North Queensland - With Taumalolo, they'll always be thereabouts. McGuire is a good get, McLean will surely have better luck with injury so at the very least they won't be one of the worst packs like last year. I spose it just becomes a question about how the older heads like Scott, Bolton and Cooper will perform. We saw flashes of form from Scott last year and I think if Green can use him in a modified role it can work out. In the case of Bolton and Cooper though, I'll be surprised if they're able to get anywhere close to their best. A lot of their fortune rests with Coen Hess. On his day, there isn't a more destructive edge forward, so I hope he's able to get back to that form.
Very well said Pete. My recollection is Bolton started the season as the team's best performing forward (albeit part of that was because the other forwards were stinking it up). But the more the team continued to lose, and then with a legal matter to resolve, Bolts form fell away badly.
Taumalolo statistically was still probably the NRL's best forward but he got nowhere near the heights of 2016 and 2017.
Hessy never handled the expectation to kick on and have a massive year. Plus I think he entered the Cowboys in a winning era, and never had been exposed to such adversity as losing every week. At times he lost his way (physically and mentally).
Matt Scott should not have played as much as he did last year, but it may be a blessing in disguise if he recognises this and changes his role. Much like Cooper and McLean, Scott finished the season well. That leaves fans wondering whether there is a chance they do perform in 2018 (or not).
Ethan Lowe really needs a good year to survive as an NRL player. He has not been the same player since his injury versus Melbourne in the 2016 finals game. His 2017 was not that great until the last couple of games of the year, and his 2018 was even worse.
I personally rate Josh McGuire a lot, but hearing a lot of criticisms from Broncos fans now, I do question whether he is not going to be a good signing, or whether there are just sour grapes from some Broncos fans.
I still think Paul Green has to work out how this pack gels. For example, McLean and Hess defending alongside each other is any fast backs dream come true. Because Hessy is built a bit like a prop, it is not great that he defends alongside a prop.
