IMO Wane should continue with Hughes at centre, Goulding and Thornley combination wont set the world alight and given Goulding's questionable injury record it is definitely an area where we need cover.

Comparisons to Joel are always going to happen and IIRC it took Joel at least 18m or so to learn his trade at centre

Joel never learned his trade at centre, he was bog average from start to finish.

He like Hughes was an excellent back rower who would be half decent emergency cover at centre.

Never a centre, he just doesn't have the brain for it. I think it's a bigger jump than people imagine going from Second Row into the centres. I remember Phil Bailey was pretty poor when he played at centre, but was much better in the back row.

I'm sure Phil Bailey moved the opposite way didn't he? I'm not 100% convinced but i'm sure his Aussie call ups were in the centre.

From what I remember, he had played a bit at centre before coming over, though his preferred position was in the back row. He was signed as a centre, but move swiftly back to second row when we signed Gleeson [if memory serves]