Spines?

[aj1908]

6 hours ago, Rhinoferg said:

You can have the best 6,7,9 and 1 in the league but if your forwards can't defend or make yardage then you will struggle. 

the best spine can make a huge difference though.  if its a top team, most of their forward packs will usually cancel each other out, or any small advantage can be wiped out by a better spine.

the best example of this is the melbourne storm over the past ten years.  or even the roosters now

[Rhinoferg]

7 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

the best spine can make a huge difference though.  if its a top team, most of their forward packs will usually cancel each other out, or any small advantage can be wiped out by a better spine.

Beg to differ about forwards, we have had a rubbish pack for a while now with Brett 'liability' Ferres the main culprit, Stevie Ward is usually injured JJB and Ablett not the players they were and others not cracking any pots, no pack leader, just proves my point. 

Rhys Martin looks useful as a kicker and hopefully this fella coming in from Cronulla will do a job

[Oxford]

On 23/12/2019 at 21:00, Chris22 said:

Saints: Coote, Lomax, Fages, Roby, Knowles
Wigan: Hardaker, French (?), Hastings, Powell, O' Loughlin
Salford: Evalds, Brown, Lolohea, Lussick, McCarthy
Warrington: Ratchford, Widdop, Austin, Clarke, Murdoch-Masila (?)
Castleford: Mata'utai (?), Trueman, Richardson, McShane, Milner
Hull FC: Shaul, Connor, Snyed, Houghton, Sao
Catalans: Tomkins, Maloney, Drinkwater, McIlorum, Garcia
Leeds: Walker, Lui, Gale, Dwyer, Ward
Huddersfield: Golding, Gaskell, Sezer, O' Brien, Lawrence
Wakefield: Walker, Miller, Brough, Wood, Westerman
Hull KR: Quinlan, Abdull, Brierley (?), Parcell, Hadley
Toronto: O' Brien, Mellor, McCrone, Ackers, Wilkin

This does give an indication of an interesting season, if you're not excited by that what's the matter?

[Flat Rock Kid]

Widdop was the best players the tournament  at the last WC - poor for  England your off your rocker

[Man of Kent]

Warrington have the best spine on paper but it has to remembered that Steve Price is a keen disciple of the NRL School of Uninspiring Rugby League at University of Wolloomooloo.

[JM2010]

I agree Warrington look the strongest but I also like the look of Catalan's spine

[Gates1]

On 23/12/2019 at 21:00, Chris22 said:

 

Castleford: Mata'utai (?), Trueman, Richardson, McShane, Milner
 

Rankin will be full back.

[Dunbar]

I think the days of including the 13 in the spine have pretty much gone now with the lock/loose forward considered more as one of the middle forwards now... albeit with some teams playing a smaller, more mobile 13.

The 1, 6, 7 & 9 is the spine.

[JM2010]

48 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I think the days of including the 13 in the spine have pretty much gone now with the lock/loose forward considered more as one of the middle forwards now... albeit with some teams playing a smaller, more mobile 13.

The 1, 6, 7 & 9 is the spine.

I agree. A 13 used to be a bit like a 6 but bigger. Fullback has replaced the 13 as a ball player, linking the middle to the outside backs

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 23/12/2019 at 11:47, Oxford said:

Starting spine? Walker, Lui, Dwyer and Gale does look impressive.

I was going to reply virtually the same 

Stick Leeming in ahead of Dwyer for me- assuming he's not still injured come first game 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

34 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

I agree. A 13 used to be a bit like a 6 but bigger. Fullback has replaced the 13 as a ball player, linking the middle to the outside backs

Half the games I see there seems to be a lot of interchange between most positions

[Oxford]

2 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I was going to reply virtually the same 

Stick Leeming in ahead of Dwyer for me- assuming he's not still injured come first game 

I'd forgotten about the signing of Leeming who I've always had a lot of time for when I posted.

I also saw the LoveRL six candidates for MoS this year and spine dominates.

I think the ones with the better kicking game may just have the edge, though.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Oxford said:

I'd forgotten about the signing of Leeming who I've always had a lot of time for when I posted.

I also saw the LoveRL six candidates for MoS this year and spine dominates.

I think the ones with the better kicking game may just have the edge, though.

Forwards win games not those showboating pretty boys in the back

Bedfordshire Bronco - No. 10 (or these days 4 in kick and clap!) 

[Oxford]

37 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

or these days 4 in kick and clap!

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

29 minutes ago, Oxford said:

Its a nice slow sport for old slow people like me

[Oxford]

26 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Its a nice slow sport for old slow people like me

And still too quick ( yes!) for even older and slower people like me.

Played it, watched it and still can't fathom its attraction!

The OP was to discuss the Spines of each team and I think we may have drifted a little.

Do agree about Leeming as starting 9 though.

I was also wondering if Salford's might be going under the radar a bit as the focus shifts inevitably on to the usual suspects for trophies?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

45 minutes ago, Oxford said:

And still too quick ( yes!) for even older and slower people like me.

Played it, watched it and still can't fathom its attraction!

The OP was to discuss the Spines of each team and I think we may have drifted a little.

Do agree about Leeming as starting 9 though.

I was also wondering if Salford's might be going under the radar a bit as the focus shifts inevitably on to the usual suspects for trophies?

Depends on Lolohea for me.... Can he become an organiser post Hastings? 

One thing they will be able to depend will be Luke Yates..... the steal of the transfer season for me..... He would make any starting 13 in SL. On the small size so people underestimate him.. he is an out and out tackling machine who is worth his weight in gold

[Oxford]

12 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Depends on Lolohea for me.... Can he become an organiser post Hastings? 

He did seem to do the business with Tonga didn't he? And will he need to be if Brown stays fit? Then there's a few unkowns or possibles just behind them!

12 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

One thing they will be able to depend will be Luke Yates..... the steal of the transfer season for me..... He would make any starting 13 in SL. On the small size so people underestimate him.. he is an out and out tackling machine who is worth his weight in gold

Totally agree the steal of the season and some of what I meant by under the radar.

SRD's pack looks as strong as most and what they lack overall is pace outwide, if anything.

 

[Oxford]

One aspect of this is that Cas will have what could be the future half -back  partneship and playing against such differing and talented spines week in week out can only be good for the international set up and future.

[The Blues Ox]

In my opinion Leeds spine looks pretty average.

[Oxford]

1 hour ago, The Blues Ox said:

In my opinion Leeds spine looks pretty average.

Can't agree with this at all.

[Oxford]

Hull Live nock my idea!  The Monkeys

Rating every Super League team's spine ahead of the 2020 season

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/every-super-league-spine-rated-3690816

[The Blues Ox]

On 29/12/2019 at 13:12, Oxford said:

Can't agree with this at all.

I don't think Walker is anything other than a run of the mill fullback. Lui looked good playing alongside Hastings and again I wouldn't say he is near the top 5 or 6 standoff in SL. Gale is quality but I would be surprised if he hits the form he showed at Cas for a while. Dwyer always stood out in the championship and although I rate hit again I wouldnt be taking him if I had to pick 5 or 6 other hookers out of SL. As I said I think they look pretty average, as a whole hey are going to be way better than Huddersfield and Hull KRs choices but nowhere near the top teams.

[Oxford]

1 minute ago, The Blues Ox said:

I don't think Walker is anything other than a run of the mill fullback. Lui looked good playing alongside Hastings and again I wouldn't say he is near the top 5 or 6 standoff in SL. Gale is quality but I would be surprised if he hits the form he showed at Cas for a while. Dwyer always stood out in the championship and although I rate hit again I wouldnt be taking him if I had to pick 5 or 6 other hookers out of SL. As I said I think they look pretty average, as a whole hey are going to be way better than Huddersfield and Hull KRs choices but nowhere near the top teams.

I think they'll prove you wrong ...... but the real point is

18 hours ago, Oxford said:

Hull Live nock my idea!  The Monkeys

Rating every Super League team's spine ahead of the 2020 season

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/every-super-league-spine-rated-3690816