Quote ="sergeant pepper"It's all about what you takeaway from it - that's why it's such a polarising topic. I can see it one way and others will see it another.
There's one key principle for me and that's people are going to talk anyway.
Watson shut down the Hull rumours and that, for me, is a positive for both him and Salford. Watson has showed that he's not just a mercenary and that it will take something special for him to move.
I'm sure off the back of that, there's plenty of Salford fans who like Watson even more than they thought possible. =#FF0000It's almost elevated Salford as a club too - it paints a picture of a club that's got something special going on, something people don't easily walk away from.
Yes there's talk of a big side possibly being the ones to lure him away, but that chatter was already there and won't be going away. You can't control that, it's a product of success, but they did control the Hull rumours. They put them to bed.
I'll throw another example into the mix, Greg Inglis. I was impressed by the straight answer both him and his agent gave earlier this week when asked about his future.
Inglis;
His agent;
Compare that to Hastings's agent, or think back to preseason and the lack of a definitive statement in the face of growing speculation.
Not every situation is right for a response, but some definitely are.'"
A GF and CC appearance in successive seasons have definitely raised Salford's profile, and Watson's stock too.
Player agents are always on the lookout for the next deal. GI's agent must have been delighted when his client decided to get back on the pitch again. No doubt they'll be thinking of squeezing out another contract before GI calls time, once more.
Hasting's agent will be also be thinking of where the next contract for their client will be. Hence, there's always speculation with players until an extension or moving on is announced.
