Quote: Offside Monkey "I think he can play both, but Royce likes to start a prop at 13, so I think you'll find Laffranchi starting here and playing up the middle, perhaps for extended minutes. Our lack of depth combined with the fact that royce starts 3 props means we're getting very little impact off the bench from our junior backrows.
You could get by with 3 props starting and 1 on the bench if your had 2 muscular backrows to bring on, but at the moment our bench is scott moore (who does up the auntie when he's introduce), a back and then two of Ashurst/Dixon/Magennis. This lack of strength is crucifying us in the big games imo.'"
Good post. I think looking at your pack next year, the above's the only way to go for you guy's.
OT: I know it's a tactic that's slowly creeping into our game, but I must say I'm not a fan of playing props at 13. I know Gallen plays it for club and country in Auz, and successfully. But good loose forwards are hard to find as it is. I really hope this isn't the death knell for lock forwards. It really would be a shame to see the likes of Farrel, Sculthorpe and Lockers disappear from our game.
After all there's already concerns that our games becoming to monotonous as it is. Another grunter at 13 isn't going to help rugby league's course.
Incidentally there's cracking article by Millward in this week's League Weekly about Lockers and the role a good 13 can provide to a team.
