with the potential signings of Dean Caldwell, Mark Meredith and Brendan Hlad, i'm confident our depth for next season has been sured up, particularly in the props department. We've now got competition for spots in PL and First Grade, with the backline tremendously hard to pick in both grades and some quality players missing out.
For First Grade..i've gone with this team:
1. Rhys Wesser, 2. Michael Gordon, 3. Luke Lewis, 4. Michael Jennings, 5. Luke Rooney, 6. Peter Wallace, 7. Craig Gower, 8. Joel Clinton, 9. Luke Priddis, 10. Trent Waterhouse, 11. Shane Rodney, 12. Tony Puletua, 13. Paul Aiton
RES: 14. Matthew Cross, 15. Tim Grant, 16. Frank Pritchard, 17. Jarrod Sammut
I believe this team has what it takes to go all the way...or far in the competition anyway. It has speed in the backline like we've never seen before. 3 genuine flyers in Wesser, Jennings and Gordon, and 2 competant athletes in Lewis and Rooney.
The halves i've gone with Wallace and Gower. Personally...I don't see the massive fuss about Trindall. After his first game he impressed me but subsequent performances he left me wondering why. Wallace I see as more a prospect than Trindall, however even so, I believe the five-eight position will be fought out between Sammut and Caldwell by the end of the year.
The forwards, i've gone with mobility and speed. For too long we've been too slow, big and lacking agility. Next season our goal is to move off the line quicker, meet the defence with numbers, rap up the ball and do it for 80 minutes. To do that i've made the positional change of shifting Trent Waterhouse to prop, where I believe he is most effective. In that role he would turn into a Steve Price style prop, with the ability to offload but also clean up in the middle of the ruck.
On the fringes we have Shane Rodney and Tony Puletua. I think it'll be a godsent that Frank has gone to the Titans, because I believe having his brother there distracts Tony from playing his best football. Its no coincidence that his best season of his career was when Frank was at Souths. Rodney is a great ball runner and creates opportunities for his outside men. He is also got the knack of being johnny on the spot for kicks. His defence will be invaluable next season. Tony should be back to his brutal best.
Paul Aiton at lock. I wanted Sammut in the team on the bench so I needed Aiton in the starting line up. I couldn't put him at five-eight because I don't think he has the first string kicking game required. HOwever, at lock, it gives Aiton free range for 80 minutes. He can work in tandem with Priddis in providing dummy half running similar to that of Dene Halatau for the Tigers or David Fauimu for the Cowboys. Aiton is a devastating ball runner, great defender, and a good 3rd attacking option to remain on the field.
The bench has youth and impact. Matt Cross plays his best football off the bench and is mobile and strong enough to play front or backrow. The same goes for Tim Grant. While young he possesses the agility and lateral movement that allows him to fill in the front or backrow if required. Frank Pritchard will hopefully find his first consistent season and reap havoc on defences coming off the bench next year, while Jarrod Sammut's inclusion in the side will provide us with unquestionable holerunning ability and creative spark for the first time in a while, when we get to the opposition red zone
For First Grade..i've gone with this team:
1. Rhys Wesser, 2. Michael Gordon, 3. Luke Lewis, 4. Michael Jennings, 5. Luke Rooney, 6. Peter Wallace, 7. Craig Gower, 8. Joel Clinton, 9. Luke Priddis, 10. Trent Waterhouse, 11. Shane Rodney, 12. Tony Puletua, 13. Paul Aiton
RES: 14. Matthew Cross, 15. Tim Grant, 16. Frank Pritchard, 17. Jarrod Sammut
I believe this team has what it takes to go all the way...or far in the competition anyway. It has speed in the backline like we've never seen before. 3 genuine flyers in Wesser, Jennings and Gordon, and 2 competant athletes in Lewis and Rooney.
The halves i've gone with Wallace and Gower. Personally...I don't see the massive fuss about Trindall. After his first game he impressed me but subsequent performances he left me wondering why. Wallace I see as more a prospect than Trindall, however even so, I believe the five-eight position will be fought out between Sammut and Caldwell by the end of the year.
The forwards, i've gone with mobility and speed. For too long we've been too slow, big and lacking agility. Next season our goal is to move off the line quicker, meet the defence with numbers, rap up the ball and do it for 80 minutes. To do that i've made the positional change of shifting Trent Waterhouse to prop, where I believe he is most effective. In that role he would turn into a Steve Price style prop, with the ability to offload but also clean up in the middle of the ruck.
On the fringes we have Shane Rodney and Tony Puletua. I think it'll be a godsent that Frank has gone to the Titans, because I believe having his brother there distracts Tony from playing his best football. Its no coincidence that his best season of his career was when Frank was at Souths. Rodney is a great ball runner and creates opportunities for his outside men. He is also got the knack of being johnny on the spot for kicks. His defence will be invaluable next season. Tony should be back to his brutal best.
Paul Aiton at lock. I wanted Sammut in the team on the bench so I needed Aiton in the starting line up. I couldn't put him at five-eight because I don't think he has the first string kicking game required. HOwever, at lock, it gives Aiton free range for 80 minutes. He can work in tandem with Priddis in providing dummy half running similar to that of Dene Halatau for the Tigers or David Fauimu for the Cowboys. Aiton is a devastating ball runner, great defender, and a good 3rd attacking option to remain on the field.
The bench has youth and impact. Matt Cross plays his best football off the bench and is mobile and strong enough to play front or backrow. The same goes for Tim Grant. While young he possesses the agility and lateral movement that allows him to fill in the front or backrow if required. Frank Pritchard will hopefully find his first consistent season and reap havoc on defences coming off the bench next year, while Jarrod Sammut's inclusion in the side will provide us with unquestionable holerunning ability and creative spark for the first time in a while, when we get to the opposition red zone
