I think Hughes will be okay with big men around him.

Well seeing as he's a prop I'd hope so.

Crosby didn't put a foot wrong in the couple of games he managed to play.

Hughes will have been affected by Crosby's tough time for sure. He's solid in defence and does the 1% things in games that go a long way. Unfortunately he goes under the radar a lot but the bad thing about him this season is that he was that bad he actually stood out. Rather than him usually playing well and blending in.

I wouldn't be too quick to lay too much blame solely at his feet though (as bad as he may have been). Warrington's 1 tactic of the backs making 3 scoots, to a forward taking a ball in on his own for the half backs to kick to a corner will hardly do anything for his game.

As Duckie said (I'm shocked I'm agreeing with him) with some big stable bodies around him I think he'll go back to the form he had in 2016. Hopefully we will see the end of the back taking balls in and getting smashed and instead we can go back to how we played in 2011 with 3 massive drives from the forwards, a switch play to the other side, and finish off with either an attacking shape or a kick to the winger.

I'd have Hill and Crosby as my 8 and 10 next year, Crosby is a quality forward and i hope he has the starting Shirt ahead of Cooper.
Has BMM played much loose forward before or primarily at second row? Either way i'm happy as pie with the forward pack next year, maybe another prop to compliment.
But we are looking good for next year and i'm very excited

Not sure that can excuse the fact he could not play the ball correctly, knocked on frequently, never made an opportunity for his centre and conceded a high number of daft penalties.

But as you say, 2018 is a new start.

Pretty sure we are more than done with forwards now,apart from hooker unless said rumour of Baptiste is true.
Winger for me then we should be good for next season.

On the contrary...if Hughes has a poor pack around him and the pack interchange are just as week...Hughes being a second row doesn't get the luxury of a rest and constantly punching above his weight...he will fatigue quickly and make the daftest errors.

He stank this year, from the first minutes. But as I said, 2018 is a new start. I can see why Wigan didn't retain him.

He did...so did the pack around him, don't you agree?

My big concern with our pack over recent years has not just been in the go forward but even more in defence. I know the shoulder charge has gone but in its pomp the pack we had 6 years ago had less regard for self preservation when defending. Some games we would knock the ball out in contact sometimes 3 or 4 times a game just through hitting hard but fair. Harrison, Grix, Monaghan and a lot of others probably spent a lot of tine on the treatment table with shoulder injuries because of it. It usually happened early in the tackle count as the opposition were trying to get out of their own 20. Maybe a bit harsh but recently that has turned into leaving the hands in the tackle or a little nudge to try and get the opposition to spill the ball.
The relationship between forwards and halfbacks is a 2 way thing. It is difficult to play behind a beaten pack but the pack also needs direction.
A good halfback or hooker should be able to direct the intensity of both attack and defence, know when to crank things up a notch or know when to slow things down. Sometimes it looks like the dummy half has looked up and whoever is prepared for another carry gets the ball rather than the halves and hooker directing the big men.
Melbourne dont have the best pack in the NRL (i know Bromwich is regarded as the best prop) but bellamy makes sure they have only a few simple instructions all the other direction comes from Smith, Cronk and Slater but as long as the forwards remember their simple instructions then they have done their job.

Quote Paul2812="Paul2812"Ben Julienne has signed for Catalan.'" Can't find any links to say that he has signed for Catalan. All I can find is this one. www.totalrl.com/forums/index.php ... arrington/

Quote Paul2812="Paul2812"Ben Julienne has signed for Catalan.'" Can't find any links to say that he has signed for Catalan. All I can find is this one. www.totalrl.com/forums/index.php ... arrington/

I asked julien after the last game if he was coming back, he said he didn't have a contract for this year.

In terms of value for money this season, he's been pretty hood, for someone playing full time professional sport whilst living on a student campus away from his native land.

Baring in mind other contract/release decisions made in between coaches, I wonder if Benjamin wanted more dosh than kf wanted to give, or he thought he was valued at.

Well in my opinion ...I doubt he would put pressure on the starting 17 with a squad looking more than half full of full internationals, and some of the best players in the world.... something has to give!

Nice lad and with scope for some promise, but it'll be like Coops a few years ago, he wasnt missed.