Quote: sally cinnamon "This is a good point and I think our squad management and long term planning has been very good going back to Cullen's time.
Matty Smith to Wigan shows that there is a major shortage of good halfbacks around, in the same way that Royce Simmons going to St Helens a couple of years ago showed there was a major shortage of good coaches. Going for Myler and Ratchford when we did was good business, despite the cynicism that fans of other clubs (and our own) showed about those two, saying they were overrated, they are both a cut above Matty Smith.
If you go back to 2004 when we moved into the HJ and Simon Moran bought the majority share as the start of the 'project', the goal was to build a squad that would win trophies and we basically took 3 years to assemble it, by the start of the 2008 season we had the core of the squad in place that would win the two Challenge Cups and minor premiership, most of the core players were mid 20s and a couple of 30 year olds. That squad has been easy to maintain since then, it's been 2 or 3 in and out every off season to freshen it up. That squad has steadily aged and is now four years older and starting to approach the stage where we need 4 or 5 in and out, so thats a challenge, but you will always get that when you have a group of players that are successful - they get old together, you don't want to break them up. I know people like Wigan peer will say we are getting old and everyone knew it, but what are we supposed to do....move on Briers and Morley while they are still good? There is always this cyclical element and even Man United who have had sustained success have had some years when they come to the end of one group of players where they have been overtaken by Arsenal or Chelsea for a year or two before they come back refreshed.'"
I agree especially in regardess to us going after Smith. Problem is unlike the last 10 years or more its going to get increasingly difficult to get any decent player from the NRL to come to SL now with the salary cap increase in the NRL. You will really struggle to replace Briers he has improved over the last few years but you can not dodge getting too old. Morley will also be a problem to replace. But its proved in International rugby there are not many class halfs that are British. If Briers had switched alliegances 2-3 years ago he would have made the England squad. That shows the lack of quality England has at present at 6 and 7 even today at the later years of his career he is still better than any England have.
Mass cul will not work well short term but long term might. But you will have a real problem, unless you have enough quality coming through the academy system you will see standards drop as you will not be able to just go and get another King or Monaghan. Tricky situation for most teams now especially since the better young players at most SL clubs are going onto 5 year deals which means a fee will be needed and thats if a club will let their better players go.
The NRL cap increase has made a significant rethink in terms of recruitment. Last point and this has caused me aggro in work you mention Man Utd as a ruthless side in gettting rid of players. Bloody wished Liverpool did the same to Gerrard if ever a player was of someone living off past glories its him and thats what Wire musr evaluate if players perform to a standard than they will stay for another year if not you got to let them go.
