Forward Ryan James admits the forward stocks have been boosted with the arrival of a number of new recruits and he would be open to a switch to the back row if that is what Coach Garth Brennan instructs him to do.
In 2017, both James and prop forward partner Jarrod Wallace shouldered a lot of the load up front as a number of other players fell to injury and with Brenton Lawrence, Jai Whitbread, Jack Stockwell and Jai Arrow all coming to the club as ‘middles’, it gives Brennan a number of other options. Add in the continued growth of Keegan Hipgrave, Max King and Morgan Boyle, the middle of the park looks strong.
“Jack Stockwell is a big and young forward who appears to be in pretty good shape and both of the Jai’s (Arrow and Whitbread) also have impressed early on,” James said.
“Me and J Wall (Wallace) played a lot of minutes last year but that was off the back of the large injury toll.
“I love pulling on the jersey each week and I’ll do whatever the coach needs me to do.”
The Bilambil junior spent a lot of his junior career in the back row and would be open to a switch, if necessary.
“I love playing on the edge. I spent a lot of my younger years out a little wider so if that’s what’s needed, I’ll be comfortable out there.”
