The Hard Road To The Premiership

[DJC]

Zach Tuohy (irrespective of his 2016 form) will be missed, and young Byrne might be tracking nicely but his absence from our team really stifled a lot of our run.  I also think that young Cripps with a hindered pre season might be doing well to reproduce any of his form from last year, let alone firing from round 1.

I think that too many people are being labelled as pessimists, when they are being realists just because too many are being optimistic.

Yes Tuohy was a best 22 player, as was Walker, although wear and tear rendered him a shadow of his best.  The other players we shed, including Jammo, did nothing in 2016.  Marchbank is a more than adequate replacement for Jammo (at his best) and we know Palmer and Smedts can play.  That's one reasonable HBF and two struggling players out and one exciting KPP and two reasonable players in, making a stronger list.  Of course, if a couple of SPS, Pickett, Lebois, Fisher, Macreadie, Polson, Williamson and Kerr make the grade, we're well ahead of 2016.  Then there's the development of last year's draft crop.

Holding on to our ladder position should be achievable as the lower end of acceptable outcomes.  That's based on a considered, realistic assessment of our list changes - and Bolton's call for fans to be patient   An optimistic view would have us playing finals, and I think that the chances of that happening are very slim.