I would suggest that London and Harlequins RL have tended to sign a lot of defensive backrowers over the years such as Temata, Golden, Robinson, Williamson and more recently Shane Rodney. These types of players tend to be workhorses and make a lot effort as the markers with a huge number of tackles made.
Providing that they are available for selection most weeks, do their bread and butter and trundle in the ball without dropping it, making a few metres here and there and ground the ball if it drops their way, then they tend to go relatively unnoticed.
Rodney was noticeable last season for missing lots of games and dropping the ball/knocking on but he has been much better this year.
To me, there is little point in our club signing slower, more technical players who can set up a try from 10 metres out (like a Scott Hill) or ones who can run in from 10 metres or less (like Jon Wells, O'C or Michael Robertson) because we are seldom close to the line.
We are better to sign players with more obvious physical attributes like speed, which is why players like Kieran Dixon and Luke Dorn are typically better for our game pattern, as they can go in from distance.
Michael Witt has been better because he is getting the ball early enough to put up his booming kicks and running at the line versus trying to be a more technical craftsman, which I don't believe is his strength; he is more instinctual.
So yes Rodney has been good, but I would prefer to sign more Chris Bailey style players with an offload and attacking game as well as a solid defense.
