The thing is hypothetically say you start CHN RFM and Jackson. They’ll play 65-70 mins each. So that still does leave 25-30 mins for a bench player.
In that time frame you would rather go for someone a little more unpolished but a lunatic (Chris Smith) who can come on get 15-20 tackles and make 10 runs. Fair enough won’t be a rep player with those mins. But can whack a few in defence and run over a few in attack. And because he would know his mins are limited he can give it his all in 1 stint.
The other thing is I don’t think you can fit Elliot and Martin in the same team. Shame Martin wasn’t a centre would solve so many problems. But you literally carry someone who isn’t an amazing edge defender (Martin) but who is by far and away the best goal kicker in the team. Or run a tenacious defender in Elliot who is all effort, but lacks the class and skill of the premier back rowers.
Sue, rfm and Chn will bring impact starting or not.
Then you’ll have fualalo and ogden vying for a spot in the 17.
Thing is you’ll think almost everyone will get a chance as the year is long. Problem is I’m sure pay has his favourites and some of the new guys must have been assured a spot so you don’t know how the selections will go.
But all in all I’m happier with the pack minus woods, trex, kas and even graham to a degree. Younger pack. Should be hungry to prove themselves. Our aging overpaid ex forwards would struggle to compete with what we have now.
