silver2 wrote:
As 50% of players are below average, I'll settle for that.
Not strictly true. 50% would apply to the median rather than the mean (average) - but I'm being pedantic.
Patton is Championship, or lower reaches of Super League, standard. He's not up to what is required from a starting half back in a Super League club who are challenging for silverware, but the point is - that's not why he's in the squad. His role at the start of the season was that of third half back. With Austin and Brown fit he would either be out on loan or holding down a bench place as interchange hooker. I don't know what salary he's on but I would imagine that his contract is appropriate for that level.
The failure is not Patton's, it is a failure to recruit a starting half back when we got relief against the salary cap when Brown picked up his pre-season injury. That said, half backs don't grow on trees so maybe the club tried and failed. If everything goes to plan and we start next season with Austin and Widdop fit and ready to play then having Patton on the books isn't such a bad option.