1. Hopoate
6. Hayne
7. Sandow
That is potentially the best spine we've had since the eighties. And it's one that we can base a side around for many years to come and which I think would transform us into an immediate contender.
My view is we just need to make Hopoate happen, basically. There is no way Manly can match us for money. They don't need him as much as we do, and they have first grade players in all of the key positions he plays. I'm sure Hopoate will want to play fullback and there is no way he's going to get that over Stewart.
We're also in a pretty nice situation where we've got a really strong batch of juniors coming through over the next few years so I think we can afford to stack these three positions and have some trust in the likes of Loko, O'Hanlon, Brien, Gagan, etc to fill vacancies.
Replies
The issue you have is convincing Ozzie to spend $200,000 a season on a full-back, when our current best, and best-paid, player's first choice position is full-back.
I want Hayne in the halves as much as anybody, but I can't see us shelling out decent money on a #1 until Hayne's shown his willingness and ability to play somewhere else.
if we do sign hopoate he will play centre not fullback.
we already have sandow locked up so throw 300-400k at hoppa
And having Casey McGuire at 9 would give the side an old head to steer around the ship. I'd leave Morts, Keating and perhaps Marmin Barba to fight it out to get the 14. Robbo to get the rich ESL contract which he deserves. I think he'd be handy in England to lead a club side around the park.
That said, I highly doubt we'll get Hopoate & Sandow. Its just as likely we'll miss out on both *fingers crossed we dont*, in which case I'd target Luke Kelly from the Melbourne Storm. Would have been playing first grade if it wasnt for an untimely injury and Gareth Widdop killing it at 6.
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