Queensland usually get a good wrap from me as they always seem to have a monster tight-five backed up with nimble loosies and a pacy backline of ball runners and distributors. There is usually a fair bit of brash confidence oozing out of the various schoolboy forums from Queensland about their chances.
This year it is different. In response to some trolling on the forums from down south about their chances this year, the responses have been pretty tame and resigned. Queenslanders are not confident because they know little about the 2016 crop of players because their season hasn’t started yet; and, like NSW, they have only one Aussie-selected boy returning-being Len Ikatu who is apparently injured and only played half a match.
Sifting through the forums for information from the northerners some opinion has been gleaned:
I do not think Queensland will have the strength in the forwards to challenge.
It doesn’t help when the premier QLD schoolboy comp hasn’t even started yet and they’ve picked the Queensland team.
No big boppers like Luka, Swain, Vui , Hocking as in years gone by. Locks in particular lack size.
Players to watch out for: Fraser McReight, Jeral Skelton, Justin Sikementi, Willie Malala, and Len Ikiatau.