I've no problem with Arona at prop...think he's been one of our best players this season...was excellent when he first came...very consistent...had a dip in form over a season or two but had a horrid time with injuries. Capable of doing a very good job at prop for me though when the whole pack is playing well...

Without Dave we do lack a bit of size but a smaller mobile pack doesn't automatically say you're going to lose against a bigger pack....in games we've played well in, the forwards have run hard. got decent quick play the balls and at times got good offloads out...when we play like that we're a handful. Last night we just seemed to lack energy from the start....the play the balls were the slowest we've had this season by a country mile...we were completely dominated in the rucks and not one forward got an offload away all night so no second phase stuff which made us easy to defend against. That's why I'd put last night down to the short turnaround rather than anything else.....

Arona is not the problem, if the rest of the pack played with his commitment we’d win far more games.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... 637001.amp Ought to be looking at this fella for next season or earlier if possible…..

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... 637001.amp Ought to be looking at this fella for next season or earlier if possible…..

We wouldn’t have the coin for him, think it has to be a fringe player looking to make a name and cut his teeth over here. That’s the stat though. 6 ft 6 and 17 stone and 24!,

As a season ticket member at the sharks when played there I can confirm he played at prop and also a the roosters before that
Usually off the interchange bench

He is a fringe player hence why he’s looking to get a gig over here potentially. I don’t see the obsession with getting fringe/second rate Aussies over, we’ve hit mud more than oil doing this. It’s rare that quality from the NRL comes over, and we will be way down the pecking order of clubs to compete, and even then it’s a risk ie home sickness etc. We need to get Fifita out on the field as much as possible this year as we have about as much punch as a paper weight boxer without him. Arona is a fantastic player, in a St’s or Wigan team he would really compliment the wrecking ball props like Walmsley as a solid and consistent workhorse prop. Players like Dale Finucane, Jake Trbojevic and even luke Thompson show you don’t have to be monsters to be quality forwards.

Correct but some fans don’t go with facts.

Must say I do not agree with the ' bagging ' of Lino. He distributes well, tremendous side step , plenty of pace , excellent goal kicker and field kicker . Made our only try against Cas. Had tremendous games after his late start to the season.

To go back to the original post and the title ie. Quota spots then I'd say:
Miller, Lino, Fifita and Arona all deserve their spots
Tanginoa - I feel should be doing a lot more and we've seen it so you have to ask what has gone wrong
Tupou - A great player for us but I do feel that we should be looking to negotiate a pay-off with him now
Whitbread - So far he has completely failed to impress me at all. I'd rather we played Aydin

Someone on another post felt that Lino is still 'suffering' with injury. Interestingly, IIRC, Max has been goal kicking recently.

When Lino started playing he was kicking goals easily then suddenly Max took over. Does make you wonder if he’s not quite right

Yet he kicked 2 40/20s against Wigan

Agree think he looked the only player who could do something against Cas .Been said many times Miller was the missing link .Both bring the best out out of each other and make enough space to make the other players look better