rubber duckie wrote:
Powell was asked about wether he thought we needed props for 2022.
He said no.
We already had under contract cooper, Philbin (both internationals) mulhern, doro and Butler, he released sita and hill and replaced with lower salary bullock and Harrison. I can see why he wanted to give everyone a chance to prove themselves to him, besides there wasn't much he could do about the players already under contract and really they're the ones he has had a big problem with. Cooper was our best prop but he could have been on big money having returned from the NRL?
Powell realised fairly quickly that he was wrong to say we don't need props, doro and butler were moved on quite early, Mulhern won't be renewed, again I agree with this, he is a player I quite like but he's not very mobile and there is definitely better out there. Cooper is the question mark atm, he's still a very good player and if he is alright for Wigan why not for Powell? Bullock is turning out alright after a spell on the naughty step, he went alright from the start for me but recent displays look like a different player. Him being wrong about not needing props is one of the main drivers for our poor season IMO, frustratingly. We have been saying we need props for a long time.
One of the biggest alarm bells at the minute for Powell is Kyle Amor, he wanted to come in and play rugby this season and he isn't. Powell brought him in and praised his professionalism but he isn't getting a look in. Powell just seems far too easy to fall out with. If he doesn't mellow and falls out with some of the incoming signings then he won't last long next season, we can't back him with more mid season changes surely. He has to be given the chance to get a tune out of them now though, a big reset is required and it can start now really, most of the players in the squad are here next season and are Powell signings time to start working on making a team out of them.