Looking forward to seeing the season get underway on the 4th of may! I cant help but feel this talk of Barker's strength is much similar to the hype about trinity this time last year. Of course, they have come off the back of a winning season and have scored an amazing new talent in Harry Jones (who I've heard played a bit of Australian schoolboys last year?), but I wouldn't be too hasty in declaring them as outright winners at this stage. They have lost their no.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14 from the winning side last year. These include pederson, edney, jenkins, naude, marais, haltmeier, flaherty, and of course tom wilson (Edney went out due to injury early last year and was replaced for the rest of the season by slack-smith, who was quite good as a fill-in but no comparison to the talent of edney). All of these players either played at CAS first grade level (at some point) or higher (pederson and jenkins played NSW and Wilson played schoolboys).
This is a major drawback particularly in the forward pack. In fact, for the second rowers, (from what I'm told) there was not a year 11 replacement (other than akopian who played 3rds) until the 4ths. Of the 6 props from 1sts - 3rds, 4 of them were year 12 and Tom Wilson (no.2) will not at all be easily replaced. Essentially, this means that the excellent depth that Barker had the luxury of last year is completely gone - especially in the forwards. Knox fields a much greater depth this year, and i've heard that their current year 12's have a strong forward pack... Also, if trinity can even field a forward pack that is anywhere near the strength as last years, they're in with a shot.
Even after all that said I'd put my money on Barker, but not my house. With the return of Stoltz, Davis, Smerdon, and the new inclusion of jones, they really do have one of the best back line's CAS has seen for a while. I would not at all doubt Knox despite their disappointing season last year. The games between barker and knox are always close anyway, both teams just lift for the occasion. Over the past two years neither has been beaten at home even though in 2011 Knox was undoubtedly a far stronger team and vice versa in 2012. The May 4 result will be interesting (played at Knox home) and will provide an insight into how the rest of the 2013 season will unfold
This talk of a strong Cranbrook side is encouraging. It would be good to see the school consistently producing a few upsets against the other schools that have dominated over the past decade.