Maybe so, but we'll never know because the inexperienced, out of position youngster Leeds had in that right wing position failed to take the half chances that were on offer.

Admittedly I don't see much NRL, but when I have seen Minichello he has looked pretty good, and still has good pace. He would have a good influence on our young backline as well.

On the other hand people are writing off BJB without us really seeing him have a good run at full back, let him get some confidence there and he could look a completely different player.

Even if the players in more central positions make opportunities, you still need a good winger out there to finish them. If you don't have them at your club already, then you either bring one in from another club in the UK or alternatively (as Leeds did with Scott Donald, and as Bradford did with Lesley Vainikolo) you look overseas.

I don't think anyone would argue that those two, or Joel Monaghan at Warrington, or Pat Richards at Wigan, haven't represented value for money.

I'm well aware that Watkins was playing out of position, but it still doesn't diminish the point I was making - which is that a good winger who can make something out of nothing, which Watkins at that time wasn't due to his inexperience and unfamiliarity with the position - can be the difference between winning and losing games.

Tries win matches, some wingers are better at scoring them than others. Stands to reason then that over the course of a season better wingers equals more wins.

This is actually true of pretty much every position. If you have better players you win more matches. Ergo if you can get a better player for any given position than the one you have (at the right price and not at the expense of team spirit) you should probably do it.

Minichiello is still a good player. He could 'coach' the team well from the back. He's won all there is to win in Australia.

Dunno if I dare say this but here goes .... it would be a similar signing to Buderus in the fact that he's a class player who has just about had his day, but still has a huge amount to offer, especially to younger players. If indeed BJB is the fullback of the future, Webb and Minichiello as mentors isnt bad going is it?

Your stll doing nothing to convince me that a winger is what Leeds should be wasting money and overseas slot for.

Interesting that you again mention Vainikolo, as he was playing where the restrictions on overseas players are much more restrictive than they were. You now have less allowed. Not to mention he came at a time when the Aussie/New Zealand currency rate was much more appealing. Would you get a Vainikolo now? would you hell. Which is the point of why waste big bucks and an overseas slot on a winger, if you have the other areas covered in the team. Just not needed.

Your choice of language is a bit leading isn't it? I'd argue that Leeds shouldn't waste money on any position.

On the other hand, I'd argue that Leeds should be constructively and efficiently using money and quota spots for any position where the pay-off in improvement to the team is worthwhile. THe market dictates much of it. It comes down in the end to whether you feel, for example, that wingers of the right quality are harder to come by than front-rowers of the right quality. If there are more of the latter available cheaply and from this country, then the bucks can justifiably be spent on a winger. If the reverse is true then an expensive, overseas prop might be more appealing.

Let me make it simpler to understand then. When Saints were a dominating force through 2005-2010 (though lack of GF wins), and Ade Gardner was scoring bucket loads of tries, do you really think that a Manu Vatavei, Jarrod Hayne, or Tame Tupou, etc, would have scored any more than him in that side?

The point is, that in reality a lot of his tries came from an excellent centre in Lyon.

By the same token, we had a winger who scored a bucket load of tries and in all honesty was a distinctly average winger. However he had an excellent centre creating bucket loads for him. Is Mr Cummins still one of our top try scorers in history? did Marcus Bai who was far superior in every way to Cummins score at any better rate than Cummins when he replaced him?

True.

Big Les and even bigger Vaikona (who incidently coaches my mates lad at mini rugby in Oxford now), I remember well.

I think what some people forget is that when you have a guy like Les on the wing you alter the team pattern to give him the opportunities, it's not just a question of the team creating tries and an arbitary bloke on the wing flopping over (Saints could have stuck with Jonny Vegas if it was).

One of the reasons a team wins trophies is because it has players who can do something special - if you have a strike player on the wing who takes his chances when they come but every now and again does something extraordinary when you need it (one of the reasons I was dissapointed that Calderwood left was because he could do just that) - such as Donald blasting around Wellens, or Donald's amazing cross kick to McGuire against Cats in the palyoffs, then they are well worth the cash IMO.

Comapring Bai to Franny is unfair - especially on scoring record. Bai was a monster who came on a short contract when we were top of our game, Franny was a guy who served the club from 16 to retirement through one of the most difficult times in the clubs history, captained the team and played pretty much in every back position.

If they're [i[ibetter[/i[/i than what is otherwise available they [ushould[/u be signed regardless of who can adequately play that same position. Buderus of course recently proved that.

However, I'm not sure how much worth a 33 year old would be. I'd be more inclined to sign Williams (although his brother would be better still). BJB would probably need to make way and be shifted to FB (Smith will be moved on) and Chisholm would be promoted to the left wing......because, of course, Hall will be playing further in field at this stage: either centre or second row.



Half back should be more of a priority IMO. Apart from McGuire, we only have a little guy better suited to dummy half and a club legend that is too damn slow to be in the halves. Ward too appears to be best suited to LF. AND by moving Hardaker there we then only create another problem elsewhere....ALTHOUGH if we cover his present centre position with the afore mentioned Hall .....Hmmmmm !!!!!!

His brother? The Cronulla winger?

Nah...the other one

( that second rower guy who is built like a brick [iproverbial[/i )