Blocker: Tigers need an Ellis-style enforcer

[Cairnstigers]

I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.

More worried about the spine.

We have argubly the weakest pack in the comp and you wouldn't swap it for any.
I'd swap it for a full strength Titans pack tomorrow, at least they have a hooker (actually 2)

You want to win the spoon

 

[Tiger_Steve]

8 Twal
9 Hooker (Mbye, Walters, Liddle)
10 Eisenhuth
11 Luciano
12 Garner
13 Taylor

14 Che Kam
15 Aloiai
16 Mikaele
17 Musgrove


In my opinion, that's our best pack for 2020 and its very solid imo with a mad purposeful bench.

CheKam, utility/2RF
Covers the backline if needed.
Come on at the end of the halves, run amok against the tired opposition and pull off some clutch plays he's known for.

Aloiai, can play anywhere in the pack.
Lots of impact.
Maybe a nice guy but have seen him fire up a few times before and square up to the opposition.
He's best off the bench for mine.

Mikaele, still a benchie imo.
He's developing nicely though.
Great legs and an absolute machine.
Some room for improvement but a consistent year coming off the bench and he's gonna be a top flight prop in 2021 onward.

Musgrove, looks the real deal.
Should be really pushing for a starting position quite quickly. Let him find his feet and form and shake off the ring rust. He's gonna prove to be a great signing.

Twal and Eiso are starting.
Not big on Eiso but we don't have anyone else really at the moment. Two workhorses. Let em tackle their guts out and make some hard runs before we sub em for the impact boyz.

Garner and Luciano in the backrow.
Garner has been a constant improved and imo is gonna have a stand out year this year. He can hit the line so well, great collaborater with Brooks and has a mean offload.

Luciano has a lot of the same attributes. Great find, great runner and I'm keen to see him really become a star this year. Its looking likely.

Elijah, safest man for the 13...
Obvs listens to critism and always steps up.
Never disappoints.
Known for a few silly errors and penalties but is legitimately our best defender, link man and definitely has a go.

Great post
I’d have musgrove starting though

 

[jirskyr]

It's a tough one - Ellis is, IMO, the most consistently terrific footballer Wests Tigers have ever had, basically never played a bad game in 4 years and was player's player pretty much every year. The only downside in my memory was injury kept him out a bit in the last 2 years.

So to say we need another Gareth Ellis, hell yeah, we also need another Tedesco, Tuiaki, Scott Prince and Hodgo. But finding one is another matter entirely.

Ellis was a freak, most enforcers can't play 80 mins, run holes all day and destroy players in defence. We should have won a comp in either 2010 or 2011 and given him the premiership he deserved.

Can't believe the bloke is still going around, a shade off 39 years old. Or maybe I can believe it actually.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.

More worried about the spine.

We have argubly the weakest pack in the comp and you wouldn't swap it for any.
I'd swap it for a full strength Titans pack tomorrow, at least they have a hooker (actually 2)


Hang on a minute Hangonaminute.

I never said i wouldnt swap it for any. Never said that at all.

"**I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.**"

Hardly the same as what you are saying i said.

Ill go out on a limb and say the league will be talking up our young forward pack by round 6.

So what packs would you swap it for?

Because I'd swap it for last years spooners pack.

Cant help you with that. if thats your opinion all im saying is come back and see me after about 6 to 8 rounds.

These guys will surprise the hell out of you.

Idk what guide you think 6-8 rounds is going to give us, especially given how well we have started the last couple years only to fall away by mid season. 2018 we beat 3 of the previous years top 4 sides in the first 6 rounds. Doesn’t matter how well our pack is going after 6-8 weeks, the sample size isn’t long enough.

 

[Cairnstigers]

8 Twal
9 Hooker (Mbye, Walters, Liddle)
10 Eisenhuth
11 Luciano
12 Garner
13 Taylor

14 Che Kam
15 Aloiai
16 Mikaele
17 Musgrove


In my opinion, that's our best pack for 2020 and its very solid imo with a mad purposeful bench.

CheKam, utility/2RF
Covers the backline if needed.
Come on at the end of the halves, run amok against the tired opposition and pull off some clutch plays he's known for.

Aloiai, can play anywhere in the pack.
Lots of impact.
Maybe a nice guy but have seen him fire up a few times before and square up to the opposition.
He's best off the bench for mine.

Mikaele, still a benchie imo.
He's developing nicely though.
Great legs and an absolute machine.
Some room for improvement but a consistent year coming off the bench and he's gonna be a top flight prop in 2021 onward.

Musgrove, looks the real deal.
Should be really pushing for a starting position quite quickly. Let him find his feet and form and shake off the ring rust. He's gonna prove to be a great signing.

Twal and Eiso are starting.
Not big on Eiso but we don't have anyone else really at the moment. Two workhorses. Let em tackle their guts out and make some hard runs before we sub em for the impact boyz.

Garner and Luciano in the backrow.
Garner has been a constant improved and imo is gonna have a stand out year this year. He can hit the line so well, great collaborater with Brooks and has a mean offload.

Luciano has a lot of the same attributes. Great find, great runner and I'm keen to see him really become a star this year. Its looking likely.

Elijah, safest man for the 13...
Obvs listens to critism and always steps up.
Never disappoints.
Known for a few silly errors and penalties but is legitimately our best defender, link man and definitely has a go.

Not sure about Eisenhuth starting in the front row
I think I would like to see Clark there
I just don't see Eisenhuth going to another level

I think Mikaele will be our forward of the year and possibly our player of the year
He will battle that honour out with the next two names
Both BJ and Doueihi will have something to prove this year to thier doubters

Brooks I hope gets to finally play finals and if so may just kick on to another level
If anyone deserves some success it's Brooks

 

[The_Patriot]

I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.

More worried about the spine.

We have argubly the weakest pack in the comp and you wouldn't swap it for any.
I'd swap it for a full strength Titans pack tomorrow, at least they have a hooker (actually 2)


Hang on a minute Hangonaminute.

I never said i wouldnt swap it for any. Never said that at all.

"**I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.**"

Hardly the same as what you are saying i said.

Ill go out on a limb and say the league will be talking up our young forward pack by round 6.

So what packs would you swap it for?

Because I'd swap it for last years spooners pack.

Cant help you with that. if thats your opinion all im saying is come back and see me after about 6 to 8 rounds.

These guys will surprise the hell out of you.

Idk what guide you think 6-8 rounds is going to give us, especially given how well we have started the last couple years only to fall away by mid season. 2018 we beat 3 of the previous years top 4 sides in the first 6 rounds. Doesn’t matter how well our pack is going after 6-8 weeks, the sample size isn’t long enough.

I could have just said at the end of the season but the point is i rate the pack and think it wont take long for the doubters to change their minds. 6 to 8 weeks should be enough for people to see our pack is a good one.

 

[twentyforty]

Completely agree, Twal isn't scaring anyone. Our forwards wouldn't intimidate a park footy side.

I think you will see a lot more controlled aggression from our pack . We may even see it this Sunday?

 

[twentyforty]

You know, when you go to buy a new tool for the shed, a bench saw, grinder, or whatever? You get a list of what’s in the pack, but they never mention the bubble wrap? Why is that? Good on Blocker for calling it out! I’m not saying we have void filler in our pack, but we do have a lack of real punch based on our last game against the Sharks, when it was a question of ninth again or finals footy? BTW, I thought Walmsley showed more determination in the last 20 than at any other part of the game.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

It's a tough one - Ellis is, IMO, the most consistently terrific footballer Wests Tigers have ever had, basically never played a bad game in 4 years and was player's player pretty much every year. The only downside in my memory was injury kept him out a bit in the last 2 years.

So to say we need another Gareth Ellis, hell yeah, we also need another Tedesco, Tuiaki, Scott Prince and Hodgo. But finding one is another matter entirely.

Ellis was a freak, most enforcers can't play 80 mins, run holes all day and destroy players in defence. We should have won a comp in either 2010 or 2011 and given him the premiership he deserved.

Can't believe the bloke is still going around, a shade off 39 years old. Or maybe I can believe it actually.

Takes a rare breed to do that, especially a forward. I think Beaver played until 40.

 

[Russell]

I would swap Eisenhuith with Clark (this season, until we get Utoikamanu), move L Lailua to lock, and replace him with Aloiai, Seyfarth to bench instead of Aloiai
8 Twal
9 Hooker (Mbye, Walters, Liddle)
10 Clark
11 Aloai
12 Garner
13 L Lailua

14 Che Kam
15 Seyfarth
16 Mikaele
17 Musgrove

>

How to stiffle Lucy with the stroke of a pen.

Might as well play him in cc if you are going to play him at lock.

 

[Russell]

You know, when you go to buy a new tool for the shed, a bench saw, grinder, or whatever? You get a list of what’s in the pack, but they never mention the bubble wrap? Why is that? Good on Blocker for calling it out! I’m not saying we have void filler in our pack, but we do have a lack of real punch based on our last game against the Sharks, when it was a question of ninth again or finals footy? BTW, I thought Walmsley showed more determination in the last 20 than at any other part of the game.

You know, when you go to buy a new tool for the shed, a bench saw, grinder, or whatever? You get a list of what’s in the pack, but they never mention the bubble wrap? Why is that? Good on Blocker for calling it out! I’m not saying we have void filler in our pack, but we do have a lack of real punch based on our last game against the Sharks, when it was a question of ninth again or finals footy? BTW, I thought Walmsley showed more determination in the last 20 than at any other part of the game.

Thought he was dominated by a much smaller, younger man in Radley myself.
He certainly made him lose his cool.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

You know, when you go to buy a new tool for the shed, a bench saw, grinder, or whatever? You get a list of what’s in the pack, but they never mention the bubble wrap? Why is that? Good on Blocker for calling it out! I’m not saying we have void filler in our pack, but we do have a lack of real punch based on our last game against the Sharks, when it was a question of ninth again or finals footy? BTW, I thought Walmsley showed more determination in the last 20 than at any other part of the game.

Need to place a “PERFORM” OR “move on or retire” sign on Packer ...... and than get a deal ging to get someone like Walmsley on board.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

If it were up to Blocker, every player would be 110kg and thick as bricks. The only reason he still has a job is to cater to those less intelligent, older fans.

Us older fans happen to have been around to watch and support some very tough,hard working Rugby League players that have gone before these younger players and set a platform on how the game was played...it has changed somewhat,but to call us less intelligent because we are older really shows how disrespectful the younger generation are...you should be ashamed of yourself to even think that way...
You probably wouldn't even consider how some of us older people go out of our way to help younger kids learn the game and help when we can...
Call us less intelligent and older,however we have always had our dignity,pride and respect for our older folk,you may consider taking a leaf out of our book...

Less intelligent AND older. I'm not saying older people are inherently less intelligent.

 

[jadtiger]

If it were up to Blocker, every player would be 110kg and thick as bricks. The only reason he still has a job is to cater to those less intelligent, older fans.

Us older fans happen to have been around to watch and support some very tough,hard working Rugby League players that have gone before these younger players and set a platform on how the game was played...it has changed somewhat,but to call us less intelligent because we are older really shows how disrespectful the younger generation are...you should be ashamed of yourself to even think that way...
You probably wouldn't even consider how some of us older people go out of our way to help younger kids learn the game and help when we can...
Call us less intelligent and older,however we have always had our dignity,pride and respect for our older folk,you may consider taking a leaf out of our book...

Less intelligent AND older. I'm not saying older people are inherently less intelligent.

I live in a retirement village and there are a few here who would have been shocked when the wheel was invented.Many here are progressive thinkers but a few are like Tony Abbott unfortunately

 

[balmain boy]

I'd say there's zero chance Eiso starts a single game at prop this season @demps

He's a lock. That's it. can rotate to prop for 10 mins here or there during a game and rotate with Aloiai or Twal.

You need one work horse and one more powerful prop starting.

Twal +Mikaele/Musgrove/Aloiai

Still leaves two power props on the bench.

 

[innsaneink]

I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.

More worried about the spine.

We have argubly the weakest pack in the comp and you wouldn't swap it for any.
I'd swap it for a full strength Titans pack tomorrow, at least they have a hooker (actually 2)


Hang on a minute Hangonaminute.

I never said i wouldnt swap it for any. Never said that at all.

"**I like our pack, I wouldnt swap it for many in the league.**"

Hardly the same as what you are saying i said.

Ill go out on a limb and say the league will be talking up our young forward pack by round 6.

So what packs would you swap it for?

Because I'd swap it for last years spooners pack.

Cant help you with that. if thats your opinion all im saying is come back and see me after about 6 to 8 rounds.

These guys will surprise the hell out of you.

Idk what guide you think 6-8 rounds is going to give us, especially given how well we have started the last couple years only to fall away by mid season. 2018 we beat 3 of the previous years top 4 sides in the first 6 rounds. Doesn’t matter how well our pack is going after 6-8 weeks, the sample size isn’t long enough.

Yeah that was my thought too... I rather hope they're raving about our young pack after 25 rounds or whatever it is

 

[Fade.To.Black]

If it were up to Blocker, every player would be 110kg and thick as bricks. The only reason he still has a job is to cater to those less intelligent, older fans.

Blocker is arguably the finest ball-playing prop the game has seen in the last 40 years, he was no skill-deficient dope that's for sure. He was the perfect mix of skill and intimidation. He knows what he is talking about in this area.
Opposition packs haven't feared ours since basically 2000/01, there have been a few players come out publicly and say our forwards were our soft underbelly over the years.
He's dead right.

 

[happy_tiger]

Ellis was a hard man , but was hardly an enforcer ..not in the same mould as a Harragon , Carroll ,Gillespie or Les Davidson when you would be looking out of the corner of your eye for them

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

He knows what he is talking about in this area.

Absolutely agree 110%. He knows the Engine room backwards plus Blocker is a very good game analyst. Name ONE, just ONE Ex Prop forward in the Commentary team today for either Network 9 or Fox? Harragon was eye Candy for the Footy Show which had nothing to actually do with Footy. I'll save you the trouble - the answer is none. He is employed by Fox because of his knowledge of the game. His knockers are the ones who actually have no idea! And before the smarties start claiming Geyer, Hindmarsh, Tallis as Props they were all 2nd Rowers! PLUS they are not part of any actual Commentary Team though Tallis might be called on for Origin or the occasional Brisbane game.

As for whether or not Ellis was an enforcer I think Blocker himself said as much that Ellis wasn't like the typical hard men of League but rather that he was uncompromising and made opponents look twice.