Player Retention XV

The current situation could be markedly different with a little player retention.
Still going around in the SH, I'd back them to beat the current selection:

1 #54 Henderson, Nic February 12, 2010 v Brumbies 8
2 #33 Holmes, Luke May 12 2006 v Sharks 23
3 #58 Fairbrother, Tim February 12, 2010 v Brumbies 23
4 #42 Timani, Sitaleki February 15 2008 v Sharks 3
5 #62 Jones, Luke February 20, 2010 v Hurricanes 2
6 #23 Davidson, Tim Feb 18 2006 v Hurricanes 5
7 #67 Jenkins, Jono March 14, 2010 v Reds 6
8 #52 Stanford, Richard February 28 2009 v Brumbies 11

9 #69 Swanepoel, Mark March 27, 2010 v Bulls 4
10 #15 Hilgendorf, James Feb 10 2006 v Brumbies 15
11 #11 Ioane, Digby Feb 10 2006 v Brumbies 20
12 #47 O'Connor, James April 18 2008 v Reds 38
13 #60 Inman, Mitch February 12, 2010 v Brumbies 19
14 #36 Cross, Ryan Feb 2 2007 v Highlanders 49
15 #37 Mitchell, Drew Feb 2 2007 v Highlanders 38

There are probably a few others that could be used to make the bench.

Tyrrell and Metisuela are the ones I can think of at the moment

Yup, without even looking at the NH... :(

My Monday "was" going fine until reading this, and the list "could" go on, and on.

yeah... thanks Burgs :(

Players come and go from all franchises. It's OK to draw up lists but the question is not whether any list would beat the current one. It's whether they would regularly beat the Chiefs, Crusaders, Stormers et al. In the case of Burgs' list I'd so that's a definite no.

Young players who are in demand by other clubs will, mostly, opt to go play back closer to family and friends. The only long term answer is that the ARU assists with extra funding to help relocating and retaining players like the AFL and assists us to grow our own.

There's another thread about that running already. But relocating academy players works against that aim. There are kids being lost to RL because they already have a squad of mainly homegrown boys given elite coaching and development. They compete in The SG Ball competition. This is their 3rd season. The plan is to have them progress to Toyota cup by the time the NRL expands.

The Mungos also have the very big advantage of having 3 live or near live matches on FTA every week. I'm starting to get a bad feeling that the ARU is very close to to surrendering WA. Just because it's hard going and the powerbases don't want us anyway.