2006 squad?

[Stuart]

With the signings of Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Trevor Thurling it appears from comments by management that our recruitment drive may already be over before it really began, with just a few second tier players to add to the squad. Assuming that Jason Smith re-signs, the players that will make up our 2006 squad appear to already be in place. So what do you think of our squad for 2006? What do you think are our major weaknesses?



Props: Weyman, Tilse, Thurling, Thompson, Miller, Raston, Williams, Cross



2nd Rowers: Lomu, Kahler, Rothery, Hodgson, Learoyd-Lahrs, B.Jones, M.Howell, Buttriss, Mclean



Hookers: Woolford, Luke Jay



Utility forwards: Tongue, Hinchcliffe, Croker,



Halves: J. Smith, Carney, Withers, Campese, Dobson, Herbert, McFadden (made a comeback for the Woden Valley Rams on the Weekend!!)



Centre/Wing: Ale, Milne, Frawley, Graham, Robertson, D.Howell, Chalk, Mogg,

N.Smith, B.Mundine (some young possibles: Purtell, Sau, Tui, Crisp, Pearsons)



Fullbacks: Schifcofske, Zillman



Utility backs: Alley-Tovio, Gafa and Goodwin

 

[legend]

A strike centre is all we need to be a force in 2006. We have one in Ale so I hope he sees a bit more game time but the back row depth has me a little worried although Tongue will probably replace Croker at lock.

 

[legend]

My team would line up like this:

Schif
Milne
Ale
Graham
Chalk
Smith
Withers
Croker
Hodgson
Lomu
Tilse
Woolford
Thompson

Tongue
Learoyd-Lahrs
Kahler
Weyman

 

[reptar]

We're going to have quite a big and mobile front row, by the looks of it. About time. I think our weakness is going to be in the backs - i think we've got some great players coming through but we need one strike/experienced centre to be competitive.

I pretty much agree with Legend's team, I think we'll find Carney and Campese floating around the team, too.

The less we see of Matt Gafa and Adam Mogg the better. I was excited when we first signed Mogg, but he's gone downhill, hasn't shown any of the form he had at Parramatta. Matt Gafa seems to have lost confidence and pace.

 

[edabomb]

We are way top heavy in the forwards. I think if Smith stays fit, our forward pack will carry us into the top six. After that it'll be interesting, in 2003 we had a great forward pack but no real talent in the halves. Next year we will have Smith, who can really make the most of our forwards. I have to say the 2003 outside backs had it all over the 2006 version though. I think our outside backs are the difference between contending and being a side on the verge of top six.

PS> Assuming Smith re-signs.

 

[Jono078]

1. Schif
2. Milne
3. Graham
4. Mogg
5. Chalk
6. Smith
7. Withers
8. Tilse
9. Woolford
10. Thompson
11. Kahla
12. Lomu
13. Croker

14. Learoyd-Lahrs
15. Weyman
16. Tongue
17. Miller

That would be a good side imo, not too sure on the backs though.

 

[Stuart]

I agree the backs are going to be problematic. I dont think there are many natural tryscorers among them, excluding Ale and Milne who know how to find the tryline but are both very inexperienced and need a season or two in first grade to reach their potential and Graham who is injury prone.

It will be interesting to see what Alley-Tovio is like and whether he was a good signing considering he was going to be out all this year. He is the wildcard, could be an absolute dud, could be a stroke of genius.

I have liked what i have seen of Zillman this year when playing in the backs and can see him being a very good centre, he would add some unpredicatbility and ball skills to our centres which i think would be valuable. Depending on form in the back end of this year i wouldnt mind a backline like this at least being tried (although it is very young and inexperienced).

Schif
Milne
Ale/Frawley
Zillman
Graham/Chalk

 

[woodgers]

Legend, I hope you forgot Miller. Surely you don't rate most of those forwards over him, especially Kahler.

Also, still most people have 4 forwards on the bench. I am still very sceptical of that. If a back goes down then we don't have adequate cover, Croker is too old to play out wide these days.

Lastly, while Tilse, Learoyd-Lars and Thurling will add size, we still have the age old problem in the backs that we can't score tries. In 2006, if Jason Smith gets injured (which is likely at his age) then we are back to square one again.

Having said all that, at full strength we should trouble every side.

 

[legend]

Sorry, honest mistake. Miller is a starter so flick Thommo to the bench and Kahler off the bench. Then we look much better.

 

[Johns Magic]

My team would line up like this:

Schif
Milne
Ale
Graham
Chalk
Smith
Withers
Croker
Hodgson
Lomu
Tilse
Woolford
Thompson

Tongue
Learoyd-Lahrs
Kahler
Weyman

Those backs look like the only real weakness I can see in that team in that none of them are really "electric" or known tryscorers. But that's one motherf**ker of a forward pack.

 

[Chachi]

Yeah, it seems we've focussed our recruiting on quantity over quality and I agree we are particularly weak in the centres. We have enough players there to fill about 3 reasonable teams, but probably not one team that can seriously contend for the title at this stage.

There are too many question marks over guys like Weyman, Tilse and Leroy-Lahrs for me to make any serious attempt at naming a team. However, there's a lot of young forwards which could be the makings of one of the most dominant packs in the comp over the next few years - and I bloody hope so because a lot of them a locked into long term contracts.

Even if we miss the top 8, guys like Miller, Chalk, Milne and Kahler have all made '05 worthwhile. Weyman, Ale, Carney, Tilse and Graham could potentially be superstars as well. Anything could happen next year - as long as Smith stays healthy, we find the magical three-quarters combo and if we can get the changing of the guard right in the 6, 7 and 9 jumpers. Whatever happens, it's going to be interesting.

 

[Raider_69]

1. Schifcofske
2. Chalk
3. Ale
4. Graham
5. Milne
6. Smith
7. Withers
8. Miller
9. Woolford
10. Thompson
11. Lomu
12. Hodgson
13. Croker

14. Tilse/Learoyd-Lars
15. Tongue
16. Weyman
17. Carney/Campese

Now i rate Thomo as a work horse and he is playing exceptionally well atm, but by the end of the year id expect Thomo to be over-taken in the pecking order by Tilse, Learoyd-Lars, Miller and Weyman

 

[edabomb]

I reckon Weyman and Miller are better value off the bench when we have guys like
Thommo, Tilse and Williams who can handle the early encounters. I reckon you get more value for money outta guys like Miller and Weyman off the bench, when the opposition is tiring. I also don't think these guys have egos that demand a starting spot, they'll do whats best for the team.

 

[dubby]

can't believe you guys put Mogg ahead of Craig Injury, i mean Frawley!

 

[Hayabusa]

I really wouldn't be surprised to see Chalk end up in the centres he has the size for it and could be a devastating runner on half breaks, I'd love to see him and Graham on the same side offense wise and see what they are capable of. Defense scares the hell out of me though.

After his injuries 2006 makes Frawley really look like a pointless signing I think we can be much more exciting with the line of Schif, Graham, Ale, Chalk and Milne. I guess we can always use backups. In fairness though we lost Monaghan and needed to replace him as Chalk, Ale and Milne were all unkown quantities.

 

[TiTTieS_[CNTDN]]

Schifcofske
Graham
Frawley
Chalk
Milne/Ale

Would be my top 6 for positions 1-5. Howell is good too and I would like to put him in the group above but he just doesn't quite seem as exciting as them. After these blokes, there are the likes of Mogg, Robbo and Gafa who would be there for any injuries that may occur - and probably will occur. Graham is currently out, Frawley I only need to mention and Schifcofske has missed about 6 weeks I think it was. If they were all out at the one time, you would be calling on PL players (i.e. where they are starting week to week, rather than their quality).

 

[Mulch]

Just think how stronmg our Premier League side will be.

 

[Evergreen]

I agree with Legend's side with one exception.

Carney must have a full off-season training alongside Smith, and start as our halfback for next year. Similar to what Brett Seymour has been doing alongside Lockyer at the Broncos.

We haven't seen Carney's full ability in FG this year as its obvious he was training second fiddle to the combo of Withers/Smith in the off-season. If he trains as the first choice halfback, he will be much more confident in the role come the start of 2006.

Withers on the bench serves three purposes - as a replacement for Germ when he's tired, as cover in the backline should one go down, and also as a reason not to pick Gafa in the team.

The only issue we would have is with Tonguey. Having both he and Withers on the bench is a waste......as yet I haven't come up with a solution for that one!

 

[Stuart]

I agree with Legend's side with one exception.

Carney must have a full off-season training alongside Smith, and start as our halfback for next year. Similar to what Brett Seymour has been doing alongside Lockyer at the Broncos.

We haven't seen Carney's full ability in FG this year as its obvious he was training second fiddle to the combo of Withers/Smith in the off-season. If he trains as the first choice halfback, he will be much more confident in the role come the start of 2006.

Withers on the bench serves three purposes - as a replacement for Germ when he's tired, as cover in the backline should one go down, and also as a reason not to pick Gafa in the team.

The only issue we would have is with Tonguey. Having both he and Withers on the bench is a waste......as yet I haven't come up with a solution for that one!

I agree with Evergreen on this one. Carney needs to be our starting halfback from the start of the 2006 pre-season. Withers is not a proper halfback. At the moment with Smith in the side he does a good job as a runner and out of dummy half, but as we saw when Smith was injured is no good at organising the side. He has done a good job plugging the hole at halfback this year but its not where his future lies IMO. I think he would make a dynamo bench player and thats where i see him next year. Giving Carney a year at the helm with Smith is also going to set us up better for 2007.

Ive thought about the Tongue issue as well. Its a little impracticle having two hookers on the bench, maybe Tongue to start at lock, Croker off the bench? Withers covers more positions than Tongue and in a head to head would probably get the nod but both should be in the side next year IMO.

 

[legend]

Actually, I'd flick Kahler from the side, keep Thommo at prop and Miller off the bench for some awesome impact late in the halves.