he's only young, still eligible for TOYOTA Cup. He is a centre. Not the best in defence, can be good in attack. I'd describe him as inconsistent, you never know when he will play well.
Chase Stanley is a backrower. He played at St.George as a backrower in the junior reps, and that's where good judges saw him in years to come.
He was good enough to play in the outside backs for his school, NSWCHS and to be picked for the under 17s and 19s for NSW (didn't play) starting a year early. It said more about the lack of quality outside backs that they shifted a backrower. He started out in Jersey Flegg just after he turned 17 and played in the centres. He didn't get a chance to progress through as a backrower, because Saints had multiple injuries and he was thrown in the next year.
Also, in terms of first grade, obviously you don't put a 17-19 year old in the backrow week in, week-out because the result of that is injuries. So he again started out in the outside backs. People were quick to jump on him as a star player and then he became "inconsistent" when he didn't measure up to their expectations but most of them had no idea about his background or development.
When he needed to play a couple of games in the forwards last year, he was strong in attack and defence in separate games but didn't have the stamina to put it all together. He was still 18 at the time, so that was fair enough. He went back to playing in the outside backs. The sensible thing to do was to play him consistently in the Toyota Cup last year or if needed in first grade off the bench as a utility, but Saints did neither.
When he did play in the Toyota Cup as a backrower late last year, he was the best forward in both games. Again when asked to play in the backrow against Penrith before SOO I this year, he played well efficient in defence and setting up two tries sliding across to centre and five-eighth, which is what he would do as a backrower. He did it in his first chance in his best position. That'll tell you something.
He's currently a victim of his salary, which is run of the mill for young players at a similar level, but not something Bennett wants to pay juniors ... and they will continue to lose plenty of them because there's quality there. Also a victim early in the year of Bennett wanting to get the defence right immediately and going with experience ... he won't be the last young player burned for results and also fair enough.
Saints may not suffer losing Stanley because they have depth and well they have Bennett, but he's going to be a very good player for someone. He may even be a good centre for someone, if he's given the time to settle. He's more naturally a backrower.
