Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:01 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

People are judging our squad (and our chances) by 2011 standards. No team has two quality hookers these days....no team certainly has our replacement forwards from 2011, no team has a pair of outstanding centres or wingers either. Ideally we could certainly do with a nasty prop and a few other tweaks....but we're in a fairly low grade horse race with a pretty decent horse, top 3 is EASILY achievable.

Really agree with this. I believe we have potentially the best overall squad that just needs coaching and enthusiasm from it's coaches. A lot of people are tipping Saints this season, but have you seen their pack- nothing to write home about bar Walmsley and Roby who is getting on a bit.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:14 pm  

How did currie look now hes had a bit of preseason and a few games under his belt?

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:02 pm  

Wire XIII wrote:

How did currie look now hes had a bit of preseason and a few games under his belt?

Well it was good to see the strapping on his leg has gone. I thought he looked pretty fit but at the same time he didn't look 100% committed. However most of the attack took place on the other side of the field so that didn't help his cause.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:59 pm  

bits n pieces I took away from yesterday.

Murdoch-Masilla (apparently has been saved in my auto text, phew) tried in the middle, then switched with Hughes to right second row pretty early looks more dangerous out there, doesn't seem like the best tackler.

Hughes seemed bright, whilst he was dog poop last year, he was a useful part of 2016s squad, let's not forget that.

I went through a myriad of opinion on Cooper yesterday, he started off by running like a fat lad with floppy arms, I wasn't convinced that he deserves the ten shirt, but later on in the game he was shooting out the line and dragging the other middles with him, and tackling pretty well.

It's a trial though, innit.

Morgan Smith gave a fairly good account of himself in spotty minutes at hooker and half, he'a really not afraid at rollicking ppl.

Mitch brown looks like he'll be used as an aerial threat of and when he makes the team, Kev put a few high kicks up for him.

Not sure about pat Moran, finally get to see him, he's very lightweight looking for a prop.

Didn't see much from Luis Johnson, though he got clattered and took abd odd knock not long after coming on field.

Overall I think we look a bit more offensive minded, and tried quite hard to go around the chasers on kick returns a few times.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:00 pm  

Currie performance you asked....
Well he put Ratchford in for his try following an initial break from Clark involving Brown.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:53 pm  

Anyone else see the 'Watkins-esque' flick pass from Hughes to Russell in the second half?

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:20 pm  

wire-flyer wrote:

Anyone else see the 'Watkins-esque' flick pass from Hughes to Russell in the second half?

I did not go to the game. But if I witnessed that I would have fell off my seat. For me Hughes never seems to run hard into contact. He would be a much better player if he run hard into contact and maybe burst through the tackle.

Clean slate and i will reserved judgement until i witness the new and improved player or the busted flush he was last season.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:33 pm  

As bad as Hughes was last year I seem to remember him running hard enough to take players over the line with him a few times in 2016.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:22 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

A theme of last year on here was how we had a beaten pack, needed some biff etc.

What do you think about it at this point?

For me, the pack is the main reason I have got limited expectations about this season, particularly the thin-looking front row.

From last year's struggling pack we have moved on Sims, Savelio, Julien, Westerman and Dwyer.

Adding BMM plus Currie coming back from injury gives us a stronger looking back row.

What's the front row going to be? Hill and Cooper with Crosby and Akauola coming off the bench? A few question marks there.

Overall I think we are 2 top class forwards away from being able to go in to the season with confidence that we can be competing in the top four.

Our props neither had any pace nor any real raw strength to burst tackles (Hill relies on footwork).

I personally thought Clark was class.

Depending on what we wanted from our second row lacked the movement and ball handling skills in attack to get the outside backs in good positions, Atkins did this for himself at centre on one side and Lineham did it for himself on the wing in the right. But really it’s not their jobs to be doing the second row’s job. Unless the SRs were just there to make metres and the Loose to do the job of creating space and passes out wide. But the SRs never really made any decent metres neither. Westerman was okay with ball in hand.

I think we are still missing pace and line breaks in the props.

I’m hoping Clark will get international recognition.

Our back row is going to be unrecognisable to last year. Currie will make a huge difference in creating space and passes out wide on the left. Murdock-Masilla will bring raw pace and power for line breaks and metres.

I’m really looking forward to seeing our back row and Clark this season and hole our props can make more of an impact as they were well short last year. Hill and Cooper need to improve a lot. Crosby will give us numbers and Akaola should bring a bit of metre making.

Big year for Hughes. Will be playing for his place at the club for me but I think he was good in 2016 so here’s hoping for the lad for this year.

Re: Is our pack good enough? : Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:26 pm  

And one other thing, I want Chris Hill to stop moaning at the ref so much and giving penalties away at silly times or in silly areas.

As captain he needs to be calmer and more composed.