Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 8:26 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

If LMS is backrow, then it looks like we're going with Richards as 4th Prop, backed up by moving LMS/Thompson forward or bringing in Sav or Walker.

To be fair to Richards, he seems tough and may well be able to hack it, but it's a lot to ask of a kid his age. All being well Sav could burst onto the scene as a top prop this year, but I'm refusing to allow myself any expectations about him given his health situation. We'll just have to see what happens with him.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:52 am  

Dux wrote:

To be fair to Richards, he seems tough and may well be able to hack it, but it's a lot to ask of a kid his age. All being well Sav could burst onto the scene as a top prop this year, but I'm refusing to allow myself any expectations about him given his health situation. We'll just have to see what happens with him.

Richards seems robust enough, but playing him every week may take its toll. There's also a big leap between asking him to come in and "do a job" when we've got injuries to expecting him to be an important part of a trophy challenging 17.
He holds his own, but at this stage he's not really got the go forward you need fo one of your 4 props. He'll not get he luxury of weeks of to rest or dual reg to help him develop, unless they spell him with the other youngsters.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:15 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

Richards seems robust enough, but playing him every week may take its toll. There's also a big leap between asking him to come in and "do a job" when we've got injuries to expecting him to be an important part of a trophy challenging 17.
He holds his own, but at this stage he's not really got the go forward you need fo one of your 4 props. He'll not get he luxury of weeks of to rest or dual reg to help him develop, unless they spell him with the other youngsters.

When everyone is fit Walmsley, Masoe and Amor are the obvious 3 and then we could always rotate Savelio and Richards as the 4th option. If injuries hit then we have LMS and Thompson who can step in.

I think we could do with one more in an ideal world but going into the season with our current squad I'd still be quietly confident of being top 2 and in the running for both comps.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 11:01 am  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

When everyone is fit Walmsley, Masoe and Amor are the obvious 3 and then we could always rotate Savelio and Richards as the 4th option. If injuries hit then we have LMS and Thompson who can step in.

I think we could do with one more in an ideal world but going into the season with our current squad I'd still be quietly confident of being top 2 and in the running for both comps.

It just worries me that amongst that lot Amor is the only one I'd expect to be able to do long minutes and rack up plenty metres in a tough match (although perhaps I'm being unkind to Thompson there). While Amor's fit we'll be fine, but I worry about what will happen when he inevitably does miss a few games.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 11:16 am  

Dux wrote:

It just worries me that amongst that lot Amor is the only one I'd expect to be able to do long minutes and rack up plenty metres in a tough match (although perhaps I'm being unkind to Thompson there). While Amor's fit we'll be fine, but I worry about what will happen when he inevitably does miss a few games.

I agree, hence my wish for another solid prop. But as you mentioned, Thompson is capable of big minutes and metres and if he is used as a "3rd prop" whilst named at 13 then that takes away some pressure from the likes of Richards.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 12:22 pm  

Vea is a pretty big bloke, maybe he will play stints at prop & back row too similar to the way Sia was last season?

I'm confident with the pack we have. On their day they can beat anybody and I don't think there's any reason to be worried by Richards. He played in our big games at the end of last season and more than held his own. The squad is big enough and flexible enough as it is, although another forward would obviously give us more depth, but we're not crying out for additional players. For the 1st time in several years we're covered pretty much eveyrwhere.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 12:44 pm  

I think Richards is good enough, it's just whether his body can handle a full season of playing prop as opposed to being dripped in and out of the team like last year.

I think that is why so many players have a so called second season syndrome.

When you play part of a year or you are breaking through to remove an incumbant there will be weeks when you do not play as the incumbant will be naturally first choice. A bit like when Laffranchi came back at the end of the year, he went straight in as he had the pedigree, but then 1 or 2 games and it was clear that he could not match Richards (or more importantly surpass him) anymore in terms of contribution on the field.

I think having a number of players like Walker, Sav and Richards means if one drops off then the replacement will be from other juniors.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 12:57 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I think Richards is good enough, it's just whether his body can handle a full season of playing prop as opposed to being dripped in and out of the team like last year.

I think that is why so many players have a so called second season syndrome.

When you play part of a year or you are breaking through to remove an incumbant there will be weeks when you do not play as the incumbant will be naturally first choice. A bit like when Laffranchi came back at the end of the year, he went straight in as he had the pedigree, but then 1 or 2 games and it was clear that he could not match Richards (or more importantly surpass him) anymore in terms of contribution on the field.

I think having a number of players like Walker, Sav and Richards means if one drops off then the replacement will be from other juniors.

I agree. Quality-wise I don't think we have anything to worry about it. It's the durability of playing prop week in week out. But like I said earlier, if Savelio breaks through and we rotate him and Richards as the 4th prop then we should be fine.

A lengthy injury to Masoe, Amor or Walmsley and we would be vulnerable though.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 1:06 pm  

Can't believe nobody is mentioning Big Joe Greenwood as supporting the Props or 2nd Row? Great player.

Re: New signing : Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:37 pm  

Capital Punishment wrote:

Can't believe nobody is mentioning Big Joe Greenwood as supporting the Props or 2nd Row? Great player.

Good, but 2nd row only for me. I like him out wide.
I also expect to see him pack on a fair few pounds for next season and be a real handful physically.
I've sort of forgotten about him and Walker, since they featured so little in the second half of the season.