afgtnk wrote: ↑October 10, 2019, 2:15 pm
Yeah, I just think your underlying, long standing issues with Sam Williams (which really have never made sense, btw) keep coming to the fore and are taking away from any true opinion you may hold on whether or not the squad warrants a quality back up halfback.
If in fact you truly do hold that view it's definitely something up for debate, my position is that we need a a quality half to cover us. Whether it's Sam Williams or not doesn't matter, so long as the guy can slot into the 6 or 7 comfortably at any given time. To me it can't just be some kid you've grabbed from Jersey Flegg, that's taking way too much of a risk.
Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and I feel that's the way the club would be seeing it as well - we're going to have a decent back up half. The price to get it done you would assume are market rates, what that exact rate is we don't know, but I can sure as hell say that's not near or on minimum wage.
Again, it has nothing to do with Williams, Sezer or anyone. It's cap management.
I dont know what long standing issue you are referring to... my only long standing issue with Sam Williams is some elements of the the fan base seem to believe he's an NRL standard half when the game footage says otherwise, and that he's a defensive liability, which the game footage supports.
I have no issues with him at all, and if he comes at the right price, then im thrilled to have him in the squad... The reason his debate has gotten to the point that it has is not because of some issue i have with Williams, but rather your issues with Sezer and your love affair with Williams. Bizarre stuff.
We are facing a situation where Rapana is talking about playing Rugby to make up the difference to stay here because we can afford to pay him what he's on. We are rumoured to be letting Beej walk out the door, he's a vital part of what we've achieved, he provides an x-factor we need... CNK's extension can't kick in until 2021 because we were not in a position to upgrade him for 2020, John Bateman wants a new deal and is so **** good that he's one of those few players who has the leverage to force his way out if we dont pay him his worth.
And i just dont see how any reasonable person can say paying a back up half 300k is a good use of our cap money under these circumstance
Given these circumstances, i am moving heaven and earth to pay Bateman, to keep Beej, to keep Rapana if i can, to upgrade CNK if i can for 2020, to ensure there is enough turnover in the squad to hold off a repeat of 2017 (and many coaches have spoken about the need for roster churn, to keep things fresh, Bellemy and Robinson are both on record with it's importance), and then, and only then am i going to worry about the back up half.
300k for a back up half in these circumstances would be a very **** dumb decision. Especially if it means we lose someone who can actually help us win a title