I agree with all of the positions that you have highlighted but I see a couple of issues with the people you have suggested.

Firstly the team is completely lobsided, the centre and second row we need both have to have a preference for playing down the right hand side, sadly Tupou and Edwards are both left sided players.

Secondly there is no chance of replacing Lockers like for like so we are going to have to change our style to allow for his absence.

Third we vdefinitely need 2 half backs, possibly Harry Smith as one he controls games well and we would need a top class experienced half to play alongside him.

Lastly we need 2 huge possibly nasty props to go with Flower and Bullock, and a creative hooker.

Not to much to hope for eh.

We would be going back down the route of playing a player out of position at 9. Powell wasn’t good enough to play 7 but managed to fill in for McIllorun at 9 when he was injured, he’s done well filling in but he’s not a hooker. Hookers are horrible nasty little grubs with good rugby brains, usually overweight and frustrated scrum halves with chips on their shoulders and that’s what’s we need, Powell is too nice and too honest to play there IMO.

The game has moved on from that kind of hooker IMO. Roby, Hodgson, Clarke, Smith etc don't fit that mould. I think with the reduction in interchanges we'll see hookers be good athletes who can play 80 and make a shedload of tackles and distribute the ball quickly and accurately. They will need to be fitter than the Cunningham and Lowes of old, even if that means playing a more simplified role. I'm not saying Powell is our man, but the position has evolved from what you describe IMO.

What I did was describe a nasty streak or a bit of mongrel, something all RL players need at every level at every age in every position especially in that position they need to be ruthless. The primary skill a hooker should have is he ability to pass accurately and speedily from the floor and Powell cannot do that, even when he isn’t jumping from 9 he still takes an age to make a basic pass quickly which slows our attack down from the start.

Agreed. Always liked him since he first came into SL. Smart young player.

Last season I saw young Jayden Brailey play hooker for Cronulla and I watched him play the other day and I think he would be a good signing. He’s a young lad so won’t be on mega bucks, but he’s an out and out hooker who works harder than a Japanese POW (But a happy one) and has all the attributes to make a very good player. Not blowing my own trumpet but I’m usually good at spotting talent, I reckon this lad will make a very good player.