Well I don't mean literally these two. But this should give you an idea of how far $1.2 million goes. It buys you an elite playmaking 9 and an Origin contender lock.
We already have enough props without Payne, and a couple more on their way up in the lower grades. We really don't need him. And if we were to keep him, he's worth $700k and that's being generous.
The only positions we're weak in today is 9 and 6/7. We need elite experience there for 1-2 seasons.
1. Te Maire - good enough. And if not, Selwyn looms.
2. Corey - elite. Good for at least another season.
3. Kotoni - elite.
4. Herbie - solid. Good for another season at least. Deine Mariner awaits.
5. Selwyn - elite. If he takes fullback, we have options. See above.
6. Tyson - decent stopgap. Ezra by season end, which will add pressure to Adam, but so be it.
7. Adam - elite, but aging. Could become a problem if we don't have a game managing 6/7 to partner Ezra. Tyson is good enough to cover injury, but not replace him.
13. Patty - borderline elite.
9. Cory/Billy/Jake - serviceable only. We only need one of them, and we only need them as depth.
8, 10, 11, 12 - embarrassment of riches under Kurt Capewell's leadership. Least of our problems. At least one is elite, and at least another is borderline elite. Jordan and TC need to lift, which they will.
14 - the sooner Blake Mozer can fill in for 10-15 minutes, the sooner we move towards our premiership.
Kevvie's done the right thing by his son. He's proven he's up to NRL standard. He can honestly share the credit for helping lift the team from wooden spooners to top 4. But he's served his role, padded his resume, and it's time to move on. He needs to get on the phone to the Catalans and pulls some strings.
Paix was the hooker we needed, but he's not the hooker we need, and even if we get the hooker we need none of our 9/14's can bring the energy we want off the bench. We'd be better off with Granville, who is a genuine nuisance in that role. Mozer should be on the bench learning the ropes, if nothing else. He will be our 9.
We only need one of Albert/Tyson. Tyson has won that one. If he wants to stay on a depth player's wage, we should keep him around.