NLL Insider

Bob Watson is a solid backstop for Toronto (GA)

Since the Toronto Rock traded Colin Doyle during the off-season leading up to the 2007 season, the team has also seen names like Josh Sanderson, Aaron Wilson, Jim Veltman (as a player), Matt Shearer, Pat Merrill, Phil Sanderson, Ian Rubel and a host of others pass through the doors at the ACC, all eight of those guys Cup winners with the franchise in 2005.

Instead of building through the draft like rivals Minnesota or Philadelphia have done over the last few seasons, the Rock have either signed or traded for the likes of Cam Woods, Peter Lough, Luke Wiles, Jason Crosbie, Craig Conn and Stephen Hoar, coming into the 2009 season with some serious buzz for the first time since Doyle donned a Rock sweater.

Will the massive veteran changes made over the last two years be enough to get Toronto back to the final? Find out after the jump.

The Inside Lacrosse Magazine Breakdown

This story appears in the January issue of Inside Lacrosse magazine. Click Here to see what's inside/order your copy.

Depth

*********
With offseason pickups Craig Conn, Luke Wiles, Jason Crosbie, Stephen Hoar and Michael Fleming, and the return of injured transition player Chad Thompson, the Rock have more depth than they’ve had since their last Champion’s Cup in 2005.

Balance

********
Over the last two years, the Rock have gone from a team that most were saying could play in an old-timers’ league to one that now sports a number of top 20-somethings: Ryan Benesch, Rob Marshall and a much-improved Scott Campbell.

Chemistry

*******
With all the new faces coming into camp and an offense that ran hot and cold most of last year, the Rock will have to hope that their new-look lineup meshes better than it did last year.

Transition

******
The team has desperately tried to play an amped-up two-way game, but it has never really had the proper players to do it. A healthy Thompson and Stephen Hoar should help them try and find their legs again.

SHANNY’S TAKE

I like how Toronto has revamped its lineup. Defensively they were pretty good in ’08, and Bob Watson is still an elite goaltender. But their offense, which was the NLL’s best four years ago, had become anemic. All the shooters from 2005 are gone except Blaine Manning. New face Conn missed last season, but he’s an MVP-type player. Toronto’s not a Cup contender yet, but it can set its sights on the playoffs.

SCOUTING REPORT

“Watson is as solid a goaltender as they come. He’s known as a big-game player but in actuality he’s fiercely competitive all the time. However, there’s no denying that his age (38) is a concern. … Recently, this offense has favored easy, lazy shots. With Lewis Ratcliff and Conn on board expect more intensity and hustle and the shots to be less timid. … The defense won’t have as much size as we’re used to seeing from Toronto. They’ll be relying on their young D guys a lot more. … Waiting to see if Marshall can pick up where Jim Veltman left off in the looseball realm.”

Notable Number

11

Rank, out of 12 teams, of Toronto’s offense last year (10.8 GPG). Conn (’07), Wiles, Crosbie and Hoar bring a combined 203 points from last season.

Rate This Story:

(+26 rating, 8 votes)

 Loading ...