By MARK CASHMAN

You’d have to put Randwick first grade coach Ben McCormack in the glass half full category after the off-season the Galloping Greens are working their way through at the moment.

Randwick have leaked close to 10 of their first grade squad that managed to play finals footy last year and then went close to rolling the eventual premiers Gordon in the first week of the playoffs.

Major League Rugby in the USA has hoovered up a few including backrower Christian Poidevin, prop Jake Turnbull and lock Nathan Den Hoedt, one of the better lineout forwards in the Shute Shield last year.

The Melbourne Rebels have picked up Jeral Skelton, Tom Nowlan and Aston Vaiotu and then Brooklyn Haradaker was training with the Waratahs before a season ending knee injury last week - there’s also the mix of guys with sevens aspirations.

“It’s obviously not ideal but with the effort we put into our pathways programs we feel comfortable that we will have most positions covered again” McCormack said at this early stage of the year.