Dear is pretty mobile and gets a fair way up the ground. We could get some interesting and unpredictable patterns with Weddle and Battle pushing forward as marking targets at times and Dear pushing back to provide a link from the last line (patrolled by Barrass with support from Scrimshaw and maybe Frost). Great to have that kind of flexibility if Dear is being blanketed.Fair concerns.
This is the big upside of us picking up Barrass and Battle is that we can throw some new formations out up forward to help out Dear and Chol, and Hardwick with Battle/Sicily/Weddle rotating through there is something that will be challenging to plan for. We'll also be able to keep guys like Impey, Amon etc playing attacking defensive running roles to help D'Ambrossio. Jiath is also more important than some give him credit for, and if he get get up and running and play at his best would be a formidable combination with Massimo on the wings. Also if MacKenzie breaks out to become a top line midfielder changes our dynamic as well.