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Taking the post of Chiefs on Richard Brown from this thread: http://thewholeforce.com/showthread.php?p=7136#post7136
"I saw Richard Brown run the ball many a time but surely there must be a question mark over his size??
If you take a look at Brown in comparison to Fava, Lauauki, Lyons, Roe, Rodney Sooialo.....he is tiny!
His runs were completely ineffective I felt, lost ground mostly every hit-up.
Get into the gym more mate!"
This post interested me as it is sometimes easy to mis-judge players size etc from the sideline/television so I thought I'd do a little research to see what actually makes for a good backrow player.
It is a bit unfair to compare Brown just to Number 8's or Flanker/Locks, as he is in fact a Flanker playing as a Number 8 rather than a specialist, so I had a look at the stats of some of the Super 14 Backrow stars and rising talents including the names you mentioned Chief.
Richard Brown, 189cm, 101kg, 28/08/84
Scott Fava, 189cm, 103kg, 19/01/76
Sione Lauaki, 192cm, 118kg, 26/06/81
David Lyons, 192cm, 117kg, 15/06/80
John Roe, 188cm, 105kg, 10/04/77
Rodney So'oialo, 190cm, 107kg, 03/10/79
Daniel Heenan, 196cm, 111kg, 17/11/81
George Smith, 180cm, 104kg, 14/07/80
Chris Masoe, 183cm, 106kg, 15/05/79
Jerry Collins, 191cm, 107kg, 04/11/80
Richie McCaw, 188cm, 104kg, 31/12/80
Josh Blackie, 191cm, 104kg, 03/08/79
Schalk Burger, 193cm, 110kg, 13/04/83
Hale T-Pole, 185cm, 100kg, 30/04/79
Tim Davidson, 194cm, 101kg, 03/11/82
Luke Doherty, 195cm, 105kg, 02/02/82
Matt Hodgson, 184cm, 100kg, 25/06/81
David Pocock, 181cm, 98kg, 23/04/88
From this I would agree with you Chief that he indeed could do with some more weight to improve his impact (although I have rated his performance quite well over his short career at this level) however in terms of height he is around the average for true flankers.
As the second youngest of this group listed he certainly has time on his side, T-Pole for example debuting at 27 years of age, and is sure to be hitting the weights over the next off seasons.
My humble opinion is that he will become one of our leading lights in the next couple of years if we can keep hold of him.