Sharks forward pack?

[Hardstyle_shark]

What do people think about how our forward pack will go this year? I think it has to be rated as one the best in the comp. The only area is hooker. Which i reckon we lack a little bit but that could change this year under Ricky and the signings we have made to strengthen that position. Nothing against Kingston. His good but just lacked a good back up i reckon. Our props this year are the best in years i reckon. Our backrow speaks for its self. You need a good forward pack to win a comp. I think we have lacked good ones in the past.

 

[the_prawn]

yeah, its true. we haven't had a truly dominant pack for a few years now.
but i have to say i am greatly looking forward to seeing this one rip in this season!
i hope douglas will continue to improve and become an absolute champion. If rossy can stay fit he go well and i would like to see stapelton used off the bench for similar impact to his efforts last season.

who would be everyones preferred starting back rowers though?
tough choices, but i suppose it will depend on the tactics employed by ricky

 

[peachey]

if they all stay injury free , we could have a great season in the forwards with them all challenging for positions that means they all have to perform, williams has beefed up , so look for him to have a great 07

 

[Great White]

I think Kingston is a solid player, tough and works hard and also is a strong defender. My only qualm with him is he lacks a little creativity with the ball and also the Danny Bederus/Robbie Farrar jump from dummyhalf and scooting. Something that Latu was brilliant at and exposed it well when Kingston was resting.

The rest of the pack are a great combination of workers and metre gainers, my only problem with them that I would like to see with them is some controlled aggression, like the likes of Karl Webb in SOO or Wiki, when he plays, they just get real aggresive and rip in and smash players running at them.

I remember when we were in the semis with Chris Anderson, then our pack was feared and defended hard and aggressively. Like Morley but without the stupid head highs.

 

[Nulla Boy]

i think the forwards r one of the best packs,the backrow is awesome Gallen,thommo and Bird,then add ross and douglas,a good mix of the old and young then add stapleton who last year towards the end really looked like he was ready to step up as one of the premier props in the competition,i predict he'll play origin at least this year possibly australia if the sharks have a strong start to the year.

 

[timmo]

i think the forward pack we have will be our biggest asset this year. plenty of strenght and we also have depth

 

[Great White]

We just need aggression.

 

[Dutchie1983]

I agree with hardstyle our forward pack is one of the best if not the best in the comp and yes that might be a big statement this early in the season, but as said we have players competiting at every spot in our pack and this will encourage all of the players in the pack to work hard and play at their best. I would have Douglas and Ross start front row, then Kingston/Kearney start at hooker and have Thompson, Gallen and Bird as the starting backrow, then have Williams, Stapleton and Ciraldo off the bench. Not only that but then I have left out Villasanti and Cooper as well as others. Great depth in our pack

 

[vince]

we have a gun pack i doubt if anyone can match our depth in the forwards this year

 

[peachey]

we may have a great pack but i dont consider them the best in the league yet, as much as i hate to say (dont burn me for it ) the doggies and dragons have the best forwards packs in the league, as well as depth

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

I think the key to our pack is the way Ricky utilises all the talent and also not to have Thompson, Gallen etc carting the ball one out all the time. He needs to introduce 2nd phase play as well as having structured expansive plays with decoy runners. Last year all the opposition defence would have to do was bunch their players in the middle of the field because they knew we weren't going pass the ball out to the wing and hurt them.

 

[db72]

Watch out for stapleton to be a dark horse this year. He is just a hard working, honest forward who will put his body on the line every game bit importantly without any emotion. I can't wait to see Ben Ross get back on the paddock cause I reckon he'll carve em up this year on his way to a rep jumper now webke has gone! Its January guys and I'm excited about the year ahead!

 

[brently]

yeah, i just can't settle on a 17 for round one. we've got too many good forwards to fit in. i'm not sure about kingston, he is solid with few thrills. but we need to get value in every position, so solid probably doesn't cut it. kearney or de gois off bench maybe. want leulauai off bench for sure = much needed aggression. also like to see ciraldo get a run, williams was a big improver last year so more of that would be good. looking forward to seeing stapleton in a sharks jumper, got high praise from langy last year so that's good enough for me. just a couple of months 'til kickoff! ohhh baby..

 

[Super Shark]

Guys, I can't wait for March to roll around.

The forwards we have in the squad have alot of potential to be the best. Although some might say that we need better "cattle" but im apprectiative of what the Sharks have for this year.

I'm sure that Stapleton would be awesome this year with him playing under a new contract for 100k and with him coming off the bench would be good.

Also looking forward in seeing Douglas back in action as he was awesome for us last year as he played everygame and hopefully Selmes to get a crack at first grade.

 

[peachey]

and the excellent thing is our forwards are (relatively for some) young to so they will be around for a while , i think this is the best pack we have had since 1999 and possibly 2002.

staples while go great guns because of the money we are giving him because he was on the lowest possible wage at the panthers n struggling to make ends meat to keep his family going

 

[Nobby The Sharkyboy]

Guys

Don't forget about Greenfield, he was our best player in the 2004 Flegg GF, in the extra time loss to the Rorters, who didn't lose a game all year. He went to the Rabbits for a few years, but he has got some talent, a great offload, could be a surprise packet this year, in the backrow/prop.

 

[Great White]

I think our pack is great too no qualms there, I just hope they get aggressive and are feared. All good premiership sides have had that especially the dogs.

 

[Eyeballs]

Our forward pack has what is takes to compete with any club.

 

[sharks195]

i think that our forwards are the strongest they have been for a while.

 

[peachey]

sticky likes the agression , if he didnt why would he have had morley in the roosters side, douglas needs some mongrel, then he would be complete, ross has the fighting spirit, remember when he did his cheek against manly and played on