to expand...
You should open your eyes. Try asking Byrnes how many tries and breaks he made from Arrow offloads in the U20s.
 
Splinter said:
You should open your eyes. Try asking Byrnes how many tries and breaks he made from Arrow offloads in the U20s.
Click to expand...
Fair play, not too many of us are overly familiar with the 20's, myself included.

Arrow is obviously pencilled in for inclusion next season care of holding his place off the bench this year.

I hope he's up to the challenge, but it's fair to say we didn't see too much from him in limited minutes this year. Perchance with more time we'll see him show his wares.
 
Lock may be in the middle but it's not the same as being a prop. Glenn, Gillett, go back to Stagg etc, could play lock in the middle, but are not suited to prop. McGuire and Blair may be mobile enough to play at lock, but it doesn't mean that automatically our other middle-third players can just jump up to the front row to fill the gap.

In defence, props generally have to make first contact and it needs to be brutal. Often they'll go high while the hooker goes in low. The lock, unless deliberately targeted, will normally be the third tackler to help hold the runner up. They don't necessarily have to be as dominant, as they're just another number. That also allows them to be more mobile, as they are often required to do the clean-up work if there is a missed tackle or the runner manages to get in behind the ruck - Stagg's specialty of course, he was an excellent lock, but he could never translate to the front row.

In attack, again the props need to be bigger as they'll take the first or second carry to try to get momentum (if the back's haven't already done so). The lock will then take tackle 3 or 4 - again the theory being that the defence has been pushed back or opened up enough to allow the generally smaller and more mobile lock or back-rower to make good metres and challenge for an offload (Parker). That's why Taumalolo is able to be such a beast - he has the luxury of following Scott & Tamou and is a massive unit - but unless he's worn down he's still mobile enough to do the clean-up work. He'd be wasted at prop.

TLDR, McGuire and Blair MUST stay at prop, we have a lot of forwards capable of "playing in the middle", but few of them are capable of playing prop, certainly not as a starting prop. If we lose Blair or McGuire, we'll miss Wallace more than we will Parker.
 
Rally Towel said:
Taking Blair or McGuire out of the front row and putting them at lock still leaves them at middle third. We're not losing the experience at all, ones just going to be taking hit ups later in the set and increasing minutes /defensive workload. If anything, it will leave us with a more experienced head for a longer duration per game.

Should we get Napa I'd argue that's a stronger set of middle forwards than Coz/Moose/Teddy. Parker slowed down quite a bit by end of the year, and it's long been pointed out that McGuire would benefit by being paired with a bigger unit to complement his skill set.

Without Napa (or another hard nut acquisition), we will be forced to slot a relatively raw player in at prop or lock. In that event Ese'ese, Arrow, Ofa, TPJ, Funaki or Fai are just going to have to step up. There was always going to be a void with Parker and Wallace exiting. I imagine Ese'ese is the most likely candidate given he's been pretty solid in his first grade time thus far.

I agree both Thaiday and Gillett should be playing edge back row. If necessary Gillett has the defensive steel and endurance to fit in at 13 but I'm hoping we utilise him to better effect running lines out wide.

Back to Glenn : he's never been a particularly strong defender and his workload is going to go up immensely in the middle. He's not going to make 20 odd tackles against wide runners, he's going to make 35+ against big boppers from the opening whistle. He'll be falling off tackles and getting driven back when it's his turn to run.

Glenn at lock will weaken us far more than pushing one of our raw props into a more prominent role (which they're at least suited to, despite lack of experience). Out of any of our current forwards, he's the last I'd play at lock. Square peg, round hole.
Click to expand...

We have far more experienced players taking up the bulk of the game time with Glenn at lock. With McGuire or Blair at lock we put so much pressure on TPJ, Offa and Ese to hold up the rest of our front row rotation. They just aren't ready for that yet and we will have Glenn sitting on the bench getting 20-30minutes... It might work if we recruit someone like Napa, but even still 2 young props off the bench isn't ideal.

I think you aren't giving Glenn enough credit. But each to their own I guess...
 
I think it's gunna be a big year for smoking joe next year he's off contract n is 22 he has no more excuses it's step up or shove off for him he has so much potential and has to show it
 
I'm backing our young guys to really come on next year.

Napa would be a good signing but I personally don't see him as a necessity.

I don't particularly rate Ofahengaue and I haven't seen enough of Arrow to form an educated opinion of him, but this is the forward pack and bench I would run with in round 1.

8. Josh McGuire
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Adam Blair
11. Sam Thaiday
12. Matt Gillett
13. Herman Ese'ese - Big unit with a good motor, he also has a great offload and a good passing game for a lock. I think he could explode next season if given a chance.

Interchange

14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Tevita Pangai Jr
16. George Fai - I know this is a guy who hasn't played first grade yet, but I just think he should be given a start and to just be allowed to develop throughout the year being a bench weapon with Pangai Jr.
17. Alex Glenn

I know that there are a fair few young guys in this forward pack, but I think that by the end of the year it could be one that can dominate through the middle and give the halves some room to move.
 
Yea I think Glenn should stay on da bench to he had sum good impact but I think pangai jr should b our lock n just hav ta wait till trials to see George fai
 
I like it but I really want Arrow to just be given a shot next year, he is a workhorse, of course we haven't seen his best off the bench yet. I rate Fai a lot but am not sure you have enough on the bench with him and TPJ yet. Obviously both have a lot of upside, a real lot but both would also run out of puff very early.
 
I feel like we already have enough workhorses in our forward pack and we need someone explosive at lock and I think Ese'ese is coming to the age where he can offer that in a starting roll.

I know it is a risk to have TPJ and Fai on the bench but I think it is a risk worth taking and will pay huge dividends for us by the end of the year and for the years to come.

That forward pack has X factor and can potentially dominate other teams.
 
Sproj said:
I like it but I really want Arrow to just be given a shot next year, he is a workhorse, of course we haven't seen his best off the bench yet. I rate Fai a lot but am not sure you have enough on the bench with him and TPJ yet. Obviously both have a lot of upside, a real lot but both would also run out of puff very early.
Click to expand...

I've watched Arrow a fair bit this season in the ISC and im keen to see what he can do with a big pre season and a few games under his belt next season. I reckon he's going to surprise a few people with what he can do.
 
Stix said:
I've watched Arrow a fair bit this season in the ISC and im keen to see what he can do with a big pre season and a few games under his belt next season. I reckon he's going to surprise a few people with what he can do.
Click to expand...

As I had said I haven't seen enough of him to really judge and I hope he kills it next year if given the opportunity.
 
New Posts

Unread

Watch

YouTube
0 0 853
1:22:22
NSWRL Major Preliminary Semi Final, 1990 - Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos
View full media list »

Active Now

  • Dash
  • Foordy
  • Sproj
  • Broncosarethebest
  • broncsgoat
  • Xzei
  • Financeguy
  • Culhwch
Total: 171 (members: 10, guests: 161)
Robots: 318
Top
  AdBlock Message
Please consider adding BHQ to your Adblock Whitelist. We do our best to make sure it doesn't affect your experience on the website, and the funds help us pay server and software costs.