How would you rank them in order?

I would go with

1. Tomkins
2. Hock (would be first if he had brain cells)
3. Hansen
4. Lockers
5. Bailey

Thoughts?

We have 5 first team backrowers, at times I feel we have one to many playing one too many(bench spot could be used for a prop (prescott/eamon if not startin) what do you think the pecking order should, best first and wost last mine would be,,

1.) Hock- game breaker at times( we dont have enough in our team)
2.) Tomkins- he current form has continued from last year, very solid tackler and make some great angled runs in attack. Future GB second row IMO
3.)O'loughin- Captain see loads of effort from him every match hard worker.
4.) Hansen- they dont call him hitman for nothing!!!
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5.) Bailey offers nothing in attack but as Tony Rae showed on BnA last year is very good at organising the side defencively but we have 3 great defenders above.


However Noble wont drop Bailey.

agreed.

in fact i'd even have mossop over bailey.

Maybe not seen enough of him at SL level to judge, seeing him in the reserve he has impressed though.

1. Hock
2. O'Loughlin
3. Hansen
4. Tomkins
5. Bailey

At the moment our best back rower...Infact player, is Sean O'Loughlin.

1. o'Loughlin - Stable, strong in the tackle. Good support player.
2. Hock - Could be 1. if he gets his head together.
3. Joint a)Hansen - Work rate, attacking within last 20m
b) Tomkins - All round skills + potential. Could be a superstar if he carries on developing at this rate.
5. Bailey - Experienced, defensive but lack of vision and salary goes against the guy.

1 - Lockers
2 - Tomkins
3 - Hock (would be higher but for lack of brains and dropped ball this season)
4 - Hansen
5 - Bailey

My ideal back row would be Tomkins at 13, Hansen and Lockers in the 2nd row with Hock on the bench to come on as impact player.

I think this is ideal as Lockers is never a 13 and Tomkins is as he proved last season. Unfortunately Lockers position at 13 seems to be as unimpeachable as him being the captain and neither is best for the team or him IMO.

Of course there is about as much chance of Noble doing this as him leaving Bailey out of the side.

No disrespect to Bailey who is IMO underrated but even so Hansen, Hock, Lockers and Tomkins are the future and he isn't.

Dave

1 Locky
2 Hock
3 Tomkins
4 Hansen
5 Bailey
6 Mossopp

My starting back row would be Hansen & Locky in 2nd row with Tomkins at 13 & Hock on the bench.
Altough Bailey is obviously better at the moment than Mossopp keeping him beyond his current contract is only going to hinder his potential as Mossopp should really be looking to break into the 17 by 2010. Ideally he should be getting the odd game in the first team now but can't really see that happening TBH

Lockers
Hock
Tomkins/Hansen
Bailey

Locky is number 1 comfortably then i dont think theres much between Hock Hansen Tomkins and Bailey.

as people have already said

Hansen
Locky
Tomkins

hock as sub for his impact. either that or bulk him up and stick him in the front row (which is where i think he will end up anyway) and bring mossop in

In all friendlies and the first two games of this season, O'Loughlin has been playing as a typical 13.

Agreed - whilst there is an argument for him being more effective at second row, saying he is 'never a 13' is a bizarre comment. His whole game is based around it.

Especially now that Barrett has left.

I think we'll see a huge improvement from O'Loughlin in '09 now that he has more freedom to link up with the halfbacks opposed to letting everthing revolve around Barrett and that's why many were calling for him to switch to second row last year. Regardless of what people think, truth is Sean O'Loughlin is a good ball handler and is very good at attacking out wide.

It made me smile.

id prefer hock at loose with hansen and lockers 2nd row

I don't think Hock has stamina, generally a LF is on the pitch 80mins. When Bailey goes, Lockers and Hock in the Back Row with J Tomkins at LF.

Whatever the order of the main 5 backrowers we have one needs to be dropped from the 17 on a regular basis imo because if we don't the balance of the side is all wrong.

On the opening day we were a halfback/Hooker short and for the Hull game we were a prop short all because Noble won't drop one of his 5 backrowers.

FWIW my pick to leave out would be Bailey but i don't see it happening. I can actually see a move back to centre for Bailey happening first before he'd get dropped.

tomkins@13
bailey and lockers second row
hock and hansen at this moment in time bench players.

Well I have only the Wakey game to go off this season and that wasn't what I would call a typical 13 playing. As to the friendlies you can't judge off those given the opposition in two of them. In any case he hasn't been a typical 13 for the last two seasons not just a few games this season.

When Tomkins was playing last season there were numerous posts on here calling for Lockers to be moved to the second row . Good call IMO. His game is far more suited to that position than it is a 13.

Dave

Against Wakefield, Sean O'Loughlin couldn't have played anymore like a Loose Forward and his ability to play freely and skillfully in the backrow is the reason why he was asked to switch to Stand Off. Whilst at 13 he occaisonally played as a play maker role, kicked out of hand and ran off the half backs (which lead to Tomkins try).

The way he and the team are currently playing, he is better suited to 13 and his recent performances have shown this. Like I say, the presence of Barrett last year prevented O'Loughlin from becoming involved in a more versatile role. Luckily he has been able to become more involved in the creative side of things.