Rumours and Stuff

[Soren Lorenson]

Advanced body metrics like arm length and hand size are a big part of the scouting process in the NFL but I haven't heard anyone employed in the NRL ever bring it up in their conversations with me.

With that said there are absolutely athletic profiles that teams are scouting for on a positional basis. Melbourne really pioneered the way on the craze for tall, athletic props in recent times. While other teams have fielded singular props in that vein, the Storm not only have a first-grade pack full of them but their lower grades and even cast-offs (Dean Britt etc) are loaded up with that type. It really is their pack identity.

My gut feel is that I think we are probably a little less single-minded in our internal scouting profiles for props. We absolutely have a number of young kids that will draw comparisons to props from Melbourne and probably more so in recent times but if you really want to distill the scouting process down...you always want the biggest, fastest, strongest, smartest etc player in every position. At some point though you have to compromise because you don't have unlimited resources internally and the talent pool isn't infinite. Even then, there are guys like Nathan Brown who sort of break the rules and kick arse despite their considerably smaller stature.

Back to your original question though, I would not be shocked if Melbourne prioritised wing span (and maybe hand size). It gives greater leverage and reach when fending and offloading while bigger hands probably translate to marginally superior ball security. In defence it gives each defender a larger 'soft zone' of coverage to use their arms to otherwise make up ground for a tackle on top of greater ability to wrap up the ball. Perhaps they might even apply it for wingers given that they can do so much with so little space these days and every extra centimetre of wingspan is potentially an extra try or three scored in the corner or bomb defused over the course of a season.

Thankyou.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Wing span is a big advantage. Much like wings.

 

[Forty20]

Wing span is a big advantage. Much like wings.

Spoken like a typical fooken Melbourne Storm apologist, Gary. The only reason a man would really endorse the supposed benefits of wings in football would be if he knew that the Storm would dominate said players in the ruck with their superior application of the chicken wing tackle.

 

[Happy MEel]

Spoken like a typical fooken Melbourne Storm apologist, Gary. The only reason a man would really endorse the supposed benefits of wings in football would be if he knew that the Storm would dominate said players in the ruck with their superior application of the chicken wing tackle.

I bet Gary’s real name is Cam.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Spoken like a typical fooken Melbourne Storm apologist, Gary. The only reason a man would really endorse the supposed benefits of wings in football would be if he knew that the Storm would dominate said players in the ruck with their superior application of the chicken wing tackle.

Phil Mann had quite a wing span, but he didn't do us any good.

 

[Forty20]

I bet Gary’s real name is Cam.

*Edit* Fricking Dickbutt in my GIF, edited to change it lest it fairly incurs the wrath of the mods.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

*Edit* Fricking Dickbutt in my GIF, edited to change it lest it fairly incurs the wrath of the mods.

Good move. They deleted my image cos it said "f**k you lot". Which was a fair comment on you lot.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

So does this mean Gary has been propositioning teenage boys? Allegedly.

 

[Forty20]

Good move. They deleted my image cos it said "f**k you lot". Which was a fair comment on you lot.

What did Lot ever do to you though, mate? Unless maybe you fancied his missus a bit and the whole affair left you feeling salty.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Was that really necessary? Someone is going to have to clean that up.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

What did Lot ever do to you though, mate? Unless maybe you fancied his missus a bit and the whole affair left you feeling salty.

It must be a bit galling that thousands of years after being turned into a pillar of salt you're still referred to as "Lot's wife".

 

[El Diablo]

*Edit* Fricking Dickbutt in my GIF, edited to change it lest it fairly incurs the wrath of the mods.

 

[hindy111]

moylan didn't pass muster because he's soft.

Checked his equipment hey buddy. Not hard enough for what you like?

 

[hindy111]

How important is a front rowers girth?

 

[Twizzle]

depends if you are going to put a saddle on him or not

 

[hineyrulz]

As usual Hindy has dicks on the brain.

 

[Snoochies]

Fittler has chosen his 38 man emerging squad. Moses, Tepai, Schneider, French. Think Gutho is abit hard done by, unless he's a QLDer??

 

[Chipmunk]

Fittler has chosen his 38 man emerging squad. Moses, Tepai, Schneider, French. Think Gutho is abit hard done by, unless he's a QLDer??

He is injured after all

 

[El Diablo]

he's not although they claim anyone

 

[Oscarman]

How important is a front rowers girth?

Penal or body?