Thank you for posting some common sense. Oh how we are a fickle bunch.
If he was being chased by 3-4 other clubs, I'd doubt he was over-hyped. He's young, and has a lot of potential.
Potential doesn't always deliver to expectations, but cut ALL of our red tier players some slack if the "plateau" without a second competition to play in.
I thought it was 50/50 between CCJ and Chol earlier this year. He wasn’t far off.
Whenever there’s two unproven and inexperienced blokes available for a spot, Dimma almost always gives the opportunity to the more senior of the two.
If the older bloke succeeds, you’ve made a player after a few years of investment.
If the older bloke fails, you clear up a list spot.
If the younger bloke succeeds, usually it’s with glimpses or he essentially blends in as a contributor, and yet off-field it means their salary demands increase from a younger age along with earlier opposition interest.
If the younger bloke fails, it doesn’t mean much because he’s young. It also means the older bloke wasn’t getting a game so there’s less evidence to help you make a decision about his future.
My point is there hasn’t been much cause for pessimism in CCJ’s career thus far. He wasn’t far off playing most of the season as a 2nd ruck with the reigning premiers as a 20/21yo.
The poor guy just went to hospital with a busted face after being blindsided by a drunk, and now he’s been banished from the state and has to live with the costs he brought upon the club. However, if he owns it and can handle the added pressure he brought upon himself, we could have a star on our hands with this kid.