Quote nantwichexile="nantwichexile"We'll just have to disagree...but why do you state BJB would have had to "hang around waiting for injuries" ??? Who do you think was immune from de-selection in his favour ??
A waste of a year IMO. (He could have played centre at least if not FB...allowing Delaney to have competed effectively for a second row spot. Another waste of [ihis [/iyear playing centre).'"
Bjb is and always was a FB who could maybe cover wing or centre and when he played Wing he did'nt look overly comfortable.
Now at the start of last year Webb was 1st choice FB and the wingers were Donald and Hall with Watkins the preferred choice to cover the back 3 or either centre and with Ablett as 2nd back up.
Before the ridiculous injuries kicked in the chance arose for Bjb to get a full season of SL in at a club where he'd find it easier to gain a spot in the 13/17 so it was a "no brainer" he went did well gained experience at both FB and centre.
Now when the injuries bit the deal to secure Smithys return was bubbling away behind the scenes to recall Bjb would of taken us over the SC limit so again it was'nt an option.
The loan move has worked wonders for us and the lad and lets be straight barring that awfull injury list last year Bjb would not of had a sniff of a regular place so again it was'nt really a serious option to keep him "on stand by".
The Delaney debate has been done to death he was signed as a centre and deserved to stay at centre and was never in the running for the BR with the likes of Ali ,Jjb ,Ablett ,kirke ,Eastwood and the emergance of Clarkson.
In fact under Bluey it was the intention to spell Senior there to give Watkins more game-time in his natural LC position but of course the injuries bit.
There was a hell of a lot of circumstance that went against us last year and the 99% of the options you or others suggested at the time or mention with hindsight were'nt options when the season planning was in place and it's easy to see why imo.