It is apparent from these signings that NB wants some players who can offer creative options - both passing and kicking.

This will give us the option of Robbo playing at 9 and for us to have much more to offer in the halves.

Throw 2 world class back rowers and the emerging youngsters and NB is better placed for 2010.

No doubt we are better placed, our recruitment has been strong, I am not sure about Robbo at 9, but the other options will take the preassure off him, give us far more of a kicking game and give the whole team more depth in the key pivots.

Personally I think Lunt and Fooey are the best two hookers we will be playing, maybe with Drew as the backup there.

Hopefully Fooey will get back in the country after his court case!

Faced with trying to break down and beat Saints / leeds / Wolves next year I would go with Drew over Robbo at 7 every time.

Yes, because we regularly beat Saints, Leeds and wire with Drew at halfback didnt we.

I think you are verging on trolling here MG, certainly I think your rose tinted specs are of jam jar proportions.

I think we have lacked a good kicking game throughout 2009. It one of the ways you can vary your attack and this has real implications for defending sides.

Your comparison of the Giants squad under Sharp with the squad under Brown re Brad's success it meaningless. Though incidentally we did beat Leeds in a CC semi with 2 tries coming from kicks (one by Drew).

It is regrettable that being pleased about these signings or daring to suggest that Drew may be more of a threat at 7 than Robbo is labelled 'trolling'.

Your insights about my eyewear are duly noted.

Yes, and under Brown, we beat Saints, whats your point? Yes out kicking game has been lacking since Drew (and Gene who had a sublime short kicking game) left us.

The point is Marsden, your threads arent about the merits of Drew over Robbo, but how poor Robbo is.

That might not be your intention, but thats certainly how it is reading.

Our results definitely dipped when we lost Brown. He provided the kicks over the top which produced some of our best tries this season (Cudjoe Vs Saints CC semi and David Hodgson Vs Cas away)

No so. Robbo has many qualities. they are suited to being a scooting / darting hooker. At hooker the pass options are often simpler and easier to excute and the need for a kicking game is a far lower priority. Likewise the decisions required are often more straightforward and this too would suit the way robbo plays his rugby. i think he could play like Obst does at hooker - which can be very effective - but he could do it better.

Surely Lunt is our best hooker followed by Fooey.

Will Drew really be a starter rather than a bench player ?

He has a good kicking game yes but he's hardly one for the future (34 this year). He's only one year younger than Stanley Gene's official age !