Like that a lot. Washy's on a first 17 deal and needs to cement his place at 13 IMO. Also think we'll see a fair bit of Turner next season.

Tansey

Calderwood

Yeamo

Hall

Briscoe

Horne

Long

O Meley

Berro

Dowes

Radford

Funkygibbon

Tickle



Manu

Lauki

Moa

Whiting



Need Whiting on bench as already look light in cover for 3/4s. Lauki to cover as prop/2nd row.



Very hard to select blindly, we have no idea how the Aussies have settled or what sort of player Turner is looking like. On his form of the latter part of the season Moa deserves a place bench before Cussack. Just my opinion. Hope Cussack proves me wrong this season, been a very average signing for me.

Why does everyone seem so quick to dismiss Dowes? He started last season like a storm and has the same people influencing him at training that are impacting the others in the squad. I sttill think he's got a lot of improvement in him.

He's been poor for 3 seasons now. He's below all the other props imo.

I've clearly been watching a different game, Hasn't he had to play 80 minutes for many games because of continual injuries to King, Cusack, Thackray, Carvell and the late arrival of Moa and Lauaki? He plays a solid game for most of most matches, his mistakes are very few, his defence is solid, his play the ball is fast enough. I grant you he is not an iimpact player but to say he is below the otheres is unfair imo.

We've also played 3 props to ease the workload with Radders at 13.



Whatever anyone says Dowes makes very little yards in attack, doesnt make breaks or offload, his defence is steady. He's behind Radford, Cusack, O'Meley, Moa, Lauaki imo as the 5th choice prop. Burnett may even get a game before him if it were up to me.



I wait to be proven wrong though.

But I think you're mixing your grafter stats with impact stats here. He does a lot of hard yards that compare well with other props in the comp; he makes a lot of tackles (including at marker). However, he is not there as an impact prop to bust lots of tackles (even though he still makes a few busts) and nor is he there to make a lot of off-loads. He is there to be steady and reliable, giving very few penalties and not giving the ball away lightly. It might be that with the new regime he is allowed to be more expressive, using his sidestep and making more off-loads. I can't imagine a prop running onto a ball from Long won't get more opportunities than over the last two years.

Sod the team I wrote, this will do for me. Can't see anything but Fitz at 13 though TBH.

Some great selection headaches - fingers crossed we don't have too many injuries (particularly long-term) in the backs.

Mine



1 Tansey

2 Calderwood

3 Yeaman

4 Hall

5 T. Briscoe

6 Horne

7 Long



8 Cusack

9 Berrigan

10 O'Meley

11 Tickle

12 Fitzgibbon

13 Washbrook



14 Houghton

15 Manu

16 Lauaki

17 Moa



Agars



1 Tansey

2 Calderwood

3 Turner

4 Yeaman

5 T. Briscoe

6 Horne

7 Long



8 Dowes

9 Berrigan

10 O'Meley

11 Radford

12 Tickle

13 Fitzgibbon



14 Washbrook

15 Manu

16 Lauaki

17 Cusack

Fully agree, Dowsey is on of the most loyal and dedicated players we have! Like you say, he gives very few penalties away, makes plenty of tackles, very few mistakes, he's an important player. There's more to a props game than just hitting it up. He takes alot of the burden off other players, which therefore allows players like Manu to be more potent in attack. In the 17 every week for me. Radders is quite a similar player in what he offers the team.



Who knows, Dowsey could be a different player this year. Think about the amount of game time he's had to put in over the last few years, doing more than his fair share while players like King and Carvell were out injured.



Some people just want too see the tackle busts and crazy offloads and don't appreciate what else is needed within the team.



Merry Xmas,



Ewan

Dowsey and the Yak are very similar to me. I'd have the Yak in the team over Dowsey. Not been happy with his performances over the past few years. Will be very disappointed if he gets a new contract when this one is up!