I never heard Manly's name mentioned in the race for Asotasi's signature, which says to me that they were never really 'in the hunt' and weren't prepared to spend that much money on a front rower.
I'm not against spending top dollar to get the best players in the game at all. But O'Meley isn't worth that sort of cash.
I get your point about spending more money on junior development, and that should obviously be a priority, but it isn't as if paying a first grade player 500k is going to stop matts, ball and flegg players getting any money. They don't come under the same salary cap, and (unless we were spending over the first grade cap), then there shouldn't be any less cash to develop those players in the first place.
Eh... I just really wanted Asotasi at Manly.
