Yes Macca needs to kick on but replacing with Waddell makes zero sense, zero.
It would be like going "Man I wish my dick was an inch longer, but it's not so I'll cut it off"
Agreed. Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that McCullough will be our dummy half in 2015. It just irks me because it's not so much he's our best option - it's because he is our
least worst option. There's a difference I think. The fact that Broncos management were willing to make a play for Cam Smith at the back end of his career kinda speaks volumes. He went up a gear when rumors of Smith signing gathered steam and when he had Granville in his shadow. When Granville signed with the Cowboys he went down a gear and it was business as usual.
The other reason I'm trumpeting Waddell (or anyone else - I don't really care who) is because we were discussing last off-season that McCullough needs to improve. I've only been on these boards a year and a half but I daresay a similar conversation happened the year before last and so on...
It irks me because I read comments that dismiss guys like Maranta, Kahu, Waddell etc out of hand. McCullough, who has played more games than these guys combined, gets the benefit of the doubt because apparently he can still improve.
Name two teams that do not have an established hooker. Two such teams are Canberra and Knights.
What else do they have in common? They both released Waddell.
I am all for upgrading our hooker. But Waddell isn't an upgrade.
That's a fair point. Ironically, I think they're the two teams where MCullough would possibly get a start.
Plus, Waddell has had the exact same opportunities to impress in first grade and hasn't kicked on.
Macca does need to improve but giving his position to somebody like Waddell isn't going to make the situation any better.
I'm not sure I'd agree with that first point, Pete. McCullough has had the sort of opportunities up and coming players could only dream about. Whether he was a coach's favourite, earmarked for greater honours by Broncos management or just because there was no one in the lower grades nipping at his heels it was pretty obvious he was not going to be dropped regardless of how he played. That's a world apart from Waddell.
Come on fellas are you trying to say McCullough didn't deserve at least one spell in ISC since he became our starting hooker? Even if it was just a week to 'keep him honest.'
fwiw, I hope you guys are right and I'm wrong. Time will tell. On his day, McCullough is one of the best players on the field. He's proven he can be rapid fire out of dummy half on occasion. If he fires, I'm prepared to say we're a top 4 team automatically. I hope WB can make him a consistent performer.