I’ve said it before but looking at our team list, their are some obvious deficiencies, but there’s also a lot of talent. I’m confident a semi-competent coach could scrape us into the top 10. Looking at the talent in the team it’s a testament to just how bad Seibold went. Injuries also obviously played a big part too.
Backs:
1. Desperate need of a fullback
2. Herbie
3. Staggs (need a reliable depth to cover)
4. Bird (if both fit an amazing centre combo)
5. Coates/someone who stays on their wing
Herbie is an asset and developing well. Decent defensive structures will hopefully allow him to stay on his wing. Coates has a lot of potential but looks terrible in defence. But every single player we had in the backs last year looked lost in defence so I don’t think we’ve yet got a good gauge of Coates. It has to be a Seibold structural issue. Staggs and Bird if fit (yeah yeah I know) is a rep quality centre pairing - potentially very good. We just need someone to cover for Staggs until he returns (and for Bird when he’s inevitably out for the season again). Fullback is one of the teams biggest glaring issues.
Halves:
6. Milford
7. Dearden
I don’t care what anyone says, even with his questionable work ethic, Milf is a top 8 half. A decent coach will have him playing as such. Might not ever win you a GF though. Dearden has potential. There are definitely worse half pairings getting around.
Forwards
8.Lodge
9. Turpin
10. Haas
11. (Glenn)
12. TPJ
13. Carrigan
There’s a lot of talent there. We’ll have to see how lodge goes without carrying injury, and if he can adjust his body over the off season to better suit the faster game. Haas and TPJ are animals in their own ways, and Caragan is Mr Dependable. Turpin is good enough but you’d probably have one eye on the market if your Kev. Glenn will do for one more season. We need one or two smart signings to make our pick more balanced.
IMO fullback is the only position that we desperately need to address. The rest of the team should be able to make 8-10th even without making any changes.
don’t get me wrong, there absolutely should be changes made when the right options arrive but I think anything below 10th would be a failure with the current squad.
The only players I think we desperately need to move on is Oates and Offa.