Nope.

No probs man, it's your call.

Yeah exactly, he wasn't there mentally, because he allowed himself to become unfocussed. I've seen plenty of Aussie league this year, including Parramatta. Hayne might be in form now, but he's hit and miss. Yeah he's red hot right now, won't be long before it gets to his head again and he starts cooling down though.

Good player when he wants to be though, but he's certainly not the messiah like your making him out to be, he's no Slater or Gidley.

You can't really compare the two players fairly though because ones a back and the other a forward, but Burgess value to the Bulls is immense. Like I say, I wouldn't want any player in the world over him. He's the future.

He may not be . I would love to be able to see us build future teams around him though.

Then he can go in 1 or 2 seasons for nothing.

And we'll get 2 seasons out of one of the best forwards in the world, possibly winning something in the process, which might encourage him to stay at the club he loves.

Allowing Sam to leave prematurley is a very bad idea.

No one single player is "The future", and to attempt to put that burden on any young man's shoulders is unfair at best and disingenuous at worst I would suggest. Isn't it? Following your reasoning, if (heaven forbid) Sam picked up a career-ending injury, that would be the end of the club's future too, wouldn't it?

And anyway, if he wants to go to Oz - and who the hell wouldn't - you'll not stop him and sooner or later he'll go.

Teams are built around single players, why do you think you hear coaches and fans alike say they want to build teams around them, and want to see teams built around them.

Single players are corner stones of teams, look at Wigan since Farrell left, theyve never been the same. Leeds wouldn't be if Sinfield left, Saints wont be when Long leaves.

Of course I wont stop him going to Oz, but we shouldn't sell him either. BTW, I wouldn't particularly like to go, I'm not to keen on them and their most of the women are mongs. Now America, that's a different story.

Hardly. And certainly not through choice. Extremely high-risk strategy indeed. All eggs in one basket and all that - pretty risky for a contact sport? Can't agree on this one, sorry. Maybe a bit at cross-purposes?

You might want to edit your description of Aussie women, cos some might find the word you used inappropriate?

Yes, definatley. It's just how it goes, you get a gem and you build the team around him. No worries about disagreement though.

I'm not editing anything, if they don't like an abbreviation of mongrels, that's their problem.

I'm not sure that a team could be built round a prop, second row or even a loose forward on his own and Sam has shown few skills in this latter position. I'm a huge fan of his strength and attititude, but a quality ball handling and distributive loose forward he is not as yet.

I agree with what you say about his LF attributes. I don't see any reason why a player of any position can not have a team built around him though.

Sam is definatley not a loose though.

The best Slater and Gidley have got is no match for what Hayne is doing now.

perhaps a further clue as to sams future can be gleaned from the new season ticket/card. last year sam featured heavily in the letter/marketing with the idea we were building the team around him. interestingly the mockup of the card pinned to the railings at odsal on sunday featured a a photo of andy lynch. to me thats a big clue that sam's on his way as if he was staying then surely we'd use him on the card.
Also might be a hint that lynch might be captain/vice captain next year imo.

This board is defo full of amateur detectives/intelligence officers/crystal-ball readers/water diviners right now! And me included, cos yes that was precisely my thought too. And the card example in the season ticket pack likewise featured Andy.