Wow….good opportunity if we are smart..............Time to really move for the future, acknowledge our past mistakes and rectify moving forward.
1\. We have a half-back. He will become so much more than what we have seen lately. But need a better, more mongrel pack. This is fairly obvious...just find it strange that in the past 10 years we have failed to act.
2\. Fullback. Offer Teddy a long term contract even if 6/7 years. Give him security pay him his worth. Would even be smart like other clubs - ie Parra & Moses (side deals!!!! Lets face it, it is happening, its obvious and there is nothing the NRL can do or will do. It is not in their interest. And to be honest is too hard....will need big investment to monitor and control (ie a new system more central - but who wants that??? Not interested in Big Brother. I am human and choose to be free to make the mistakes I choose to make, even if accidentally - part of growing wise and not a clone).
3\. Hooker. Thinks that's covered. Lets nurture and support what we have. Need a big clean out in the forwards.
6\. Five-eighth. Lets cut the bul#%it. Moses went for the money and used his uncle to get it. Parra (like bulldogs and chooks) are just smarter (or more corrupt). And have structured the total payments more attractively, ie to player and to the salary cap. If it were me I would target and engage one of these people/organizations. Its a small world and I am sure that others know who are very good with creative accounting, reporting and transactions. That being said....I would target 1.Bird again would be a 3 yrs $3million and then some, if we offered that to Moses, then I would offer say 20% more. In reality you would get at least 50% more bang for your buck. If no good go for Foran but for less. Failing that I would swallow my pride, apologise and offer TMM a long deal from 2019, but now....My prediction is in the next decade we will look at him and see a lot of Thurston in him. i think he can kick, and has pace to burn. Just needs to put on some more weight. If this were the case then for this year (if we release MM) bring back Benji. Last time i saw him with a real half back playing for us is when we had Prince by his side. In all truthfulness all rubbish 7's since then. Sick of the "potential". Need results!!! He would come at a much lower cost but would be a greater mentor, and another old head which we do not have many of. Review the contract annually but would love to see an overlap say 12 months with TMM. Would then use the savings and invest in a New Forward Pack so to speak. Few of existing to stay, they are fairly obvious. Would even seriously consider moving Chris back to Centre's with Suli, if we could not get Dean Whare. Again with the savings use it on a winger, missing speed on the flanks, someone to partner David.
Ooops...getting too long...will back some time soon to add my opinions re our forwards....missing mongrel and toughness. We need some starch....missing with the current mob.