sergeant pepper wrote:
What's your opinion on us bringing in another HB?
For the two biggest questions for next season are - who partners Hastings at HB and who replaces Sarge at centre.
Lam seems like a smart move imo.
In regards to HB, you'd think French will get the first shot. It doesn't seem like he's played much at HB, so the jury is out really.
After that, & if French doesn't work, then we'll probably see Tommy there. He's the complete opposite to French in that we all know what he brings to the table & we've seen plenty of success with him at 7 too. I'd still like to see him on the bench for 9 tho.
Smith is too young to be counted on & Shorrocks and Sammut might move on.
Well in the halves we'll have:
Hastings
Tommy
Sammut
Sharrocks
French
Powell
Smith
Looking a little closer....
Hastings nailed on starter, great signing
Tommy; could potentially partner Hastings or fill in at 9.
Sammut, I could be wrong, but I think he's down the pecking order, was an odd signing to begin with for me.
Sharrocks; personally I don't think he's good enough.
French; could have great potential to be a running half, but who knows at this stage if 6 is the best position for Bevan
Powell; can cover 7 in the wake of a crisis, but for me is a 9.
Smith...too young, for me his goals should be getting as much experience has he can with least expectation and pressure, possible a loan move etc, he's one for the future, let's not rush him, let's develop him properly.
Depends how we look to play.'old school' attack with a dominate 7 playing both halves of the ruck with the 6th playing off him. On paper this means we play Hastings at 7, as the main playmaker and controller, with French playing off him as a second receiver allowing Zak to remain as our FB.
Or.. we split the halves, if this was the case I'm be more interested in Lachlan Lam. When you split the halves you're basically playing with two 7s, two controllers, one places first receiver on the left, the other on the right. If this was the case, in attack we'd be better off with French as our FB. with his pace and movement finding holes out wide as the second receiver as the half would be more suited to French than Zak.
Then I was assume we have Zak in the centres.
I can debate pros and cons for both really.
But the plus side is we're developing a squad with 'ball players' creators who can make things happen. It's merely a case of working out who fits where to maximise our team.
I don't think we need Lachlan, but having him would provide more creative options for 2020.
