Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:39 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

He’ll always be a utility for me and wouldn’t make the 17 when everyone is fit. I’d be 50/50 on him playing on Sunday tbh and would probably start Nsemba right side second row and have Shorrocks either on the bench or not in the 17.

You're spot on, when everyone was fit he was loaned to Leigh. Once we lost a few players though he's crucial to getting as strong a side as we can on the field and that's what I mean by squad players on low wages.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 12:52 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

You're spot on, when everyone was fit he was loaned to Leigh. Once we lost a few players though he's crucial to getting as strong a side as we can on the field and that's what I mean by squad players on low wages.

He’s a good guy to have in your extended squad for sure. People get carried away on both good and ordinary form. After that Wire game some people said he had to be in the side somewhere and now others say he’s not worth a place in the club. The position on him never changed for me. He’s a decent player in lots of positions but doesn’t excel in any. If he’s happy to be a player sitting around 19th-21st in the squad, then happy days, keep him around.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 1:18 pm  

TonyM19 wrote:

Who is realistically available to put some size into the pack? Not a wish list, just who is likely to become available that we could sign in the real world?

Walters for starters who from reports we have signed

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 1:21 pm  

dany1979 wrote:

Thompson & Dupree I can see happening at prop.

Dupree isn’t a big prop, nor is Thompson really, very athletic though.
I don’t buy this clamour for big units, first and foremost they’ve got to be able to play. Look at Mago, he’s one of the biggest players in the league and look how that’s working out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 1:26 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

He’ll always be a utility for me and wouldn’t make the 17 when everyone is fit. I’d be 50/50 on him playing on Sunday tbh and would probably start Nsemba right side second row and have Shorrocks either on the bench or not in the 17.

Agree, it’s a shame as he’s got great fundamentals but unfortunately hasn’t been blessed with physical gifts, he’s not fast, not tall and doesn’t have much muscle it seems. That said he’s a great squad option as he can cover multiple positions

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 1:35 pm  

CobraCraig wrote:

Dupree isn’t a big prop, nor is Thompson really, very athletic though.
I don’t buy this clamour for big units, first and foremost they’ve got to be able to play. Look at Mago, he’s one of the biggest players in the league and look how that’s working out.

It's not necessarily about size, it's forwards with explosive power and strength that should be on the wishlist. If they're sizeable as well then great.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 4:33 pm  

CobraCraig wrote:

Dupree isn’t a big prop, nor is Thompson really, very athletic though.
I don’t buy this clamour for big units, first and foremost they’ve got to be able to play. Look at Mago, he’s one of the biggest players in the league and look how that’s working out.

Agree with that.

One quality missing from the current pack is aggression for me. In some games we really do seem to get bullied.

Anyone that remembers the difference that Pongia made to our forwards will understand this, I don’t recall too many opposition players giving him the verbals.

I think this is one of the qualities Thompson would bring.

A pack consisting of Dupree, Thompson, Havard, Walters, Nsemba….not too shabby.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 5:33 pm  

We can’t forget how many forwards we’ve had missing when discussing all these issues with size, aggression etc. Around that run of Leigh, Saints and Wire, nobody was questioning the pack really. To have Cooper, Singleton, Havard, Ellis, Cooper, Isa and KPP out at various points (and 4 or 5 of them at a time) has really hurt us and I get the question marks against the forwards recently but it’s been a tough trot.

We do need to add some power and quality for sure but I agree with the above, it isn’t all about size because if it was, Mago would be a great player. I’d love to get a forward in for this season but just to get lads like Havard and then KPP/Isa back will really help.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 5:36 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

We can’t forget how many forwards we’ve had missing when discussing all these issues with size, aggression etc. Around that run of Leigh, Saints and Wire, nobody was questioning the pack really. To have Cooper, Singleton, Havard, Ellis, Cooper, Isa and KPP out at various points (and 4 or 5 of them at a time) has really hurt us and I get the question marks against the forwards recently but it’s been a tough trot.

Exactly

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Jun 16, 2023 5:43 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

We can’t forget how many forwards we’ve had missing when discussing all these issues with size, aggression etc. Around that run of Leigh, Saints and Wire, nobody was questioning the pack really. To have Cooper, Singleton, Havard, Ellis, Cooper, Isa and KPP out at various points (and 4 or 5 of them at a time) has really hurt us and I get the question marks against the forwards recently but it’s been a tough trot.

We do need to add some power and quality for sure but I agree with the above, it isn’t all about size because if it was, Mago would be a great player. I’d love to get a forward in for this season but just to get lads like Havard and then KPP/Isa back will really help.

The Cooper injury was an absolute hammer blow really. Take anyone's best front rower out and it would hurt them.