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A half at 21 is very different to, say, a back rower at 21, NRL halves need NRL game time, their role in an NRL team is complex and takes time to learn. There are very good reasons why Gould set up the "Bulldogs Halves Academy" very early in his tenor.21 is a good 3 years of "showing" what he can do.
You cant expect players (especially FB) to be 24 or 25 before you thrust them into first grade....theyll only get 5 yeaes out of the game.
Im not writing him off, im just saying at 21, he would have shown by now what he can provide in that position. I hope he gets a chance next year at some stage. We can then make a call on whether he is worth pursuing.
Its not a bad tactic to ease such players on the wing. Turbo did it for a couple of years before claiming the FB spot for Manly. Mini did it too.
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