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Thoughts? Do we have the fifth best pack in the comp?NRL pack power rankings: Ranking the best forward packs after transfer madness
Josh McGuire, David Klemmer, Dylan Napa and Angus Crichton have all changed clubs since last season.
The number of forwards to change clubs this off-season has seen a shift in the balance of power in the NRL.
From the Knights signing David Klemmer to Dylan Napa leaving the premiers to join the Bulldogs, most forwards packs look decidedly different to how they finished the 2018 season.
With most NRL squads being close to finalised for next season, Foxsports.com.au ranks every NRL pack from one to 16 to determine the best starting pack on paper ahead of season 2019.
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Scroll down for the ultimate NRL forward pack power rankings for the 2019 season.
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1. COWBOYS
Josh McGuire is set to dramatically improve the Cowboys pack.
Starting pack:
8. Matt Scott
9. Jake Granville
10. Josh McGuire
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Coen Hess
13. Jason Taumalolo
Analysis: The Cowboys had a confounding season in 2018, after making the grand final the previous year and you can bet Paul Green won’t let it happen again. The addition of 194 game veteran of 11 Origins and 15 Tests Josh McGuire is a massive signing, with Matt Scott or Jordan McLean expected to play off the bench. The Cowboys still boast the most destructive forward in the game in Jason Taumalolo, try machine Gavin Cooper and Origin star Coen Hess, who will be up for a big season.
2. RABBITOHS
Starting pack:
8.Thomas Burgess
9. Damien Cook
10. George Burgess
11. John Sutton
12. Cameron Murray
13. Sam Burgess
Analysis: The Rabbitohs have retained largely the same starting pack that carried the team to within a game of the grand final. Angus Crichton is a massive loss, but Cameron Murray is one of the best young forwards in the game, as evidence by his inclusion in Brad Fittler’s extended Blues squad. After a career best season John Sutton has signed on for another year and any pack with three English forwards in the Burgess brothers and the Australian hooker in Damien Cook is going to have the measure of most other teams.
3. ROOSTERS
Starting pack:
8. Sio Siua Taukeiaho
9. Jake Friend
10. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Angus Crichton
13. Victor Radley
Analysis:The defending premiers may have lost their front row enforcer Dylan Napa to the Bulldogs, but they made up for it with the signing of former Rabbitoh Angus Crichton. 26-year-old Napa has played five games for his State and won a premiership, but at 22 with three games for the Blues to his name, Crichton has a big future at both club and representative level. The Roosters are favourites to go back-to-back and their starting pack, with the best defensive record from last year is still right up there with the best in the game.
4. STORM
Starting pack:
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith
10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Joe Stimson
13. Dale Finucane
Analysis:Much will depend on whether Cameron Smith re-signs with the club, but if he does then the Storm are still one of the premier packs in the competition. Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jesse Browich are at opposite ends of their careers, but are both so effective at bending the line. Felise Kaufusi is an Origin and Test incumbent, while Joe Stimson kept Ryan Hoffman out of the starting team last season and Dale Finucane has played in five grand finals in seven years.
5. BRONCOS
Starting pack:
8. Joe Ofahengaue
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Matt Lodge
11. Alex Glenn
12. Tevita Pangai Jnr.
13. Matt Gillett
Analysis:Much will depend on how the Broncos’ boom youngsters develop, but on potential Brisbane could be the best pack in the game in coming seasons. Josh McGuire is a massive loss, but the return of Matt Gillett and the form of Tevita Pangai Jr can help fill that hole in the back row. Andrew McCullogh is the encumbent Maroons’ No.9, while Joe Ofahengaue and Matt Lodge are in the Origin conversation. With Payne Haas, Jaydn Su’A and David Fifita also pushing for starting spots, the Broncos are arguably the deepest pack in the game.
6. SHARKS
Starting pack:
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Matt Prior
11. Scott Sorenson
12. Kurt Capewell
13. Paul Gallen
Analysis: The Sharks’ pack have been hurt by the retirement of Luke Lewis and the long term injury to Wade Graham, but they still have one of the most feared packs in the NRL. Andrew Fifita and Matt Prior have kept Australian star Aaron Woods on the bench, while Paul Gallen returns from a shoulder injury that ended his 2018 season prematurely. The young second row pairing of Scott Sorensen and Kurt Capewell will need to step up, but the Sharks have the depth to cover for the loss of Graham.
7. DRAGONS
Starting pack:
8. James Graham
9. Cameron McInnes
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Tariq Sims
13. Jack de Belin
Analysis: The Dragons’ starting pack will be largely unchanged from the side that dominated the first half of the 2018 season, but can they maintain the rage for a full campaign? Korbin Sims will put pressure on James Graham and Paul Vaughan in the front row, while Cameron McInness is still one of the top hookers in NSW. The all Blues’ back row of Tyson Frizell, Tariq Sims and Jack De Belin make the Dragons a formidable challenge for any team.
8. PANTHERS
Starting pack:
8. James Tamou
9. Sione Katoa
10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Isaah Yeo
13. James Fisher-Harris
Analysis: Trent Merrin’s defection to the Super League will hurt the Panthers’ depth, but they still boast a formidable starting pack. James Tamou and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have both played for their state and Sione Katoa is a smart operator out of dummy-half. Viliame Kikau is arguably the most exciting young attacking weapon in the NRL and Isaah Yeo compliments him as a second row partner. 22-year-old James Fisher-Harris has five Tests for the Kiwis to his name and is set for a long career at the foot of the mountains.
9. TITANS
Shannon Boyd will add more size to a monster Titans’ pack.
Starting pack:
8. Jarrod Wallace
9. Nathan Peats
10. Shannon Boyd
11. Kevin Proctor
12. Ryan James
13. Jai Arrow
Analysis:The addition of Shannon Boyd is a huge one for the Titans. If he can recapture the sort of form that saw him elevated to the Kangaroos in 2016, they will have one of the strongest packs in the competition. Jarrod Wallace was unstoppable at club level after returning from Origin duty, and Ryan James, Kevin Proctor and Jai Arrow are also proven rep performers.
10. WARRIORS
Starting pack:
8. Leeson Ah Mau
9. Issac Luke
10. Agnatius Paasi
11. Tohu Harris
12. Isaiah Papali’i
13. Adam Blair
Analysis: Issac Luke is still one of the most dangerous hookers in the game, but the Warriors will need him to find his feet quickly upon his return from off-season shoulder surgery. Leeson Ah Mau is a good pick up, after impressing for the Dragons last season. And 20-year-old Isaiah Papali’i will only go from strength to strength now he has a couple of seasons of first-grade under his belt, and with old heads Tohu Harris and Adam Blair leading by example.
11. SEA EAGLES
Starting pack:
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Apisai Koroisau
10 Martin Taupau
11. Joel Thompson
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Trbojevic
Analysis: Last season, Marty Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake were two of the shining lights in a miserable Sea Eagles season. With Jake Trbojevic as well, they’re well covered in the middle third. They obviously need premiership-winning rake Api Koroisau to stay fit because his experience is invaluable. The second-row is more of a concern for Manly. Curtis Sironen is injury prone and there’s an obvious lack of depth in the position.
12. RAIDERS
Starting pack:
8. Dunamis Lui
9. Josh Hodgson
10. Luke Bateman
11. Joseph Tapine
12. Elliot Whitehead
13. Josh Papalii
Analysis:The Raiders struggled badly with Josh Hodgson out for the first 14 weeks of the 2018 season. When he’s on the park they are far more cohesive unit and his forwards feed off his confidence. And while their back-row is world class, they look a little thin at prop.They have lost two big bodies in Junior Paulo Shannon Boyd, and Dunamis Lui and Luke Bateman don’t have that same intimidation factor.
13. KNIGHTS
Starting pack:
8. Tim Glasby
9. Danny Levi
10. David Klemmer
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12. Aidan Guerra
13. Mitch Barnett
Analysis:David Klemmer is arguably the buy of the season. He’s just what the Knights needed - a big body with bucket loads of rep experience. The likes of the Saifiti brothers and Mitch Barnett are sure to take their games to another level with someone of Klemmer’s stature around them at training. And with Tim Glasby - who’s played for the Maroons and spent years in the Storm system - they have plenty of professionalism up front. Lachlan Fitzgibbon is a star in the making, and of course Aidan Guerra has played at every level and won a premiership.
14. BULLDOGS
Corey Harawira-Naera will bolster the Bulldogs’ back row.
Starting pack:
8. Aiden Tolman
9. Michael Lichaa
10. Dylan Napa
11. Josh Jackson
12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
13. Corey Harawira-Naera
Analysis:The Bulldogs have lost arguably the best front-rower in the game in David Klemmer, who was easily their best player in 2018. However the addition of Dylan Napa from the Roosters to join Aidan Tolman and Michael Lichaa in the front row will go a long way towards filling the whole left by Klemmer’s departure. Corey Harawira-Naera also joins skipper Josh Jackson and Raymond Faitala-Mariner in a competitive back row, but if injuries strike, their depth could be tested.
15. TIGERS
Starting pack:
8. Russell Packer
9. Robbie Farah
10. Ben Matulino
11. Chris Lawrence
12. Ryan Matterson
13. Elijah Taylor
Analysis: The Tigers were the surprise packets of last season with their no-nonsense pack contributing to their much improved defensive standards in 2018. However with the exception of Ryan Matterson, the club has been relatively quiet on the recruitment front. Russell Packer and Ben Matulino are a strong prop pairing and Robbie Farah has shown he still has plenty left in the tank. Elijah Taylor and Chris Lawrence are solid defensive players, but the Tigers’ pack is lacking in a real X-factor player to break games open from the middle of the field.
16. EELS
Junior Paulo has returned for a second stint with the Eels.
Starting pack:
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Junior Paulo
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Tepai Moeroa
13. Nathan Brown
Analysis:The Eels were surprisingly one of the least active clubs in the player market, but Junior Paulo will add starch to the pack after returning to Parramatta from the Raiders. Kaysa Pritchard’s return from injury is a big boost and Daniel Alvaro was the best player in the team last season. The Eels have a hard working back row of Manu Ma’u, Tepai Moeroa and Nathan Brown, but they are lacking in strike power and depth to challenge the top sides consistently.
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