The one player we need to make us a top 8 side

[Guest]

Yes, Tolman would be an astute buy, but realistically to make the 8 next year we may require 5 or 6 teams to be kicked out of the comp.

[chook 56]

Yes, Tolman would be an astute buy, but realistically to make the 8 next year we may require 5 or 6 teams to be kicked out of the comp.

Going on this years performance I would have said 8.

[Guest]

Good points. However, if we just went with one, this is why I'd pick Tolman:

• In my mind, right at the moment our forwards are just running out of puff rather than not breaking the advantage line in most cases, which is something that I think needs to be addressed. I think with a guy like Tolman out there playing 60, 70 minutes, we have a guy who can allow guys like JWH and Tasi to rip in, whereas I think Tamou doesn't quite give you that marathon performance. He'll give you 40-50, but I think 60-70 minutes is much better if we end up in a grinding forward battle.
• I don't see Tolman's long-term future as a prop. I think he will be a world-class lock or second rower at some point in time, playing a hybrid version of Fensom and Gallen (120-130m a game, 35 tackles). Our strength in our junior forwards is in the front row department and I see a few of our senior backrowers getting shuffled on (FPN, Arona, Symonds, Bosden, Taka most at risk in my mind). If we pick up someone who can make the transition to lock or second row I think we will be better off.
• I'm conscious of what happened at Melbourne. They developed a great team and I don't want us to get into the same position where either we have to cheat to keep them or we end up losing years of hard work. This is less likely to happen with Tolman than Tamou. Tamou is one of the hottest, if not the hottest, props in the comp at the moment. Tolman is unfashionable. That will surely change the price?
• I think our biggest weakness is at hooker and great hookers don't come cheap. I'd prefer to save the difference between Tolman and Tamou and put everything we have left into signing a great little hooker. Srama and Reynolds would be my first two choices if we could get them.

well put. all id add is that we already have players with impact and size that break the advantage line (masoe, tasi, JWH, Evans). in fact young evans in terms of frame and playing style is an absolute tamou clone. so for the reasons above as well as the fact that we already have similar sorts of players at the club, id also go for tolman. might i add that tolman's ball playing skills for a prop are very underrated. if you watch him closely for the dogs, he is often the player at first reciever involved in many of their block plays and long shifts in their own half and on the opposition's line. last year he was also the player that made the most hit-ups/metres out of his own end so he is willing to mix it. that is what we need.

[Headless Chook]

well put. all id add is that we already have players with impact and size that break the advantage line (masoe, tasi, JWH, Evans). in fact young evans in terms of frame and playing style is an absolute tamou clone. so for the reasons above as well as the fact that we already have similar sorts of players at the club, id also go for tolman. might i add that tolman's ball playing skills for a prop are very underrated. if you watch him closely for the dogs, he is often the player at first reciever involved in many of their block plays and long shifts in their own half and on the opposition's line. last year he was also the player that made the most hit-ups/metres out of his own end so he is willing to mix it. that is what we need.

You sure you're not getting him and James Graham mixed up? I have seen Graham at 1st receiver quite often but rarely Tolman

[Spirit of 66]

He's a dirty stats who're but is exactly the forward we are missing. Will cost far less than Tamou due to no huge bidding war, and will still make you 150m+, 25 tackles per game all with a minimum of fuss. We get Tamou then we will surely lose some of the Evans, Cordner's, RTS's and Tasi's of the world.

I don't know why people can't see that, compared with the likes of Canterbury, we have millions to spend on recruitment. SBW will be covered mostly by third party sponsorships. I expect a lot of new recruits - and elite recruits at that - over the next 18 months.

[Spanner in the works]

He's a dirty stats who're but is exactly the forward we are missing. Will cost far less than Tamou due to no huge bidding war, and will still make you 150m+, 25 tackles per game all with a minimum of fuss. We get Tamou then we will surely lose some of the Evans, Cordner's, RTS's and Tasi's of the world.

I don't know why people can't see that, compared with the likes of Canterbury, we have millions to spend on recruitment. SBW will be covered mostly by third party sponsorships. I expect a lot of new recruits - and elite recruits at that - over the next 18 months.

I don't know why people can't see that we are the next Melbourne. We've signed pretty much all the best young talent on the market for the past three or four years. Moga, Leilua, RTS, Tasi, JWH, Cordner - the list goes on and on. Sooner or later some of these guys are going to blossom into the next Inglis, Slater's, Clyde's and Harragon's of this world. Other clubs know it, and if we aren't careful with recruitment they'll start picking them off left right and centre. If we start signing elite players something has got to give.