Our Front Row - The slow motion car wreck

[I bleed Maroon]

With the sorry news that Matt Lodge won't play for us in first grade and Ese Ese's departure, Once again we stare down the barrel of another year where our pack can't match it with the best. When will this bullshit end? Moose is a great forward who should be a Bronco for life but he is just too small to be considered a tentpole Prop. Korbin Sims has ultimately turned out to be a bit of a flop (who could've seen that coming from a player that Newcastle cut adrift), we've seen Jarrod Wallace walk out in recent times, Molo's first grade career ended when he killed James Ackerman....

Dead set our pack rotation has been a dogs breakfast pretty much as far back as when Webby and Civo retired, and that is a long fucking time ago now. Since that time, we've seen absolute minnows come and go with a whimper. We had best hope that TPJ and Joffa turn out to be some real quality props in their heydays because if they aren't, we'll discover real fast that having an amazing spine and backs doesn't count for much at the sharp end of the season without the big men to lay the platform for them. Our front row has been bog average for far too long.

 

[Alec]

I strongly disagree with this McGuire is too small stuff, he's been consistently one of our best. Makes more impact than Blair or Sims and seems to have infinite energy.

I do agree that our front row depth is going to be really poor, but Bennett always seemed to underrate front rowers.

 

[winslow_wong]

The halves dilemma has definitely taken the heat off the front row dilemma. Doesn't appear to be many promising juniors coming through either.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Carrigan and Blacker look pretty good prospects.

 

[Morkel]

I'm not as concerned.

We still have Blair for at least another year, that one marquee starter right there. If we do miss out on any A-listers to partner him, Sims has all the ingredients. Bennett would need to work pretty hard with him to get him to an elite level but if that's what it comes to Bennett has all the tools and will put in the time to do it.

As has been mentioned, McGuire is another option. Losing Arrow seems to be a reality, but since there's been no formal announcement the cooling off period is in play so he's still a possible chance to end up as our lock, as was seemingly once the long term plan anyway.

Those options alone give us a year or two up our sleeves to better develop and blood our youngsters and get a feel for who's going to cut it. Who knows who'll become available in that time. Sam Burgess would be a pipedream, but it'd be amazing if he could join us. The only thing Bennett needs to improve with him is to buy commercial quantities of stick-o spray for his hands.

 

[_noosh]

It's not all doom and gloom right now I guess. We'll probably scrape through the next few years with:

8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Glenn/Su'A
12. Gillett
13. TPJ

14. Su'A/Glenn
15. Offa (assuming we retain him)
16. Fai (assuming we retain him)
17. Utility? - Kodi/Marshall

That's assuming Oates doesn't shift to Second Row like he's been rumoured to for a while now. And that Bird doesn't transition into lock, at least, for now.
Also assuming that we've lost Ese'Ese, Arrow, and Lodge.
We just need some depth which hopefully some juniors grow into.

 

[Sproj]

As mentioned in the other thread, this might force our hand to give the kids a shot finally. Just let Joffa, Fai, TPJ, hopefully Arrow, Haas, Carrigan, et al duke it out for the prop, bench and 13 spots. Might give them a sniff that staying at the club is not a dead end.

 

[Allo]

As mentioned in the other thread, this might force our hand to give the kids a shot finally. Just let Joffa, Fai, TPJ, hopefully Arrow, Haas, Carrigan, et al duke it out for the prop, bench and 13 spots. Might give them a sniff that staying at the club is not a dead end.

It's a nice silver lining for the pro-kids posters (of which I'm one). Ideally I'd prefer it to be at the expense of old and/or shit players, not quality early 20s props

 

[Jason Simmons]

I'm not as concerned.

We still have Blair for at least another year, that one marquee starter right there. If we do miss out on any A-listers to partner him, Sims has all the ingredients. Bennett would need to work pretty hard with him to get him to an elite level but if that's what it comes to Bennett has all the tools and will put in the time to do it.

As has been mentioned, McGuire is another option. Losing Arrow seems to be a reality, but since there's been no formal announcement the cooling off period is in play so he's still a possible chance to end up as our lock, as was seemingly once the long term plan anyway.

Those options alone give us a year or two up our sleeves to better develop and blood our youngsters and get a feel for who's going to cut it. Who knows who'll become available in that time. Sam Burgess would be a pipedream, but it'd be amazing if he could join us. The only thing Bennett needs to improve with him is to buy commercial quantities of stick-o spray for his hands.

I suppose this increases the chances we will play Bird at lock, put Moose back in the front row along with Blair and continue with Offa / Fai / whoever on the bench as a prop with Thaiday and TPJ as bench forwards. When Thaiday goes Oates can move onto the bench as a back rower...

 

[Unbreakable]

If Ese'ese & Arrow are already gone, I'd do whatever it takes to keep Ofahengaue & Fai. Once 2018 rolls around, I can only assume we'll be looking at a pack something along these lines..

8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Oates / Su'A (If Oates is adamant about wanting to play backrow, if not, keep him on the wing another 12 months and blood Su'A)
12. Gillett
13. Pangai Jr

14. Glenn
15. Sims
16. Ofahengaue
17. Fai

 

[Jason Simmons]

If Ese'ese & Arrow are already gone, I'd do whatever it takes to keep Ofahengaue & Fai. Once 2018 rolls around, I can only assume we'll be looking at a pack something along these lines..

8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Oates / Su'A (If Oates is adamant about wanting to play backrow, if not, keep him on the wing another 12 months and blood Su'A)
12. Gillett
13. Pangai Jr

14. Glenn
15. Sims
16. Ofahengaue
17. Fai

I don't think Thaiday has announced his retirement yet, has he?

 

[Unbreakable]

I don't think Thaiday has announced his retirement yet, has he?

 

[Morkel]

You suggest that we ultimately stone Thaiday to death and burn his carcass in a secluded forest location? Brutal, but yeah, that'll work.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

You suggest that we ultimately stone Thaiday to death and burn his carcass in a secluded forest location? Brutal, but yeah, that'll work.

I'm down for it, just make sure it isn't a forest near an Arabic community, it's bound to smell of Bacon

 

[Super Freak]

Our pack won't be an issue if we can play to our strengths week in week out.

If we can become a well drilled machine like Storm, we'll be one of the top premiership contenders every single year.

Our pack has taken down the best repeatedly with their speed, mobility and offloading ability, but they struggle to do it consistently. That's our issue with our gameplan, consistency especially throughout the 80 in a game. We can be world beaters one week, patchy the next.

 

[Number6]

At this stage I could see Bennett trying Bird to lock 80 mins, 2x80 minute backrowers if Sua is ready (or maybe 50 mins from him with Glenn starting) and roll through the front row with interchanges in short stints (Blair, TPG, Offa/Fai or whoever cheap) and McGuire as backbone. Issue is would have to play completely different style to Bennettball. Need to keep moving the ball around and rely on ball skills of forwards. Oates would need to go to centre and Pearson on wing. Would love to see it by hiring Walkers as attack coaches and let Bennett concentrate on defence and man management. But more I go on more it seems like a pipe dream.

 

[Rico]

Great thread. This whole waiting for under 20's guys to be front row stars simply doesn't work for mine. We are routinely dominated in the forwards by teams like storm who buy old hardened bastards.

I won't put sims in the flop category yet but shit I'm getting close. I am worried We are turning into a titans type outfit with a team of back rowers. Thaiday must be cut loose this year and monies reinvested into the front row.

A lot of you guys above have a heap of faith in Wayne to sort all recruitment and have a solid strategy but I'm getting concerned that his ego is running us off track. I hope I am wrong. Maybe one for another thread...

 

[Bucking Beads]

Turn Oates into a Prop!