With Blaize named to replace Mitch instead of Ethan Sanders the NSW under 19 halfback this pretty much BA doesn't wanna waste time developing a player who won't be here next year.
Is Blaize really better than Sanders?
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I think we all know that. I do not get how people can think a Halfback would stay as a back up for 4-5 years than take over from Moses. Sanders should leave as he won't be given an opportunity at Parramatta full-time.
We need to do what the panthers do, they sign decent back up halves for a season or two, they look good in a great side when they fill in for cleary and get snapped up by weak clubs with a shot at being the starting 7.
Once we locked in moses and Brown long term we should have shifted our focus away from holding on to good young up and coming halves and focused on signing decent quality back up halves.
If we were in a rebuild stage it would be different but we are in a premiership window stage so can't afford to waste a season because we don't have a decent backup half in case we lose our half-back for an extended period.
This is really going g to haunt parramatta for years to come. I honestly can't believe that the club is going to stuff this up.
Could say the same if we let Moses leave this year. Either way it could be considered a loss loss. Parramatta did the right thing keeping Brown and Moses. Had they lost Brown, Talagi would have been 6 it seems over Sanders anyway. Unfortunately it is the way it goes. What should we do, offer Sanders $400-500k a season to possibly play 3-5 games a year just to keep him around? That is crazy.
None of us are close enough to know what's really going on behind the scenes.
Personally I don't think this is in any way political. Blaize has already debuted, can handle the physical aspects of NRL and has played plenty of 5/8.
Sanders is also a talent no question. Perhaps he's not quite ready for NRL remembering he's only played 3 NSW Cup games. Or maybe just Blaize is in front of him today. I don't think there's anything to it.
So no I don't see this as the nail in the coffin for Sanders. But that's up to him. If I was him I'd be staying for all of 2024 and wouldn't sign anything until the back half of this season at the earliest. Maybe even 2025. There's a long list of halves who debuted too early and it ruined their careers. There really is no rush if he's as good as the hype.
Sensibly put Mutts. I agree that we shouldn't look too hard at this decision - we know BA doesn't like disruption to the side. Blaize has already debuted and shown himself capable, and this is a logical way to keep him in the side.
If Sanders is talented enough to get a first grade starting half gif at another club, he should go, because he's not going to get one here for the foreseeable future. It's just the nature of the beast with halves - they're paid a lot and you don't need many of them.
Well said Mutts, the kid has talent no doubt but he is struggling early in NSW Cup.
I think what has separated Sanders from Talagi is how he handled the lights of big stage. Trial #1 Sanders kicked ball out on the full and went into his shell a little. Talagi made a mistake and just kept going. It is harder for a Halfback only to make an impression to break in while Talagi being versitile helps him get him. I think Talagi could get a spot full-time somewhere.
Muttmann, Is the rule for development players still exists? If it still is, Sanders is not in top 30, so it might be one of the reasons why he was not selected. Another story if the rule does not apply anymore.
TolEllts , I could be wrong, but the current "development player" rules are they can play from R1 - explaining why Moretti played last week, despite being on the development list (min.4-max.6). So, if BA wanted to play Sanders, he could've.
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