It's outrageous to think of the quality of player, with the form they are in, who has to get dropped when we are at full strength.
Morris can hardly make a wrong move here, there are good arguments for almost any player to stay in the top squad.
One thing he won't do though, is play a player in a significantly different position. I like finding a way for Capewell to stay in the team, and my greatest doubts about our squad are about our wingers, but I can't see him starting at winger for most the year (maybe if we have some injuries he might start there as a stop gap).
There are games where some of the established top guys will have been looking over their shoulders. Guys like Bukuya and Prior, who we have argued to make Origin teams in recent years, are not safe.
Prior was much stronger again last night, and Bukuya has found some form again, so the decision is even tougher.
For mine, given that in terms of team quality it is hard to make a bad move, I think Morris should focus on long term development of our rookies. Which ironically, does not mean leaving them in first grade all the time, as the season is long and history shows that most young players struggle with consistency over their first year or two.
Give Flanagan a spell in reserves but ask him to really focus on game management.
Get Williams to churn out big minutes and big numbers in reserves, in preparation to take over from Gallen next year.
Blayke Brailey should focus on churning out 80 minute, big defensive displays. He has plenty of spark, but being a defender in first grade in the middle of the park for long periods is the skill he needs to build towards.
These kids will still get chances this year, and if Prior/Gallen/Fifita/Johnson/Moylan/Capewell/Brailey snr need a rest from a niggle we can give them a rest knowing Flanagan and Williams can step up.
Xerri can take a wing spot and focus on wing specialty play (reading kicks, catching a ball, early hit ups out of trouble). I think he is a centre, but learning on the wing, not just being fast but really learning a winger's role, will help him be a more versatile and better first grader.
So for mine, when at full strength, we have Uele, Bukuya, Woods and Capewell on the bench, with Xerri taking Gray's spot on the wing. That just leaves either Brailey to develop to an 80 minute hooker, or someone like Bukuya or Capewell to learn not to stink it up at hooker for 10 minutes (maybe Townsend to hooker? Wade to play as a half and Capewell/Bukuya in the back row?).
Otherwise Bukuya/Capewell get a spell in reserves and Brailey comes back.
I don't imagine there will be many games where we are perfectly at full strength though, so the depth we have created this year is going to be very handy (until other teams rightly start pulling it apart by offering first grade spots to our rookies).
