Page 1 of the old Force thread is here - maybe somebody can merge them.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/forum/index.php/topic,8886.0.html
Haven't checked your list Ash with any forensic endeavour, but the front row definitely looks like the most improved unit. Sure, they have lost McIsaac but young Whitaker looked good in the stints he had in 2009. I hope that Mitchell keeps training Cowan as a hooker as his good mate, the Dingo, is doing with the Wallabies.
I don't think that Dunning will be cross-trained as a 2. Perhaps you were thinking about his playing hooker for Eastwood a few weeks back- but young Damien Fitzpatrick, a Yr.11 backrower for the Joeys Twos before he changed to hooker in Yr. 12, was on the flank for Eastwood and threw the ball into the lineout.
The 2nd row is weak as you have indicated but the excellent (at S14 level) back row is almost intact. Geez Horua played well in some games this year and would have been handy again.
Half back depth has not been affected too much with Sheehan going over there to replace Valentine. Turner and Swanepoel are not long out of school and will be good for the future if they can be retained and not go to Melbourne. [How ironic it will be if The Force bemoan the loss of players to the new franchise.]
Flyhalf depth will be a big problem as one can almost guarantee that Pretorius will miss a chunk of games. Harris played a couple of good matches as 10 for the Rats this year, but Mitchell will have been appalled with some of the match DVDs he got from Warringah - and especially watching the problematic combination between Sheehan and Harris.
The retention of the Rabbit, who will be available to play 12, will be priceless for the Force, because it will avoid a host of problems elsewhere. If Pretorius can play a whole season, if Shepherd can start healthy and stay healthy, (neither of which should be assumed) then the effect of the loss of Giteau and Mitchell will be minimised.
If ever JOC (James O'Connor) is forced to play 10 it will be a problem. As a schoolboy he played there like an outside back wearing a 10 jersey, which is fine in school games but not in pro rugby. In addition his play elsewhere will be sorely missed and the rejigging of the backline to account for his absence from where he should be will counter any good effect he has at 10.
The Force should seek to hire To'omua for 2011 as I think Lealiifano would want to stay in Canberra.
As for some other remarks:
- Stanford and Wykes at the S14 level are really 6s who can play in the 2nd row if the really have to. Stanford will have to step up whenever he gets a chance to play as he doesn't have a physical presence, and Wykes is still as skinny as he was at school though skilful.
- McCalman is terrific at club level but his play in pro rugby will not compare for a while to Horua's seasoned efforts. His size as an S14 no.8 (he would be too short to play in the 2nd row in the S14) is not impressive and he will have to play a heavy game to make up for it.
