Patty, no question, is our MVP. First player picked. Best forward in the NRL. His work ethic is impeccable and leads by example in every way. Payne and Corey Jensen, not far behind. On and off the field, front of camera, they tick all boxes.
We've all seen that video of Patty mic'd up, barking rugby-league-isms. It was a pretty convincing show. Whether it was helpful, or anyone listened to him, I'm not capable of telling. But ex players always cite that as the reason he'll be the next QLD captain.
But that's not the leadership we lack: we need rat cunning and vision that can see beyond the middle forwards. I don't think Patty is on top of that, and neither Ezra nor Jock seem to take on that role.
Obviously, we get this from Reyno in spades. But, I think the player we really missed was Walsh. While Patty is the emerging captain on the Honours Board, I think it's Walsh who will increasingly steer the team around. I think we underestimate what he brings to the team beyond his flashy breaks.