Quote Mark Laurie="Mark Laurie"If we are not signing anyone post Hardaker and the 30 announced is the 2017 squad then the key for me is what level the fringe players can get to. The improvement seen between 2014 and 2015 was in large part due to the contributions of players like ward, singleton, aiton , Cuthbertson and Garbutt adding so much.
For next year to be a success I think we need Golding, keinhorst, lilley , mullalley and Walters to step up and play like first choice 17 players. Jimmy k was just about there last year.
If this can happen it will create competition for places and with a good run injury wise , we can maybe challenge.
fingers crossed.'"
I'd agree with this, I am acctually quietly condifident of a good season this year, maybe not in terms of winning things, but in terms of building and seeing some new blood really come through.
On paper I think our squad reads a lot like Wire's from last year. They had a good back line, but weren't sure who was going to play fullback, this meant their halves were up in the air, with a player in Sandow is was class but looked short of form the year before, and a young lad in Patton, turned out they were helped by Gidley not having to play fullback. Their pack was ok with a real quality 9, and a standout young back row in Currie. Hill aside the rest of their pack is a bit ploddy and a bit old.
Then the rest of their squad was made up of fringe player youngsters and a couple of projects.
Lots of similarities and no reason why we can't compete for a top 4 spot, top 6 minimum IMO.