nasheed here, the guy in everyone’s lips.
Everyone on this forum is in agreeance that centre is a weak point for this team atm.
I personally feel Hoppa is a decent choice for centre to partner Holland, but if we are serious about being a contender in 2020, or even this year we absolutely need a strike weapon in the centre three quarter position. Hoppa will be ok, just ok, but all our team is simply ‘ok’ and every team, let alone a successful one, needs a few strike weapons to offset their ok players. Most teams carry a few weapons, a few ok ones and 1 or 2 rookies or duds. Whereas we have 80% ok players and 30% rookie/duds. Our ceiling is for potential is low.
It is too much pressure to ask Holland to do it all by himself in the backline.
My question is who can we target in this key strike position? I can’t find a list of off contract players for next year so I’ll go with another angle.
Let’s look at teams that have depth in the centres and look to get a piece of that action.
Teams with a surplus of backs will both let a good experienced player leave knowing they have junior talent coming up, or likewise let a young gun go knowing they have a solid centre pairing already and not to restrict them.
I personally prefer some experience as we are full of rookies.
Off the top of my head;
Parra- they have an ageing roster and I feel we could nab Jennings, if we want him!? Discuss.
Souths- last year they had two first grade teams worth of backs, but I have a feeling other teams swooped in and they aren’t as solid this year.
St George- before last night they had Lomax, dufty and Aitken battling out for two spots. Widdop is injures so that may have settled that unfortunately, if not and Widdop is back soon, we must throw the book at Lomax, big and strong and rising, he is exactly what we need! Wouldn’t mind aitken either for his attack.
Penrith - they always have a few strike weapons on the periphery.
Anyone else have some ideas?
Nasheed.