The Álbury Wodonga Steamers’ monster pack has literally steamrolled oppositions in recent years, their “pick and drive” from the breakdown a sink hole to the opposition’s defence.

With each sortie another defender would be dragged out of the line until the gaps appeared.

But 2015 brings a new look forward pack — leaner, fitter and faster to the breakdown.

Ryan Schischka, part of the new pack and one of the “piggies” that took the Blue and Golds to grand finals in the past three years, said they would only get better.

It’s an ominous warning for today’s opponents CSU off the back of the Steamers’ 50-10 thrashing of 2014 minor premiers Wagga Waratahs in the opening round.

The Reddies lost 35-19 to Wagga City last weekend.

“We lost a bit of experience, perhaps a bit of size, with Nathan Bright and a few others retiring at the end of last year,” Schischka said.

“But the engine room is still there. “Tommy Boyle, Liam Krautz, Ash Lefevre — we’ve all been around for a few years now, Tommy and Ash playing rep football and taking on a greater leadership role.

“We have two new second rowers who look good and Arran Macdougall in the front row.

“Under Nathan Honeyman we have had a good pre-season and are certainly fitter than we were last year — what we lack in size we have made up with speed to the breakdown.”

The Steamers will be without fly-half Blake Le Cornu today, while recruit Cottrell is also in doubt.

Schischka believes better ball control and a tighter scrum will be the keys to their first away game of the season.

“The scrum came under a bit of pressure early in the game last week, but to our credit we worked through it on the field,” he said.

“It was the same in the line-outs — we were a bit scrappy, a bit rusty but then we took control.

“To be fair Waratahs were probably down on numbers and made us look a bit better.

“But we were first to the breakdown and in numbers allowing us to pilfer their ball.”

Schischka said the Steamers’ forwards would look to give their quality backline every chance to use their talent.

“Across the board all the backs can win games on their own,” he said.

“But a bit like the forwards they were bit rusty on combinations last week but I think that is just a matter of time rather than anything else.

“Certainly they showed what they could do in the second half and our job will be to give them that same space on Saturday.”