Is it really as bad as many of us think?

I've been analysing our props and don't think we're in too bad a place as people think, our problem has been injuries. Slyney has missed the whole season as has Lovegrove. Wallace has played really well but has played more football than you would expect for a prop at his age. Thackray has been our best player this year and a great addition, we need more players like him across the park. Our new signings Battye and Offerdahl will surprise people I think and both look like players we've lacked. Battye is n offloading prop, big build with a great offloading game, Offerdahl is a strong running athletic player who's quick and has some upper body strength. I can also see him playing in the back row.
They'll certainly be some depth and more experience than last year and we seem to have a more varied skill set in the pack. There are some there with speed, some have offloading skills we never had.

In seeing this I think we're actually lacking in the 2nd row and a bit in the halves.

Slyney
Lovegrove
Wallace
Everett
Thackray
Battye
Offerdahl

Lovegrove is a left side second rower NOT a prop

But still played prop all year!

Does not mean it should happen next season

And the results of playing second rows at prop were there for everyone to see

And have been for many years. Anyone remember Wembley?

Retchless & Millard??

Yes but that was due to injuries in the team and we were essentially forced into that position.

Yep, playing 'others' at Prop, does not constitute a 'Prop', it merely highlights the lack of real Props thereof!!!

We can convince ourselves a "good little half-back" will sort things out, we can convince ourselves that some "nippy wingers" are whats needed or a full back with good hands and "fantastic under the high ball" etc etc et-al.

If we do, we resign ourselves to another season of simply being bullied up middle and eventually off the park!

Yep, this writ large.

When he played for us lovegrove played mostly as a prop he certainly had the strength he preferred second row though funny how his first game for us he played on the wing

Ryan Verlinden. He went over there and played for Featherstone this season gone. Is he the sort of prop we're after?

He has an Irish passport, despite the Dutch name.

Have we signed him?

Quick glance I thought the thread was our poop situation!

I think quality of player is the most important thing in recruitment. If you have good players you can always change tactics against larger more predictable sides. If you have some giants that drop the ball, give away penalties, and can't pass you have not strengthened the side. A good bigun will be better than a good littlun, but the emphasis has to be on good.