The question I never thought I'd ask:

[The Mauritian]

Can see Munster forcing Slater to the centres tbh.

Lol. That will never happen.

[Ice]

More like Slater pushing Munster to the centres. As mentioned in another thread, Cam Smith was on SEN the other day saying that people at the club think that Munster will actually be a better centre than FB and if that turns out to be the case we'll have the best FB in the game (which i think Bill still is) as well as 'pick up' a centre for next season which will only make our team stronger.

[Mattpoet]

He may well prove to be a brilliant centre, but, I can't see him being better at that than he is at fullback because he has the most natural hands under the high ball I think I've ever seen.

[Ice]

Maybe not Matt and i agree, just repeating what Cam said those higher up at the club thought about it. Either way i'm more than comfortable with Bill slotting back into FB until he retires and Munster going to the centres until that happens. Just because he wont be playing at FB doesn't mean he cant learn an absolute shitload while Bill is still here.

[blazza18]

I think that "better at centre" talk is a load of crap tbh. His game is perfectly suited for fullback. It honestly sounds like a PR move we're the club is trying to calm fans down about having Munster get pushed out of position once Slater returns. I hope it works out, but as we saw with Mann this year. Learning to play in the centres is extremely difficult when you have hardly any experience there.

[Mattpoet]

If the club feels the need to spin it PR-wise, I'm staggered because anyone with a brain would surely see that the two of them playing together would be a great learning experience for Cam.

[blazza18]

Enjoyable read - http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 7494415481

Some nice stats at the bottom too.

[Ice]

You're spot on there Matt. The two of them playing together will be a massive learning experience for the young fella regardless if he's playing FB or centre. Even if he's playing the latter position which he will be that doesn't instantly mean he won't continue to learn whether it be on the field watching and every bit as importantly listening to what Bill does, but also i'd bet my left nut that that education will extend to off the field as well which from all reports has been massive in Cam's development at FB. It'd be pretty stupid to think that Bill's tutelage would all of a sudden stop just because Munster is temporarily moved to the centres.

IMO opinion we have the very best of both worlds. We'll still have the best FB or at the very least one of the best FB's in the game for the next year or two and a young bloke that from all reports will carve it up at centre. Then when Bill retires then we have a ready made class FB to step straight in that will make the transition seamless and we literally won't miss a beat and certainly won't suffer one bit like most of the so call northern state 'experts' predict. How anybody could anybody possibly whinge about that i'll never know. it's an absolute no brainer....

[Mattpoet]

I think the following backline would be good next year:

1.Slater
2.Koroibete
3.Chambers
4.Munster
5.Duffie
6.Green
7.Cronk

[Ice]

Not too shabby at all, damn good actually and that's not even allowing should we purchase from outside. M'bye would be nice in the 6 and that'd be a scary bunch of backs but ATM that seems like an outside chance.

[Mattpoet]

Mbye would be for 2017 if bought anyway

[yourhero]

M'bye would be nice in the 6 and that'd be a scary bunch of backs but ATM that seems like an outside chance.

The M'bye auction has exploded in recent weeks. I was open to the idea when it was all pretty low-key and he was looking like he was on the outer/fighting for a spot at the Dogs... but the kind of "market value" he is being reported to command by the Sydney media is ridiculous. Not even close to worth it, IMO.

For next year, no matter what the plan is with Munster (going to centre), we simply have to recruit an NRL capable centre, if possible.

[Danger D]

timing is a funny thing. I wonder if Ben Hampton was Cam Munster's age and vice versa if we'd be having the same conversations about him and Billy in the FB position. I remember Ben had a couple of great games filling in at FB years ago but was forced to develop as a half because that's what we needed at the time. Either way I think it says that the club scouting and development system is fantastic given we haven't got a huge nursery of local juniors to choose from like Newcastle, Penrith, etc.

[Mattpoet]

Hampton was a half at under 20s level for years.

[steaming stormer]

The stats at the bottom though are misleading - Billy started in the centres so by extension would make less runs than Cam is from the back.