By Hook's own admission, Norman is being groomed as Locky's replacement, and I think he's intent on keeping the hooker rotation going with Macca and Hunt as it is now.
In my view, Norman and Capewell (rumor is this kid only needs confidence to be very good) will vye for the halves opening, and only if neither cuts the mustard will he look at Hunt, then Beale and as last resort Qcup or U20's.
Possible options:
1- Hoffman
6- Norman/Capewell
7- Wallace
9- Macca/Hunt
1- Hoffman
6- Wallace
7- Hunt
9- Macca/Baptiste
Going by this year's form and potential, my team would be:
1- Hoffman
2- Beale (wasted here, would really like to give Gagai a chance)
3- Reed
4- Hodges
5- Yow Yeh
6- Norman/Capewell
7- Wallace
8- Hannant (if healed from groin injury and fully fit)
9- McCullough
10-Civoneciva
11-Glenn
12-Thaiday
13-Parker
14-Hunt
15-Gillett
16-Te'o
17-McGuire
We have such a potent forward line that players like Anderson, Hala, Dodds, Lui, Kenny and Carlaw don't get a look in, and Let's not forget there's a couple of young guns in the U20's waiting for a chance too.
Our ranks in the backs are a bit thin, with Copley and Gagai as the only options to cover wing/centre positions, although Te'o, Glenn and even Gillett will do a good job in the centres.
I truly don't know what to do with Beale. He's such a talent, but I can't place him in the 17... :?
He probably pips Hoffman in attack, but is nowhere near as good in defense. He's wasted on the wing, as he has little room to move and utilise his offensive skills, and doesn't have that uncanny ability to find the try line. He's defensively not strong enough to take Hodgo or Reed's centre position, and he doesn't have the kicking game to make it in the halves.
Having said that, I fully expect Griffin to keep him on the wing, if anything not to loose him to another club...
All in all, I have no doubt we'll be very competitive in the coming seasons. How competitive? Depends on how good Norman, Capewell or Hunt go in the halves.
Most importantly, Paul White, Andrew Gee and Anthony Griffin restored the pride in the jersey, the camaraderie and willingness to give everything on the paddock for your team mates and the respect/fear/envy from others that we had lost under Cullen/Henkak!
Will they deliver a premiership? I hope so and I believe we have the material to do it, but I want to see what this team is capable of without Lockyer and the emotion of sending him off...
