Aiden Tolman

[ism22]

The Cowboys pack ate ours alive minus Scott and MacLean.

They have the best pack ahead of the Storm.

We lack x-factor off the bench. Our own NAS or Hess.

Gotta agree we do not have th best pack... although I think that game was a bit special. We underestimated the Cows (so went in soft), had weak centres, carried Toops on the wing and still only lost by a try. The biggest difference was that they just kept getting penalties while we were down a bench forward, so they kicked their way ahead while we ran outta gas. It was still very much anybodys game with 15 to go and we certainly woulda been more competitive than they were against the Storm...

IMO Taumalolo isn’t as great as people say he is. He is a big lad who is tough to tackle due to his size/power but if I could choose between him and Cordner as a marquee forward for our pack, I would pick Cords.

[The Brain]

Gotta agree we do not have th best pack... although I think that game was a bit special. We underestimated the Cows (so went in soft), had weak centres, carried Toops on the wing and still only lost by a try. The biggest difference was that they just kept getting penalties while we were down a bench forward, so they kicked their way ahead while we ran outta gas. It was still very much anybodys game with 15 to go and we certainly woulda been more competitive than they were against the Storm...

IMO Taumalolo isn’t as great as people say he is. He is a big lad who is tough to tackle due to his size/power but if I could choose between him and Cordner as a marquee forward for our pack, I would pick Cords.

Your kidding Taumolo is worth 4 of our props

[Louis N]

LOD was 185cm and played at about 100kgs.

If you're looking for size, he's an odd suggestion.

No wasn't quoting LOD for size. Well aware of his dimensions, he was around NRL forever. Referring to his 'steel'. If we don't have size, then rock hard attitude can help cover the difference. We just need that go forward to put us on the front foot. All premiers have a John O'Neill, Kevin Ward, Big Artie, Lazrus type. Storm have plenty of them, Brisbane too, Cowboys etc...that's what my original message was conveying. Jarrad played the role in 2013 and we have genuine tough guys like SBW who you wouldn't want to mess with. And yes the likes LOD and Moa weren't giants but they were hard, aggressive.and in your face all game.

[top_joe]

No wasn't quoting LOD for size. Well aware of his dimensions, he was around NRL forever. Referring to his 'steel'. If we don't have size, then rock hard attitude can help cover the difference. We just need that go forward to put us on the front foot. All premiers have a John O'Neill, Kevin Ward, Big Artie, Lazrus type. Storm have plenty of them, Brisbane too, Cowboys etc...that's what my original message was conveying. Jarrad played the role in 2013 and we have genuine tough guys like SBW who you wouldn't want to mess with. And yes the likes LOD and Moa weren't giants but they were hard, aggressive.and in your face all game.

Enter Tets, Collins and a rejuvenated Napalm once he gets the sand out of his vagina.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

I guess Trent no longer views "Eloni Vunakece" as an option for depth cover for the 17 man line-up. He played solid for Fiji in the Rugby League World Cup last year and the bloke was named at "Prop" for the Intrust Super Premiership NSW Team of the Year two years in a row (2016, 2017) but he's probably behind the likes of Lindsay Collins on the call-up list. The Chooks do need another big poppa forward, Zane Tetevano is a solid player with impact off the bench but we just need one more to have that same sort of impact as the Storm and Cowboys have at full-strength. Those two teams have monstrous packs and sufficient depth cover. All the other lads on the roster in regards to depth are pretty much all second-row/lock forwards (Brock Gray, Nat Butcher, Chris Smith).

Chooks should look at perhaps some blokes in the Super League or in the other code (Rugby Union).

Should the Roosters throw David Taylor a life-line at a "very dirt cheap price" seeing as he has come back to Australia (QLD) and is now playing in the Intrust Super Cup for Central Queensland Capras. They have indicated that they would be willing to let him go to the NRL should an opportunity arise...but is he worth the risk ? Could the Roosters change him around ?

Plenty have tried and failed with Taylor, Brisbane, Souths, Titans, Canberra...... he is an enigma, a huge natural talent with ball skills to burn but lacking in self discipline, determination and just plain guts.....the way he backpedalled away from LOD in the SOO showed him up big time. I wouldn't touch him as it would be a bad example to our other young forwards.

[ism22]

No wasn't quoting LOD for size. Well aware of his dimensions, he was around NRL forever. Referring to his 'steel'. If we don't have size, then rock hard attitude can help cover the difference. We just need that go forward to put us on the front foot. All premiers have a John O'Neill, Kevin Ward, Big Artie, Lazrus type. Storm have plenty of them, Brisbane too, Cowboys etc...that's what my original message was conveying. Jarrad played the role in 2013 and we have genuine tough guys like SBW who you wouldn't want to mess with. And yes the likes LOD and Moa weren't giants but they were hard, aggressive.and in your face all game.

Yeah I don’t buy into the argument that Taumalolo is THE modern forward. If a guy is 185cm then he is tall enough to be a forward. The question then goes down to physical conditioning and sheer toughness...

Height is a factor because you can weigh more without carrying more in proportion to your body weight. However, raw steel trumps height. Nuggets can be ridiculously hard to tackle because they have a lower centre of gravity (e.g. Moa got the ball for many kick returns because he was like a cannon ball to tackle), they bend over taller guys and they milk a lot of penalties for high tackles. Additionally, they tend to get less knee troubles. Height has its disadvantages...

IMO the only kinda forward that has died out is the Big Mac, VB and ciggies prop (mostly due to the physical demands of today’s game).

[Bigchook]

I'll bump this later in the season, it's an ageing pack with a couple of players who IMO have been over-credited up due to their success.

To say we're not close is a big call.. time will tell.

It's not a big call at all. Taumalolo is the best forward in game right now. Matt Scott was the best prop for about 5 years until he was injured. Add hess, mclean, asiata, Lowe, cooper, Bolton, fensom and molo and its one of the most dominant packs I've seen. Thurston will love playing behind that.

[Louis N]

Height is a factor because you can weigh more without carrying more in proportion to your body weight. However, raw steel trumps height. Nuggets can be ridiculously hard to tackle because they have a lower centre of gravity (e.g. Moa got the ball for many kick returns because he was like a cannon ball to tackle), they bend over taller guys and they milk a lot of penalties for high tackles. Additionally, they tend to get less knee troubles. Height has its disadvantages...

IMO the only kinda forward that has died out is the Big Mac, VB and ciggies prop (mostly due to the physical demands of today’s game).

I agree with all of that. It's not so much height as weight that I was referring to. We have a lighter pack. Our biggest is Napa, who is ponderously slow in attack and yet to develop ball skills. He suits SOO because of his crash/bang defense and endurance. Tetevano is next biggest on current weight. I loved cannonball Moa too as his weight to height ratio made him a tough nut to crack and he hurt the defense. He also had great leg speed which gave him the velocity of a cannonball.

I am hoping that our strength and conditioning coaching team make up the difference. When all is said and done it boils down to power and endurance. When JWH was at his menacing best he was also breaking lifting records in our gym. But he was also around 10 kilos heavier according to the club stats. And he has been the cornerstone of our pack. Last year Taumalolo owned us in the final. He also inspired Tonga in the WC. he plays long minutes for a big man and for mine was the deciding factor in the Cowboys taking the 2015 competition. Those kind of players sap the defense and it creates opportunity for the clever backs.

[DP1990]

FYI: Jason Clark from "Souffs" is off-contract at the end of the year...

https://www.playersvoice.com.au/jaso...pjxVKkoH0My.97

Similar kind of player as to Ryan Hoffman, would be a handy pick-up at the right price but I think the Chooks are stacked with second row/lock option, especially with Angus Crichton coming across from them.

[The Brain]

FYI: Jason Clark from "Souffs" is off-contract at the end of the year...

https://www.playersvoice.com.au/jaso...pjxVKkoH0My.97

Similar kind of player as to Ryan Hoffman, would be a handy pick-up at the right price but I think the Chooks are stacked with second row/lock option, especially with Angus Crichton coming across from them.

he is reitiring

[Mad_Rooster_in_GraceLand]

IMO Taumalolo isn’t as great as people say he is. He is a big lad who is tough to tackle due to his size/power but if I could choose between him and Cordner as a marquee forward for our pack, I would pick Cords.

Yes I agree he just is not that good after all he owned our pack in last year's Prelim final. I remember the dude was pretty much unstoppable in the 2014 semi against us after our initial onslaught. Plus the Cowboys won their Premiership on the back of his second stint in the second half of the 2015 gf. He changes the momentum of big games but he ain't that good man.

In 2 years time he will be worth $1.5m a season but the Cows get away with paying him $1m.

Anyway Cords is an edge backrower and he a lock. But having said that Taumalolo eclipses SBW and Glenn Lazarus as the best forward I have ever seen and he ain't even halfway thru his career.

He may end up as the best forward since Artie.

[Moose]

FYI: Jason Clark from "Souffs" is off-contract at the end of the year...

https://www.playersvoice.com.au/jaso...pjxVKkoH0My.97

Similar kind of player as to Ryan Hoffman, would be a handy pick-up at the right price but I think the Chooks are stacked with second row/lock option, especially with Angus Crichton coming across from them.

he was never even close to as good as Hoffman

[One Eyed Willy]

FYI: Jason Clark from "Souffs" is off-contract at the end of the year...

https://www.playersvoice.com.au/jaso...pjxVKkoH0My.97

Similar kind of player as to Ryan Hoffman, would be a handy pick-up at the right price but I think the Chooks are stacked with second row/lock option, especially with Angus Crichton coming across from them.

You cant be serious?
He is the biggest battler going around
zero impact in attack, and that’s being nice
has no sting in defence, is a hole plugger.
If we even consider signing him I would expect everyone of our young up and coming forwards to be asking for releases from the club

[eddie]

On topic, it seems that Tolmans manager is becoming a bit frustrated.
Not one nrl club has shown any interest in rescuing him from belmore.
Perhaps the dogs aren't willing to pay a large enough % of his salary.
Only club I could see needing him is the vermin, but they are too burgiied out.

[top_joe]

On topic, it seems that Tolmans manager is becoming a bit frustrated.
Not one nrl club has shown any interest in rescuing him from belmore.
Perhaps the dogs aren't willing to pay a large enough % of his salary.
Only club I could see needing him is the vermin, but they are too burgiied out.

It is getting too close to the start date, clubs already have rosters and plans in place. And pre-season combinations under the belt.