I want a simple hard working game plan and some players given a licence to offload. It can be risky and lose possession but they've got preseason and should be familiar with each other by season start.
Before anything, defence needs to be on point, committed and supporting each other. The dreaded six agains, loose balls, will come against our team and the team just needs to accept it and make up for them as a unit.
I'd hate to seed any negative thoughts but I'm concerned about what the philosophy of forwards play is going to be, we just have to wait and see in time see what happens. It might be the same old. I'm worried playing too safe is going to statistically look good like the TBaz completion rates but I can't remember what happened that time, maybe it was other things resulting to bad results, attacking at the 20m, kicking game, no repeat sets, etc?
Case example, Max King. It's probably just from game maturity, who knows, but someone like Max King wasn't as effective last season probably partially because he wasn't offloading as much as when he first came on the scene. I see his offloads/ vision as a strength and for whatever reason he wasn't offloading anywhere near as much. Probably instructed or he just wanted to be more disciplined in his game, or defence read him better, etc. We wont get a clear answer unless he answers it.
A hard working forward pack with a few smart offloads each half will work wonders. Settlers not through the middle, unless they're quick scoots from dummy half. I'd want them like the Brian Smith Parra days, they usually ran their settlers around the tram lines .
Just a simple gameplan, doesn't need to be continual block plays like we're seeing most teams incorporate, Penrithesque nor ball playing props. It'll suit the modern game more than ever just as well as at times it historically did, now the referee would call the defence slowing the plays, wrestling. I've seen it many times, teams promoting the ball, or off a half break, against a slightly broken defence line, seem to gain more 6 agains then teams just playing one out settlers. Offloads could help gain more six agains plus it can help for rotations, squad players, interchanges, they can just do their job and just support teammates in attack and defence.
Whatever happens, the forwards have their roles and if the job's done, we can see the backs get involved for tries.