Salvi has played there in the past but with no great distinction. According to the Brumbies site he's 105 kgs now which is up from 100kgs in 2008; so that will do no harm if he has to play 8. The trouble with Salvi is that his best position is at 7, but the young guns were signed up earlier in the year: Hooper then C.Finger, in that order, with Salvi in between.
I can't remember when Smith announced he was pulling the pin and where it fits in the sequence, but it suffices to say that it was an odd chain of recruitment for the 7 position.
As you say Slim: Elsom has played no.8 before. Even Knuckles used him there: in 2006 for 3 games.
Just about every side in Super rugby is out of balance somewhere: overloaded with players who are best in one spot but have to be used in others, or just held in reserve - and are light in other positions.
The Brumbies will be no better or worse than most other outfits. The trick is to have injury luck in positions where specialists are light on.
IIRR the problem the Brumbies had in 2010 was not scoring enough tries; so I'm wondering: what changes in 2011 are likely to spark more of them?
Not to the point, whatever it is, but I couldn't see a point of difference in the 2010 Brumbies that set it apart from other teams and influenced results. Maybe it is to a point - not enough game breakers which was not conducive to try scoring.