Pritchard

[willstyles]

I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed at the time when we missed out on Pritchard a couple of years ago, but since then I've been counting my blessings just because he goes missing so often.

He has immense potential but obviously doesn't use it often enough, but how good was he tonight.... bloody outstanding defence.

Last week he had a strong running game, tonight a brutal defensive game....

If he had the mental strength to put those two parts of his game together on a consistent basis you'd struggle to find a more destructive bloke in the NRL other than Sonny Bill.

He certainly has two qualities that our backrow is missing - size and aggression. If you slot him in there with Choc and Stewart then our back suddenly becomes about 70% more intimidating.

 

[Garts]

Agree, but he just so inconsistant.  World beater one week then useless the next.  I am really hoping Hargreaves comes along, he is big and aggresive, but still away of yet.

 

[willstyles]

That's what I've been telling myself since we missed out on signing him. But deep down I have this feeling (mostly ignorant hope) that our coaching staff would bring some consistency to his game.

 

[Garts]

Do you have inside mail on the clubs hopes for Hargreaves, any idea on how they think he is progressing?  That young backrower Edwards looks ok as well.

 

[willstyles]

Haven't heard anything other than they weren't keen to put him into first grade at all this year, which surprised me a bit. I thought he would be ready to come off the bench later in the year.

I've got to be honest though...I was a bit shocked they decided to drop him back to the 20s, they were using him in NSW Cup because they wanted to see how he stacked up against seasoned forwards. I didn't see the first NSW Cup game so I don't know how he went in that one, but maybe it is something as simple as just underestimating the quality of the Toyota Cup.

Edwards has looked very good every game I've seen him in. As Darren points out regularly, we're pretty small compared to most of the other sides across the comp in the lower grades, but Edwards is one of our forwards who really holds his own no matter who he is up against. The club has huge wraps on him as well.

 

[Canteen Worker]

I have had a long talk with one of the lower grade staff and he has said that the club is slow to bring along the youngsters as the belief is that the physical demands of first grade waste and wear of them. The belief is to make them wait a year or two till they are ready and you will get more out of them in the long term.  A look at stars like Benji and Sonny Bill is evidence of the view.

 

[Matabele]

Agree, but he just so inconsistant.  World beater one week then useless the next. 

Polynesian