Fair points Andy and well put and lets be honest IF we eventually get everyone fit then the desire for 1st team spots should bring out better in all of the squad.

We're a couple of centres short of being very competitive once everyone is fit as far as I'm concerned. I think I'd honestly rather see Ablett play there than Delaney. I know Watkins can do it but I think his best position might be on the wing as it suits him a lot more defensively.

Me too. I think he'll come good. I seem to remember plenty slagging Kylie in his first half season saying waste of this and waste of that and he eventually came good and even got his own song

Don't worry, there's still time for you lot to get a few more years out of them after we've finished with 'em ....

Compare Cross's efforts with the impact and effort we are still getting from Kylie. Not in the same league, and seems to be under pressure, a liability with his discipline (WTF was he doing "tackling" Diskin at the PTB right infront of our posts?).

Although he certainly isn't a world beater (but props never are), i'm happy with the way Cross is going, ill discipline aside.
He makes the hard yards, he's usually the first player to put his hand up to take the first drive up.
Technically he's good in that he find his knees and gets a quick play the ball.

I think having a fit Peacock and him in the front row will add some much needed size and steel to our pack.
Theres bound to be a bit of a settling in period while he adapts to our game, the NRL is alot more structured in terms of field position. You know generally where the ball will be in the next 2-3 tackles, SL isn't quite like that it's alot more off the cuff.
As much as we all want to believe that some of the young players are ready now, I don't think Amor or Ambler are anywhere near the level of Cross yet.

With regards to Wellar, he's already proved himself in SL so i've no doubt he'll come good.

At 33 he shouldn't be making schoolboy errors,but he is.What about the penalty under the posts he gave away and he needs to stop running out of the line looking for the big hits.It causes us allsorts of problems in defence.

Anybody still think Cross is a better option than having Ambler here getting the same game time he has had with the team he will be a cornerstone of in the future ?? Cross is a liability with his headstrong brain farts with none of the compensating niggling subtlety of Bailey.

Weller I can at least see potential in ....at least from an attacking/running perspective with some decent ball.

Cross is average, nothing flash but then again not a terrible player. My argument is that we could employ the services of any British prop and get the same player freeing up a quota spot.

Exactly. A terrible decision.

Agree that both weller and cross were not good signings but we are stuck with them for 2yrs?
Weller strip right infront of the ref and cross tackle when he played the ball were stupid and lead to points for dulls.

Sinfields on elima was tad un lucky IMO elima played for that and released the ball. Dxid anyone notice the jjb strip where he realised there were more than him involved and just gave the ball back to bulls player?? Will have to watch the sky recording.
While we are stuck with weller and cross. Weller is ok in attack but very poor in defence. Mistake aside didn't think cross did too badly.

Cross has been better for the last two games. The dumb penalty aside, he was pretty good. However, with a fully fit squad, I still don't see him in the 17 as I'd put him fifth choice behind Leuluai, Peacock, Bailey, Burgess. Cross has been the better of the two new signings, though. Hauraki definitely wouldn't make my first 17 with a fully fit squad - in fact he wouldn't be in the 19. If I were coach I'd pick Pitts ahead of him at present.