Quote ="Terry Monster"Exactly what is not required, it's been tried for the past however many years and failed miserably. Hanley, Farrell, Scully, Sinfield all ball handlers at 13 and all fail to make the impact that a forward is required to on the international stage. Funnily enough though, when we select a grafter at loose forward (S O'L Vs NZ 2007) then we go on to win the series 3 - 0. In my books there is no room for a extra pair of hands in the international arena, the 'ball handling' loose gets in the way and confuses things. It's got to be a hardworking, tough, mobile and agressive forward that get's through a ton of work and can damage the opposition with quality running in attack and punishing hits in defence. My personal choice would be Gareth Ellis for loose.
1.Briscoe 2.Gardner 3.Gleeson 4.Shenton 5.Hall 6.Pryce 7.Myler 8.Graham 9.Roby 10.Peacock 11.Burgess. 12.Hock. 13.Ellis Subs: 14.Lynch/Carvell 15.Morley. 16. O'Loughlin 17. Wild'"
So we get a grunt loose forward and all of a sudden we will dismantle NZ and Aus? I can't see that, can you? If it came down to a war of attrition in defence Australia would widdle on us, NZ too for that matter. Until we get a ball handler at half back, instead of runners, we will need all the ball handling capablilties we can get.
PS
How many times did Sculthorpe actually play at loose internationally.
