Showing my vast lack of imagination here's my picks for the team at the BEGINNING of next season - injuries pending;
1) Robbie O'Davis
2) Timana Tahu
3) Matt Gidley
4) Mark Hughes (let Richardson sweat it out in Premier for a while to make sure he really wants to play footy, not just money grab)
5) Anthony Quinn
6) Kurt Gidley
7) Andrew Johns
8) Josh Perry
9) Danny Buderus
10) Adam Woolnough (was really hitting his straps before injury cut him down, should definately improve with more game time)
11) Steve Simpson
12) Daniel Abraham
13) Ben Kennedy
Bench
Matt Parsons - the big bloke is slowing down, becoming injury-prone, running him off the bench after the initial 20 would extend his playing life and teamed with one of the less experiened blokes off the bench would still make our forward pack intimidating once the starting props are given a breather.
Andrew Price - for an unknown at the beginning of the year, his performances really caught my attention. A good off-season under his belt combined with the experience he gained this year makes him my pick of the bunch to really shine next season.
Clint Newton - After a horror run with injuries Clint IMO was really starting to put in and display the skills which have kept him signed for this long. He was starting to make an impact off the bench and it would have been interesting to see how he would have gone for consistancy during the season had he not been struck down with injury again. Really a do-or-die year for him, if injury strikes we need to look at getting rid of him.
Matt Kennedy - Get a few more kilos on this bloke during the off-season, get him fitter and give him more game time to gain experience. Like Price I'm expecting Matt to really improve this year. For a young guy to be thrown into a team of "easy-beats" to keep trying when coping a hiding - we need more players like him who will keep having a dig, and show some pride in the jersey.
As you can see I have stayed away from the "Next Big Things" from Premier League, and the new signings. Not that I don't rate them - more for the fact I haven't seen them play so don't really know their abilities to compare them fairly against other existing members of the team.
Mark Hughes - as much as I like the guy for his character, he really needs to find form and be consistant. The team can't afford to carry him for another season in a "what if" senario. He has to prove he's still good enough, bottom line.
