Silvertails- Let's score the Spines !!

[Will on the hill]

When evaluating spines you have to consider how the rest of their teams contribute to their performances. Storm bring consistency and attention to detail. Panthers bring the best defence in the comp and attacking threats all over the park.
Souths and Manly have more tradesmen like supporting cast, guys that do a job but rely more on their spine to create.

I rated Melbourne as the best but what if you dropped the Manly or Souths spine into the Storm squad? I honestly think they would be going as good, if not better.

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

So you would trade Turbo and our spine for Bunnies or Melbourne? I'm not sure I would. Turbo is by far the best player in the comp and wouldn't trade him and our spine for any other spine.

Preference here isn't playing into my ratings man, its just data.

I think Walker is a better player - on paper - than Foran (unpopular, but true). Reynolds/Walker is at least on-par with DCE/Foran. Cook > Croker, Latrell < Turbo by less than Cook > Croker.

I think Hughes/Munster is more lethal than DCE/Foran - on paper. Smith/Grant >> Croker and Papy < Turbo by a smaller margin.

Penrith's spine is dragged down by Edwards at no.1, else Luai/Cleary are Origin halves pairing (so better than DCE/Foran - on paper) and Api > Croker, Kenny at least => Croker.

Would I want that prick Munster in our team for Foran? No bloody way. Walker? No bloody way.

We have a serviceable 9 in Croker, but the other teams ahead of us have world-class 9s man - you can't deny that. That is our main on-paper weakness - and as much as I love Froggy's development this year, if we could swap him for Cook, Cheese, Grant or Api, I think most would want to (for the immediate now).

Bring back peak-Fainu and this changes into a VERY different list.

 

[Will on the hill]

So you would trade Turbo and our spine for Bunnies or Melbourne? I'm not sure I would. Turbo is by far the best player in the comp and wouldn't trade him and our spine for any other spine.

Tom is such a special player, not just for his elite footy skills. He is a local junior who is becoming the undeniable best player in the comp with 2 brothers at the club and an exemplary human of the field. If you guaranteed me a premiership next year but we had to lose the Turbros I'd probably turn it down and take our chances on winning one on merit.