And Mossop, as we saw at the Magic last year. Sugar Ray Mossop!

Obviously size in a prop/forward matters, but the days of slamm’n Sam Backo IMO are over, they only survive now on the dark-side, in union. Our game has matured and learned the best kind of prop is a large but more muscly and less lardy type. A true athlete with stamina and a brain, who can channel his aggression into performance, and not just relying on his fists to make a point. Being a knuckle head gets you nowhere nowadays, ask Hock, on second thoughts, don’t bother.

Intimidation is a massive part of forward play in RL and always has been. Just ask anyone who's played in a pack at the top level.
Lauaki has changed since joining Wigan in that he's had to become more disciplined. He still puts in some big strong tackles and goes for the opposition's big men.
The Wakefield prop who belted Faz would not have done anything like that with Gaz Hock. The mere sight of Gaz would have stopped him.
Faz is Hock's sucessor and he got belted big time. That's what I'm on about.
A couple of Wakey players belted Greg Burke, does anyone seriously believe they'd have done that to Andy Powell? The man's 6'5", 18st and as a Union fan wrote a "complete nut job".
We need that type of player to stop what's been going on.
We didn't lose Faz and Burke but we lost Matty Smith and Blake Green through being taken out by the opposition.
Lauaki and Powell are just the type of men to put a stop to it. That's no doubt why both where signed.

Given Powell's reputation he might be as you describe but we will have to wait and see. Lauki isn't remotely like that. He's big but just as likely to get a smack as a young player IMO. What have you seen that makes you think any opposition player is afraid of him as they are Hock? I have seen Lauaki flailing about when tackled but it's all show. I haven't seen him square up to anyone that suggests other players will back off in future.

Exactly, Rob Burrow wouldn't give Hock a crack!

Think Wane has it spot on.

We don't want to burn out the youngsters. Greg Burke will be a great player in time but he is very young for a forward. Let him rest, bulk up and gain experience when it is needed.

Re DaveO's comment about Lauki. I got the impression that against Salford their No 12 (Dixon) had been putting about a bit. A quick slap and a few words from Lauki seemed to quiet him down. This left me with the feeling that Lauki was a good man to have around when things turned nasty.

What difference did it make in that Wakey game though? We won comfortably playing poorly.

As for the opinion that it wouldn't have happened with Hock around I can't agree. It didn't stop Mengennis's cheap shot last year or umpteen attack on Sam Tomkins. It also didn't stop Dickens taking out Hansen when we played Fev. These type of isolated incidents will always go on regardless of you having one nutter.

What I believe you need is a collective pack of forwards and for that matter backs that will stand up for each other. They need to know that each and every player has their back and vice versa. We have that IMO as proved by the Blake Green incident last week. The team visibally lifted after that incident and the intensity went through the roof. Hull KR stuck with us for a bit but faded under the pressure.

Hock wouldn't have stopped Paterson doing that in the first place and after the event would probably have got himself red carded. The game is too fast nowadays for the type of intimidation tactics you mention IMO.

All that's before even getting on to Lauaki in no way, shape or form being an intimidating enforcer or that Powell should concentrate on learning to play rugby league before throwing his weight around.