Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="McHunt, post: 3243089, member: 9853"] Consensus amongst fans (present company's exception duly noted), past players and commentators is that Dearden should've been the starting half from week one and Milford given a few weeks to prove he's not a spent force. Walters didn't cave to that and went the more strategic route, starting with his weakest line-up and eliminating the weakest links as they became obviously broken. Had it gone the opposite way, we'd have Milford in reserves, fans calling for Croft to be dropped and would've arrived back at the beginning - trying to work around a broken Milford. Unless Milford really carves it up in the ISC, he's gone from the club. That's solved. No offer. We go to the market for a new senior half. Croft is contracted for another year so we might as well see what we can get out of that. And Dearden now needs to be given the full reins to see whether he's worth investing in for the long term. Had he been back in the ISC, he'd still be in that twilight zone of not quite knowing, and we could not really justify a bidding war as happened with Fifita, Hunt and Walsh. Dearden is on trial for his future now. And if he falls short, we aren't going to give the club grief for looking elsewhere. I would put money on us securing a rep standard half for next season to pair with Dearden or Croft. But first we need to sign Staggs - who we want as centre anyway - and give him a chance to strut his stuff in the halves. Good chance that won't work out. Relying on Staggs to be our premiership winning five eighth, and letting Dearden go for Staggs to partner Reynolds, Munster, Widdop or whoever is a tough call. He might be a flop. But he can always go back to centre. Thus Staggs not being fit is a massive contract hurdle for us. It may be that it costs us Dearden because we have no choice but to retain Croft, who is likely no better than a backup option. It would be in the club's best interest to trade Croft away and retain Dearden on a short contract. But I can't see either going for that. [/QUOTE]

Verification

Active Now

No members online now.

Total: 225 (members: 0, guests: 225)

Reply to thread

Log in

Active Now