The balance of the pack 2021...

[ElleryHanley]

The make up of our pack for 2021 is looking dangerously out of balance IMO. With the new rules, six agains so common, the big, immobile, blokes struggle. Broncs pack, on paper, is like a rep version of ours in terms of size and shape. And they were regularly out on their feet and unable to compete / huge losses.

Where is the lock forward who can get all over the park? The classic D 13? McIntrye looked set for that role and he leaves a huge hole IMO. Compounded by the fact ET and Lawrence, the only other two with great techniques, are gone.

Blore, Stefano etc will be great...but in stints and neither should be expected to play 80.

LL and Garner both fatigued quickly and resorted to arm grabbing. Neither should be an 80 min player. LL is a beast, but he should be used like Taunalolo at the Cows.

Tamou is a good signing, but he made ground behind some steamrollers at Penrith. He **needs** blokes next to him who are bending the line.

We have only one who bends the line...and he may be off to Manly. Tamou also is a 40 min max player at this stage.

Serious questions for the forum:

Where is the grass cutter in the pack who can roam and cover both sides? Our best cover defender last season by a mile was Grant. We are now down Grant, Sam, ET, Lawrence....so our best four defenders technically are gone.

Where is the forward in the pack who can protect the halves defensively? (If anyone says Twal, they are living in fantasy land)

Who will bend the line each week? Where are the blokes who will average 150 a week? Most semi finalists have at least two players who get them 150.

It seems we have multiple big, immobile, forwards. Blokes who will get tired and fall off tackles. Who are not able to cover defend at speed.

The balance of the pack seems to be clearly wrong at this point IMO. Would be interested to hear what others think.

 

[sleeve]

All good points and very well thought out,Tigers always had great forwards and fullbacks and slow halves and centers.Now we are weak everywhere.We are a long way from being a top team,2022 is the minimum time t o build a decent roster,Forget next year the aim must be for 22.

 

[gallagher]

It's scary reading but recruitment isn't over.

 

[JayT]

Its bleak forward pack on paper

 

[old_man_tiger]

Lots of pressure on Twal to lift his output back to 2019 levels.

Without Aloiai I think the small glimmer of hope I have for 2021 will go, not because he is amazing but he is definitely our best.

 

[weststigerman]

We are in the sad position that we have to hang on to Garner, we have no one else. That says it all.

 

[Geo]

Musgrove..the forgotten fella..

 

[Deleted member 3518]

I’d have a look at Jamil Hopoate and Scott Sorensen . There’s not much else out there at the moment .
Does anyone know if any of these kids we have in reserves are ready ?

 

[weststigerman]

We might have to go back and beg Elijah Taylor to stay after all.

 

[earl]

I agree with your assessment. It'd be better if we had a 13 who could cover us defensively and get metres or add something to the team and we don't have that player.

So to answer your first question we won't have a grass cutter who can roam and just fix holes in the defense.

I think Blore is the only guy who looks like he can really hit them consistently and as you state we can't rely on him.

When it comes to bending the line we are going to just hope that 6 big, immobile, forwards will do the job. That'll have to come from Aloiai, Tamou, Twal, Musgrove, Packer, Mikaele, Stef and Seyfarth.

Then I assume LL, Blore, Garner and MCK will have to do the job on the edges.

 

[Deleted member 3518]

We need at least 2 edge forwards . Even if Kane Bradley is moving into the pack . That’s only 4 in the team , signed right now . Could Talau move into the pack ? I feel like he would be a damaging edge backrower .

 

[WswWt]

Seems like we have no back up plan and have just been blindsided by the Titans. What a joke we are

 

[ElleryHanley]

All good points and very well thought out,Tigers always had great forwards and fullbacks and slow halves and centers.Now we are weak everywhere.We are a long way from being a top team,2022 is the minimum time t o build a decent roster,Forget next year the aim must be for 22.

I agree 2022 looks more likely. It may mean a really tough 21 though...

 

[ElleryHanley]

It's scary reading but recruitment isn't over.

The elite level recruiting is. Rep players and stars are all gone, as is most of the up and coming talent.

There will be dump yard sales and blokes like Woods, Moylan, Jack Bird (gone), Milford, DWZ etc....but we are better off avoiding that stuff, no matter how heavily subsidized.

 

[ElleryHanley]

Lots of pressure on Twal to lift his output back to 2019 levels.

Without Aloiai I think the small glimmer of hope I have for 2021 will go, not because he is amazing but he is definitely our best.

Twal is very one dimensional (look at his stats / zero assists / can't pass) and has never shown the ability to string games together. He will go for 130 and then for 59,64,78 the next three weeks.

He is a decent rotation forward, but not your staring 13 if you want to play semis.

 

[ElleryHanley]

I agree with your assessment. It'd be better if we had a 13 who could cover us defensively and get metres or add something to the team and we don't have that player.

So to answer your first question we won't have a grass cutter who can roam and just fix holes in the defense.

I think Blore is the only guy who looks like he can really hit them consistently and as you state we can't rely on him.

When it comes to bending the line we are going to just hope that 6 big, immobile, forwards will do the job. That'll have to come from Aloiai, Tamou, Twal, Musgrove, Packer, Mikaele, Stef and Seyfarth.

Then I assume LL, Blore, Garner and MCK will have to do the job on the edges.

Great post. Blore is indeed the great hope.

Garner and MCK are both notorious arm grabbers though, we would better with both gone. I am really disappointed we lost Sam Mc as I rate him vastly better than both of them...

 

[ElleryHanley]

We need at least 2 edge forwards . Even if Kane Bradley is moving into the pack . That’s only 4 in the team , signed right now . Could Talau move into the pack ? I feel like he would be a damaging edge backrower .

I have backed every Tiger for over 40 years...but Dylan Smith and Kane Bradley are the two I have not seen a single thing from and gave up on almost immediately. Smith is gone, thankfully. If Bradley, a failed winger, is our back row depth....we are in massive trouble.

 

[happy_tiger]

For me the keys are Tamou and Musgrove and to a lesser extent Mikaele

Musgrove and Mikaele have the size and speed to get off the back fence and do damage

So many unknowns pack wise , Aloiai , Garner ......

I want to see what Blore can do as well ...defends well for periods but he needs to show something attack wise

I want to see our forwards running over people's asses and making a mockery of reputations and defensively our players rattling oppositions ancestors fillings .......

Said it a thousand times ...until teams look at the draw and and say "oh bollocks ...WT's at Leichhardt ...bugger" I won't be happy

Instead of "oh look ..third bye this week lol "

 

[avocadoontoast]

I agree with your assessment. It'd be better if we had a 13 who could cover us defensively and get metres or add something to the team and we don't have that player.

So to answer your first question we won't have a grass cutter who can roam and just fix holes in the defense.

I think Blore is the only guy who looks like he can really hit them consistently and as you state we can't rely on him.

When it comes to bending the line we are going to just hope that 6 big, immobile, forwards will do the job. That'll have to come from Aloiai, Tamou, Twal, Musgrove, Packer, Mikaele, Stef and Seyfarth.

Then I assume LL, Blore, Garner and MCK will have to do the job on the edges.


Great post. Blore is indeed the great hope.

Garner and MCK are both notorious arm grabbers though, we would better with both gone. I am really disappointed we lost Sam Mc as I rate him vastly better than both of them...

Blore isn’t signed beyond 2021. Just sayin’

 

[Harvey]

McIntyre was not the next Brad Clyde. Let’s tone down the lament a bit, he was gassed after playing 15 minutes in the middle.

A good defender, but bulking up cost him any speed he used to have as an outside back.