One that we (almost) got...

[Eternal Tiger]

That’s not the reason Brooks is off contract they didn’t want Hastings long term. Benjis call. Short term it’s a bad call but it makes sense Benji doesn’t want either player

So, you're saying Brooks won't be re-signed?

 

[TYGA]

So, you're saying Brooks won't be re-signed?

I’ll take that as a rhetorical question. No

 

[Eternal Tiger]

I’ll take that as a rhetorical question. No

Wish I was so sure. Gotta bad feeling

 

[bigsiro]

I honestly believe if we had a decent halves combination we’d be at least 3-4

While I’m not sure about 3-4, I will say that decent halves create, making average outside backs look excellent.
Eg, Jennings scored heaps at souths, came here and was poo. Nofo looked good at Melbourne, poo here. We had some average backs in the Benji/Prince days who nonetheless did super jobs running into gaps and scoring tries.
With decent halves it is also easier for coaches to determine the potential snd quality of the backs, and if necessary drop relatively quickly if they are well below average. With us, because we have had such poor halves for so many years, this has been difficult to ascertain and maybe an explanation as to why we have retained so many below average backs.

 

[Tiger_heart]

On the other hand, you could say that a decent spine needs to perform behind a solid pack of forwards. Even allowing for all their obvious flaws, can't honestly say our current spine has had a pack that dominated the middle in the last 5 years or so. The players mentioned by bigsiro were playing behind an excellent forward pack. Sometimes I wonder if we have underestimated the impact a solid pack has (compared to what we've had).