Look I completely agree with you that we need a big prop forward to really challenge, a Tamou or Moa or Tapau would get me very excited and that should be our primary recruitment target without a doubt.
But I don't buy that we are useless without a big pack and that's including the signings we've made. I won't mention this year because of injuries and off-field disruptions, but going back to early 2014 when we were going well and the group was still focused, this was the pack that lined up v the biggest pack in the comp at the time in the Dogs.
8. Starling
9. Ballin
10. Lawrence
11. Watmough
12. Horo
13. Buhrer
14. Hasson
15. Lui
16. Sene-lefao
17. Symonds
Now that for me is the smallest pack and bench I have ever seen Manly field. Literally none of the bench options were even out and out prop forwards.
We won very convincingly, 32-10.
My point is, size isn't the be all and end all. Attitude is IMO more important. I saw very often over the course of 2013 and 2/3rds 2014 our small pack match roosters, souths and dogs with line-speed, intensity and guts. It can be done again this year if the group retain that focus and the coaching staff and veteran players re-install that attitude in to this team.
I believe our recruitment has been 'okay'. Could have been better, still lacking that big front rower, but the signings we've made I believe will improve our team (things couldn't be worse than this year?) and will take us in a new direction.
To those posters who say recruitment has been poor, you also need to factor in our retention of what will be the heart of our team for years to come in Guthbo and the Turbos. Again, I'm not saying it's been great, just that it's not been as poor as some people make out.