What is our best forward pack ?

[Old Timer]

Alan McKean was the full back

Former Saints junior left to go to the Chooks and then came back to the Dragons and also played for Australia but certainly not in the same league as Changa.
He also had a big sidestep but unfortunately on 1 leg (right I think) where the great Changa off either leg.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Former Saints junior left to go to the Chooks and then came back to the Dragons and also played for Australia but certainly not in the same league as Changa.
He also had a big sidestep but unfortunately on 1 leg (right I think) where the great Changa off either leg.

OT
I remember being a wee lad with my dad
At the SCG seeing aussie v poms 1970
And Changa was chaired off the whole ground was singing changa changa.
We were sitting near Gaz and he was emotional and so were we.

 

[Old Timer]

OT
I remember being a wee lad with my dad
At the SCG seeing aussie v poms 1970
And Changa was chaired off the whole ground was singing changa changa.
We were sitting near Gaz and he was emotional and so were we.

Changa was the epitome of everything great about our club.
I think you will find this is the photo from 3rd test in 74 which is the game you most likely remember.
Eadie was injured and Changa was recalled and was also captain.
His final goal that day in his final test took his total of points against the Poms to over 100 which was the record.
Changa Changa was chanted when he ran down the tunnel to lead Australia onto the field and all the way as he left the field and went back up the tunnel at the end of the game no one left the ground that day.
It was indeed a very moving and great moment and I am glad you did that with your dad as I was there with mine too.
By the way very nice to see someone say with "my dad" as I never had an "old man" I only had a "dad" too.





This was the greatest thing ever seen in RL at the and the worst decision ever made but just shows super athletic things were done well when players and to go to work and play all the club games, mid week games and rep games with no rest or breaks.

 

[hazzbeen]

Changa was the epitome of everything great about our club.
I think you will find this is the photo from 3rd test in 74 which is the game you most likely remember.
Eadie was injured and Changa was recalled and was also captain.
His final goal that day in his final test took his total of points against the Poms to over 100 which was the record.
Changa Changa was chanted when he ran down the tunnel to lead Australia onto the field and all the way as he left the field and went back up the tunnel at the end of the game no one left the ground that day.
It was indeed a very moving and great moment and I am glad you did that with your dad as I was there with mine too.
By the way very nice to see someone say with "my dad" as I never had an "old man" I only had a "dad" too.


View attachment 10760


This was the greatest thing ever seen in RL at the and the worst decision ever made but just shows super athletic things were done well when players and to go to work and play all the club games, mid week games and rep games with no rest or breaks.

Remember it well .....

 

[dragonssamy61]

Changa was the epitome of everything great about our club.
I think you will find this is the photo from 3rd test in 74 which is the game you most likely remember.
Eadie was injured and Changa was recalled and was also captain.
His final goal that day in his final test took his total of points against the Poms to over 100 which was the record.
Changa Changa was chanted when he ran down the tunnel to lead Australia onto the field and all the way as he left the field and went back up the tunnel at the end of the game no one left the ground that day.
It was indeed a very moving and great moment and I am glad you did that with your dad as I was there with mine too.
By the way very nice to see someone say with "my dad" as I never had an "old man" I only had a "dad" too.


View attachment 10760


This was the greatest thing ever seen in RL at the and the worst decision ever made but just shows super athletic things were done well when players and to go to work and play all the club games, mid week games and rep games with no rest or breaks.

Thanks ot It was definitely 1974 and thaks for the highlight of 1972.
Unbelievable

 

[2010]

I consider myself very lucky to see the Saints from the middle sixties and I hope the younger members can experience that feeling in the future

 

[Drakon]

OT...I remember that Changa 'try' oh so well. I heard Sterlo refer to it as something like 'the greatest try never scored! Me too. I think of it as the best ever!

 

[Old Timer]

Back to our "best forward pack" the position that is most contentious to me is the 13 jumper.
If we are looking for more creativity in the back row IMO the young guys Host & Leilua (wish we knew if he is in or out) need to be playing big minutes there and creating havoc with their size and speed.
There is no doubt big raw boned, strapping young guys that run hard do cause some issues for the defence ala Klemmer and Shannon Boyd.
If Leilua is to play left side what do people think about Thompson to lock?
His attacking stats at the moment are pretty ordinary and should be better considering his form when he came from Canberra.
Would he be better suited with a more roaming commission in attack and that would keep Frizz on the right side edge where he will be very damaging.
There is no doubt Thompson is an effective defender and if he was to be considered for the captaincy would lock also be better for him in that respect rather than being camped on the left edge.
Frizz is our most damaging back rower and I think him going to lock would potentially make his work load to big and could hamper his effectiveness in attack.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Back to our "best forward pack" the position that is most contentious to me is the 13 jumper.
If we are looking for more creativity in the back row IMO the young guys Host & Leilua (wish we knew if he is in or out) need to be playing big minutes there and creating havoc with their size and speed.
There is no doubt big raw boned, strapping young guys that run hard do cause some issues for the defence ala Klemmer and Shannon Boyd.
If Leilua is to play left side what do people think about Thompson to lock?
His attacking stats at the moment are pretty ordinary and should be better considering his form when he came from Canberra.
Would he be better suited with a more roaming commission in attack and that would keep Frizz on the right side edge where he will be very damaging.
There is no doubt Thompson is an effective defender and if he was to be considered for the captaincy would lock also be better for him in that respect rather than being camped on the left edge.
Frizz is our most damaging back rower and I think him going to lock would potentially make his work load to big and could hamper his effectiveness in attack.

Not a bad idea OT.
TBH I think the most contentious issue we have is wether McInnes can play 80mins. If so, that would free up a bench spot for an attacking weapon to come off the bench and gives us a further forward interchange without burning one for hooker rotation.
At this stage I'm not convinced Mose will be ready for 1st grade come the start of the season, and I don't think Leilua is a give-me for a spot either. Mose needs to prove his fitness and I think Leilua needs some development in the Cutters where he would probably play a full game rather than 20 mins each week n 1sts. It would give his body some time to develop as well. He, unlike Host and Sele, went straight from 20's to 1sts and I think some development time would do him good.

The other issue IMO is Aitken. Personally, I'd have him as a utility on the bench and used as a weapon against tiring forwards. Plus if one of the backs were injured or had to come off for a concussion test etc, he could slot into the backline easily and cover.

I think a bench rotation of Host, Vaughan, Sims and Aitken would give us an 80 min drive and impact, whereas previously our intensity dropped off once we made the first few interchanges and brought on Marketo and Co. It's when most teams started to get control of the game against us.

 

[Old Timer]

Dragonslayer
Yes no doubt the issue re Mc Innes is important but it actually only has an effect as to who is on the bench because Mc Innes will be the starting hooker regardless.
My contention is, who is the best player to start in the 13 jumper.
No doubt that player will play long minutes, if not 80 and will be easier to cover on the bench.
I think Thompson needs more involvement rather than being camped on 1 side all the time and when he is playing well no doubt he is handful to contain.
I agree 100% re Masoe needing time in the Cutters and that will be interesting to see how that plays out and I am still firmly of the belief that De Belin's stats and style of play are more suited to being in the front row rotation than the back row.
In respect of Leilua and all the hoo ha, no doubt if he signs they will elevate him to 1st grade regardless.
Aitken will also be a conundrum but I would like to see what he learnt from his international experience before any changes with him because he showed definite improvement from his city - country experience last year.

 

[dragonssamy61]

Dragonslayer
Yes no doubt the issue re Mc Innes is important but it actually only has an effect as to who is on the bench because Mc Innes will be the starting hooker regardless.
My contention is, who is the best player to start in the 13 jumper.
No doubt that player will play long minutes, if not 80 and will be easier to cover on the bench.
I think Thompson needs more involvement rather than being camped on 1 side all the time and when he is playing well no doubt he is handful to contain.
I agree 100% re Masoe needing time in the Cutters and that will be interesting to see how that plays out and I am still firmly of the belief that De Belin's stats and style of play are more suited to being in the front row rotation than the back row.
In respect of Leilua and all the hoo ha, no doubt if he signs they will elevate him to 1st grade regardless.
Aitken will also be a conundrum but I would like to see what he learnt from his international experience before any changes with him because he showed definite improvement from his city - country experience last year.

OT
I see what you are saying re Jack.
Number 13 now days plays in the middle just like frontrowers do.
Not sure if tommo could haddle the defensive load.
Frontrowers props that is mostly do 20 toz 30 tackles while locks do 45 to 50 .
If thommo was to go to lock he wouldn't be able to play 80 mins like JDB dose.
Imo