Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:51 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Crosby seems to get overlooked quite a bit. Not sure why, like you I have him down as one of our better FR options. Oledzki: we definitely can't afford to overlook the dent he puts in the opposition defence line. Cuthberstson is a bit soft for a starting prop for me and Singo is better against tired players with his quick ptb than he is against fresh ones where this is less effective. So yes, I pretty much go with what you've said. Peteru I'll reserve judgement on until I've seen him have a good, injury-free run. I think he might turn out to be an asset. Then again, I've said much the same about Ferres...

I'm not sure whether Peteru is dominant enough for prop, or fast enough for BR (probably why he's here and not in NRL).
We're going to get injuries pretty much from round 1 so I'm sure we'll get to see plenty of combinations of players throughout the season.
I just think we need as much go-forward as possible from the props and second rowers in order for our ball players to show their worth.
*IF* the pack can perform, I actually quite fancy us this year - some people forget just how ravaged we were by injuries in 2018. We have a tough task in establishing momentum and confidence with our first games.
I don't know: I actually liked McDermott in many ways, and his record overall was phenomenal. He did however squeeze players into his way of thinking and suffocated their natural style sometimes: if Furner is brave enough to let his talented players play, we could see success sooner rather than later.
We just can't let talented players play if the side is constantly on the back foot getting bullied in the middle...

Re: FRIENDLY | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:46 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Totally agree but our BR cant play if our front row isn't doing it's job. This is why we keep having second rowers sucked in to playing a prop role - we don't have enough proper props. Give us three high-impact props on rotation to create some dents in defences, and then watch Merrin, Ward and Smith go.

I agree entirely and I would love a meter making prop like a Walmsley prior to his injury or a fully fit and committed Garbutt to give us the grunt up front

But then I wonder how the hell Wigan managed to win last years grand final with Sutton,Flower,Clubb and Navarette as their props as none are really what you would call "meter munching props"?

Wasn't Wane's philosophy that he wanted his props to go to ground without any leg drive and to then get a quick play the ball which then went wide on the next play?

Wigan always seemed to make their big inroads when they went wide to players like Bateman and their outside backs and gained their territory that way
Either way it proved successful

I'm intrigued by the new 8 interchange rule and to see how it works for each side over this season

Re: FRIENDLY | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:00 pm  

The Biffs Back wrote:

But then I wonder how the hell Wigan managed to win last years grand final with Sutton,Flower,Clubb and Navarette as their props as none are really what you would call "meter munching props"?

Wouldn't say Clubb was a slouch at making metres, he usually makes good ground.

Re: FRIENDLY | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:19 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

Wouldn't say Clubb was a slouch at making metres, he usually makes good ground.

I personally wouldn't wish to sign Clubb or any of the other Wigan props mentioned

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 8:36 pm  

I didn't say I wanted to sign him though we could do worse. The others I'm in full agreement on.
Anyway, who could forget Clubb's GF "bomb"?

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:12 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

I didn't say I wanted to sign him though we could do worse. The others I'm in full agreement on.
Anyway, who could forget Clubb's GF "bomb"?

The fact that Crosby is looking credible as one of Leeds’ starting props probably tells you what you need to know - he’s a rotation prop at the top clubs I would suggest. Solid enough but a club like Leeds should have internationals in key positions. Garbutt was the right quality when fit, but truth is we never replaced Peacock’s role. Galloway was a good bloke but never really got going with us. Now we’re left with Singleton, a bunch of project signings and one big lad from the Academy who has potential but is still a bit undercooked.

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:56 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

The fact that Crosby is looking credible as one of Leeds’ starting props probably tells you what you need to know - he’s a rotation prop at the top clubs I would suggest. Solid enough but a club like Leeds should have internationals in key positions. Garbutt was the right quality when fit, but truth is we never replaced Peacock’s role. Galloway was a good bloke but never really got going with us. Now we’re left with Singleton, a bunch of project signings and one big lad from the Academy who has potential but is still a bit undercooked.

We all know we need a prop but I would much rather go into the season as we are and have the space for quality than next year rather than a panic buy now.
Think a lot over play how good garbutt, and I trust that the club had their reasons for getting rid. He doesn’t fit with your internationals for key positions theory anyway nowhere near being an international

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:26 am  

Have to agree. The club have signed 3 class players. Let's see how our next off season recruitment is once we've had afew more retirements + released the rest of the deadwood.

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Fri Jan 25, 2019 7:43 am  

Signed 2 Class players and lost 2 class players

Re: Friendly | Castleford Tigers (H) : Fri Jan 25, 2019 8:35 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

The fact that Crosby is looking credible as one of Leeds’ starting props probably tells you what you need to know - he’s a rotation prop at the top clubs I would suggest. Solid enough but a club like Leeds should have internationals in key positions. Garbutt was the right quality when fit, but truth is we never replaced Peacock’s role. Galloway was a good bloke but never really got going with us. Now we’re left with Singleton, a bunch of project signings and one big lad from the Academy who has potential but is still a bit undercooked.

Agree with that. Injuries to the pack will expose us again this year imo