Don't think it was the NRL when we signed Godden or Bell was it?

its a fairly logical progression as that yard of pace recedes but is replaced by a bit more strength

Do you see the connection?

I'd start the season with Ablett at centre up to and including the WCC (don't think Keinhorst is ready to be facing the Aussies), then after that start given Keinhorst some starts.

I don't see left centre as a priority at all. Unless we can sign someone significantly better tan Ablett why bother? Ablett is the best left centre in this competition.

He's a very creative centre. Look at the timing of his pass to Hall for his try. Superb centre play.

Yes, he's also a very good back rower and if he sees his future there then, fine, but only if we can find a better player than him for Left Centre. I'm not sure that players in in this competition and I doubt you can lure quality from the NRL these days.

I'd take Atkins (if he got a sensible hair cut) but that ain't going to happen. Used to find him a bit limited but seems to have added some more strings to his bow in the last year or two.

Unless we find real top quality from somewhere, I'd be happy to persuade Ablett to stay put. It isn't like playing at centre for a bit precludes you from playing back-row later is it? See Carroll, T; McKenna, C; Delaney, B et al for details.

Completely agree!

Yes - but the more he blows sunshine up our ar[sizes[/sizees the more credibility he loses with regards to player recruitment.

He's recruited the players that have won six SL Championships since 2004. How much more credibility do you want?

I agree but with all his publicity about still been confident of recruiting a top class centre from the NRL, he is a hostage to fortune. That is unless he already has provisional agreement with a player/club which will be finaliised in the New Year? If GH fails to sign such a player there's a lot of egg on his face!

I'd like him to say "We don't need to buy in expensive Aussies because we're doing just fine without them" instead of feeding us some baloney about looking for world class players with absolutely no intention of spending a cent.

But there are certain idiots who need to hear such gubbins to part them with their cash.

Just let it wash over you, he's only doing his job and he's doing a fine one at that. Don't see the need to give GHs proclamations any thought whatsoever.

It's all completely irrelevant. Sells a few papers, sells a few season tickets. If he signs nobody, so what. He'll wipe the egg off his face with the super league trophy (that didn't really work did it).

If we can get the likes of Atkins, Morris, Lyon, Reed, Hodges, Lulia etc. then great, let's sign a new centre. Otherwise leave Ablett there....

I'd qualify this slightly in so far as he's far more effective close to the line than from distance. Hence he performs at his best when the forwards gain decent position. Which in a rather roundabout way supports your point: our greatest imperative is to create good attacking positions and the most likely way to achieve this is by ensuring we have the pack to do it. So for me, if we're going to sign anyone, a rampaging forward would be the ideal; that way we bring out the best in Ablett who is, as you say, as good as anyone under the right conditions.