Great news! + fearless predicton

[Manu Vatuvei]

Just making everyone gain 5kg (and/or adding 5kg to their listed weight) doesn't suddenly turn a small pack into a big pack.

Someone like Afoa or Papali'i could be 100kg, 110kg, or 130kg, it doesn't suddenly change their natural size and body composition much. An 111kg Afoa is still not going to be as "big" as an 111kg Sam Burgess or Andrew Fifita.

 

[Iron Lion]

Just making everyone gain 5kg (and/or adding 5kg to their listed weight) doesn't suddenly turn a small pack into a big pack.

Someone like Afoa or Papali'i could be 100kg, 110kg, or 130kg, it doesn't suddenly change their natural size and body composition much. An 111kg Afoa is still not going to be as "big" as an 111kg Sam Burgess or Andrew Fifita.

Tell that to Sam Kasiano

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Just making everyone gain 5kg (and/or adding 5kg to their listed weight) doesn't suddenly turn a small pack into a big pack.

Someone like Afoa or Papali'i could be 100kg, 110kg, or 130kg, it doesn't suddenly change their natural size and body composition much. An 111kg Afoa is still not going to be as "big" as an 111kg Sam Burgess or Andrew Fifita.

But sometimes it does- look at Ben Matulino, bulked froma lanky back rower into one of the game’s premier props at one point. It’s all down to how they bulk up.

 

[jaseg]

The pack weight changing has as much/more to do with recruitment also... Harris, Pulu & Paasi are all big boys and for this year Ah Mau isn't small.

 

[Iron Lion]

The pack weight changing has as much/more to do with recruitment also... Harris, Pulu & Paasi are all big boys and for this year Ah Mau isn't small.

Afoa has put on 10kg since start of last season
Papaili'i is also up 8kg from start of last season

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Players often bulk up in pre-season but most of them lose it during the season. So long as they aren't injured, their bodies will lose size from all that cardio throughout the many games and trainings.

We're hoping for powerful running forwards as the other clubs have that over us. Maybe Kearney realises this and is hoping for the same thing we are but instead of chasing the leagues barnstorming props, he's decided to make-do with what he's got and has probably asked his current props to REALLY hit the weights in the off season.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Afoa has put on 10kg since start of last season
Papaili'i is also up 8kg from start of last season

Given their age (Papaali especially) thats almost to be expected.