I'm sure when the Eels coaching staff sat down with Lee Mossop to discuss his shoulder, they looked at their front-row depth and probably came to the conclusion I have: 'Meh'.
If there is one spot Parramatta is well-served this year, it's the front-row. Tim Mannah, Darcy Lussick, Fuifui Moimoi and Mitchell Allgood were seldom the reason for our poor performances last year, and then you have the emergence of the impressive Junior Paulo, who I believe will press for a starting 13 spot sooner or later.
We've signed David Gower and Taniela Lasalo could be a smokey this year. He moved to the front row last year and was consistently Wentworthville's best player, and that's too ignore the potential of Pauli Pauli, who could be anything.
Most of these players are on an upward trajectory, and I'm looking forward to seeing if Brad Arthur can get any performance improvement out of some of our young forwards, given how successful he was in achieving that at Manly,
A player like Mitchell Allgood, who has plateaued in his development, could establish himself as real quality if he can add a little more steel and aggression to his game. Darcy Lussick, is undoubtedly a potential Origin player, and could fulfil that under Arthur.
When you look at the Eels pack, there are far more questions over our backrowers, than our props, and based on Brad Arthur early comments on Mossop it appears he is being viewed strictly as a prop forward. In my view, he would have had a real battle on his hands to make the first 17, anyway.
If by the middle of the season, we strike some injuries in the engine room then having a fresh Mossop to turn to, will be a luxury. Until then, I'm confident we have the players to carry us through.
Indeed, there are far more questions with our backrow, and it won't surprise me to see Arthur playing five or even six props and going for size given the respective depth in both positions.
Replies
Phil, without a doubt its the worst front row stock in the comp...
x2 EE, Fui is a year older and honestly Mannah is our only consistent front rower. Lussick looked better at 13 which is pretty much the same as front row these days. Allgood has been rubbish since he signed his new deal while Paulo Jr is promising he is still pretty raw. Hardly plenty of depth in the front row IMO.
Mannah = couldnt bust a grape
Allgood = couldnt bust a grape
Lasalo = total joke, way below ARL standard and he has had plenty of time to prove his worth, he is well and truely dead wood.
Lussick = has a real long way to go before he can be put in the same class as a top line RL forward
Fui = the only bloke with some ticka in our front row.
Allgood is getting better, i agree, but he is miles away from being a quality footy player, he hasnt stepped up yet, and you can only go on past form, certainly cant be relied on, he needs to bulk up and get serious, there are bigger backs running around with more grunt than Allgood.
Timmy ( i believe i can fly) is an honest toiler, nothing more nothing less, Tim wouldnt be able to knock the top off a choc top at a drive in movie.
Lussick has shown promise, and i expect him to improve, but to be honest he is no where near rep level, needs to go up about 5 gears to be considered in the mix of better forwards in the comp.
Fui is the only guy i see that leads by example, a fine footy player who will put egg in the face of anybody who doubts him this year, his world cup was simply outstanding, and his MOTM game in it was sublime, never seen him in better form.
To be honest this is the same weak front row we have had for years of poor performances and two spoons, the worst rounded front row in the comp, with the least impact, they give us little go forward and apart from Fui and to a lesser degree Lussick, not one iota of intimidation.
The smokey will be Gower, and maybe Pauli, but he has achieved nothing in 1st grade to date.
Unless BA is a miracle worker, which he could be, im expecting more of the same for our front row forwards.
I think your wrong about lasalo,he killed it last year in wenty and he is ALOT bigger now.
x2 Snake
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