I reckon he will end up in the backrow next year, which is where he started.

No unfortunately I do not get to Australia as often as I would like
No I am not writing him off as you will see I said Bluey would know better.
What I am saying is that it would have been nice to see home grown players come through instead of using an overseas quota.
I am sure Delaney will be fine.
I would rather have Ratu, Watkins or Coadey.
The way Senior is playing I don`t see Watkins getting many starts at LC.

You'd rather Leeds fielded inferior players just because of their nationality?

That's a difficult argument, and for me it is really at the crux of being a "club supporter" or a "game supporter", either being ok in my book.

Personally, I'd prefer to see a less experienced young British talent given the opportunity rather than a "safer bet" overseas player. It's going to be very hard to improve the overall level of GB qualified player pool, in terms of either quality or number, without giving them regular opportunities in SL.

Of course the problem is that legally my preference is entirely unenforceable, and many clubs will simply prefer to take the safe option for fear of falling revenues though lower gates.

At least delaney is 23 and not a 31 year old topping up his pension.

I'd like to see the club have the courage to go with Ratu next year but as we saw at the start of this season, our supporters are not prepared to be patient and see young players given an opportunity to develop.

I suspect if we read threads discussing our options at centre from the first two months of this season there'd be a few hypocrites who are now saying how they feel we should have given Ratu an opportunity rather than signing someone from the NRL.

The success or otherwise of the England national team isn't an issue for clubs, and neither should it be.

The objectives of a club are to run as a profitable business and be as successful as it can be while living inside that business model.

Whether or not that translates into international success ain't their problem.

As long as Tesco are making profits, you think they worry about the state of the rest of the UK retail sector?

and herein lies the problem. Whilst clubs first duty is to themselves and their ultimate sustainability, I believe that they all, professional or amateur, have a role to play in the promotion and support of the International game.

Precisely how can any sport grow an International game if all it's constituent parts show no interest? If we take your position to the extreme, I take it you would be happy to see the end of International RL completely?

Yes, I do - because without the rest of the UK retail sector, it's appropriate framework and member organisations etc, Tesco wouldn't be in the position it is now.

Do you think that no private enterprise can recognise the importance of competition / overall growth and actively support the sector in which it operates?

Back to RL - as batleyrhino says, you have to give young players a chance at the top level if the game as a whole is to flourish.

Obviously each club should focus on their own business / sporting objectives, but they also have to recognise their wider responsibility to the future progress of the game.

Personally yes to a degree.
Whilst I have yet to witness the skills of Delaney.
I have seen the skills of Watkins and Ratu.
For me even though they are British they are still not bad players and may only get better over time.
Who is to say they wont be better than Delaney if given the opportunity?

I could have really done with some support earlier this season when championing the clubs decision to give opportunities to Watkins, Gibson and Smith to play in the right centre.

I don't recall getting much but I did get plenty of opposition.

How refreshing that now we HAVE signed someone from the NRL peoples views seem to be changing.

I don't think I've seen this elsewhere on this thread, will we have received any transfer fee for Ratu given that he's come through our ranks & is only 21?

i think it's a case of the coaching staff judging him not good enough and they see him every day.

That doesn't say much for the rest of the reserves though when he's just been voted reserve team player of the year.
I think more likely it's that he's been offered more money & the security of a 2 year conttact by HKR with (in his view at least) a greater likelihood of 1st team rugby. Esp in view of Webster's and Walker's injury problems.