Hoops

Hawks/Taipans combined team

Surely there's a merged lineup that doesn't need White. I think Naar's lack of shot is an issue as well. Doesn't quite bring enough yet - maybe 11th man for him.

I'd go:

Trimble/Kenny/Naar
Newbill/Coenraad
Blanchfield/Grida
Conklin/Andersen or Loe
Ogilvy/Jawai (either can start)

The thing I find most intriguing about this is that Cairns are top heavy with 5 bigs in Jawai, Loe, Young, Loughzy and Walker and Hawks only have 3 bigs in Ogilvy, Andersen and Conklin.

Before you talk a merger it should be worked out just how this team wants to play.

If Illawarra got rid of Jett (remember the guy that had 40 in a intraclub game and was gonna become league MVP) for Rotnei Clarke then that changes the whole dynamic of this squad as he would rival Cotton, Ware, Webster, Gliddon as game changers because as much as I love what Conklin provides, he's not getting many 3 point plays whilst the opposition are making shots from the car park.

I think Cairns will get better, hard to believe the team that won by 18 in round 1, has lost 8 straight

We are like the sun - everything revolves around us.

We are like the sun - everything revolves around us.

What KR said.

Hawks are turning into the development squad for the Cats

Snakes are turning into our retirement plan.

or Melbourne too

Wont matter if they play Perth or Adelaide....referees will destroy them.

Back in the O'Brien days e.g. Cattalini. Since private ownership ended no one.

Lucas Walker, duh

Cairns struggle to keep good local talent. They were lucky to get 6 years out of Gliddon (Although the first 2 he was still yougn and developing). McCarron left after 2, when he established himself as one of the best locals in the comp. They often get solid vets after their primes (Weigh, Tragardh, Jawai return etc etc.)

When was the last big Aussie free agent they attracted?

The Cairns local contingent are the worst in the league for a decade.

If you merged both teams and had a 22 man roster with all 6 imports they are still paid less than Sydney, I think that's the heart of the problem.

Seriously though, replace Jackson and Jett with Trimble and Newbill and Bevo would get them in the playoffs, the team looks good with proper imports like the top teams.

Trimble/Narr
Newbill/White
Blanch/Grida
Conklin/Coneraad
Anderson/Ogilvy

If equalisation payments are going out, there needs to be a rethink of the entire system. If they aren't, they need to be.