Battle of the packs

[Demps]

as for other packs?
**Titans** - Bunch of old rejects chasing the coin.
**Eels** - Average & not that impressive, Hindmarsh's last season? Mannah is A+ though.
**Roosters** - Bit of a mixed bunch. Mosi Masoe looks legit, Frank Paul is alright, Conn is useless, JWH is a grub & average, will get better though. Kennedy is tuff.. Don't rate Ryles & Myles or any else.
**Knights** - Average lookin, signing Costigan was good for them but the rest are wishy washy. Con Mika = A+

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

as for other packs?
**Titans** - **Bunch of old rejects chasing the coin.**
**Eels** - Average & not that impressive, Hindmarsh's last season? Mannah is A+ though.
**Roosters** - Bit of a mixed bunch. Mosi Masoe looks legit, Frank Paul is alright, Conn is useless, JWH is a grub & average, will get better though. Kennedy is tuff.. Don't rate Ryles & Myles or any else.
**Knights** - Average lookin, signing Costigan was good for them but the rest are wishy washy. Con Mika = A+

I don't like the Schoolies, but thats harsh… I'd have Boof back and sign Minichello in a heartbeat. They're a mixed bag.

 

[redemption]

Great thread.

Canberra in my opinion are far and away the number one pack in the competition. **remember this year they add Brett White to the pack (played SOS and for Australia).** They will be so hard to beat at home.

I would rate our pack in the top four and if they work together no pack should get the better of them. Still would like Sheens to have 4 forwards on the bench and use them all in the rotation. If we have any injuries in the backline Fulton and Dwyer can slot into the backline.

I would love to see Big Red have an injury free run. Could be anything. State of Origin if he is fit and firing.

Dwyer - Expect him to continue to develope. Would love for him to start in the pack and roam out wider to run over small backs and set up our backs. Needs to time his big hits. Has State of Origin written all over him in th future.

Fifita and BMM - if they can avoid second year syndrome then big things can be expected.

I reckon White will be the Raiders pack's weakest link - he is better with his fists than his feet (his average yardage is ordinary & Lima shouldered his load for 4 years at Melbourne)!

 

[stryker]

I reckon White will be the Raiders pack's weakest link - he is better with his fists than his feet (his average yardage is ordinary & Lima shouldered his load for 4 years at Melbourne)!

maybe, or maybe he gets a new lease on life and excells….either way, pretty handy to have a bloke like him coming off the bench.

 

[McGrime]

So no comments on last years premiers?

Where do we rate this mob?

 

[Demps]

Dragons lost a few like Costigan & J. Smith,
Not really a threat IMO, they will probably make the 8 but they won't be doing much else.
You heard it here first !

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Dragons lost a few like Costigan & J. Smith,
Not really a threat IMO, they will probably make the 8 but they won't be doing much else.
You heard it here first !

They've lost a couple of workhorses but don't forget they're picking up Gower so it will be interesting how he mixes it with Prior, Hunt and that boxhead Weyman…

 

[alien]

Dragons have some good young forwards from their lower grades. Wayne Bennett will bring the best out of them. They will be hard to beat don't worry about that.

 

[Guest]

Dragons have some good young forwards from their lower grades. Wayne Bennett will bring the best out of them. They will be hard to beat don't worry about that.

I can't remember the last time the Dragons fielded an easy-beat forward pack. They were impressive in rolling Souths last night.

 

[Blackpearl]

the dragons did play over the sowfscum pack but imo there was not one forward in the sofwscum team running around last night that would even make the bench at the tigers. i think that the dragons will miss smith and costigan as the season rolls on and in particular finals time

 

[Marshall_magic]

**Dragons** have Hunt back this year which helps them big time. They have a gun front row rotation, and some handy backrowers. Smith and Costigan are huge losses though.

**Roosters** also have a very strong pack. Myles is coming off a great 2010, and some of their young guns will develop further into quality players (Masoe, Kennedy, WH, etc). Guys like Tom Symonds give them plenty of depth.

**Raiders** probably have the best pack in the league. Shillo and Lahrs is a very intimidating front row combination, and having guys like Harrison and Fensom in the back row, along with Tongue who is as solid as a rock will make them tough to get over.

**Warriors** are the dark horse in this conversation. They were underrated all through 2010, and are continually underrated this season. If they can get Mateo firing at lock, they will have one of the best packs in the NRL.

**Souths** and **Cronulla** have very good starting packs but no depth. Gallen/Snowden/Douglas/Smith will carry the Sharks pack, if they lose 2 of them, they're in trouble. Souths lose Luke or Burgess they are in big trouble. Apart from Luke Stuart they have no real solid no-nonsense type forwards.

Where do we sit in all of this? I think we have a decent pack, but definitely not the best in the NRL. We can match it with almost any other pack in the league, but I think Canberra and NZ will really worry us. With out backline though if our pack doesn't dominate we can still pile on a lot of points.

 

[Spartan117]

Our pack is a good worker pack but I have an issue with them as there is no one that really scares the opposition.

The closest we get is our Hard hitting Ellis

Big Keith will shake them up this year, I have a feeling. 😎

Been waiting for how many years for this to happen -Id be happy with a few consistent games.

Knock em dead Red.

 

[tigerx]

To be honest I think the Souths pack will go better this year than they did last. Unless they get injuries I see their pack going well. Their bench could potentially be

Crocker
Ross
Geddes
Pettybourne

Not bad bench if you ask me. But they will definitely struggle if they get injuries.

Canberaa definitely have the best pack if you ask me

 

[Demps]

To be honest I think the Souths pack will go better this year than they did last. Unless they get injuries I see their pack going well. Their bench could potentially be

Crocker
Ross
Geddes
Pettybourne

Not bad bench if you ask me. But they will definitely struggle if they get injuries.

Canberaa definitely have the best pack if you ask me

to be honest that bench is so unimpressive & average.
as i've already stated CROCKER is so over the hill, penalty machine also.
ROSS hasn't played in so long & i don't think anyone is expecting much of a comeback from him.
GEDDES isn't even first grade material & PETTYBOURNE is a struggler.