Cant really see why Cook reminds you of Mills ?

Mills is far superior !

Time to get rid of these so called 'reliable' players IMO and replace them with players every team would love to have !

Exactly. If after the last 2.5 seasons it's not clear as to why a squad needs players like Whiting, and certain others, then it never will be. We have had too many of his type in the squad at the same time in the past but not everyone can be a star player because not everyone can be on a star players money. As regards Rich Whiting I think we have retained the best utility player that we have whilst releasing some other lesser ones and he will play a good number of games next year.

i agree good utility player if called upon but not first team. agars done well in the decision to keep him over others who he could of kept for that role imo

I don't disagree with either opinion, as a utility player he has value, but I don't see him as a regular is a particular position, we have better first (and second in some cases) options from 1-13.

but with the injurys were prone to he does a good job filling in a number of positions and still not the oldest

Well put.

I do rate him and am struggling to think of anyone who has done much in the last two seasons.

Indeed. However he would have got nowhere near 100 games if we didnt suffer the injuries that we have had. (and i dont dislike Whiting, he just doesnt fit)

I really do rate Whiting. He just doesnt fit in our first choice 17. Thats the reason why i didnt think he would sign a contract extension. I thought for his own benefit he may look to move on. I'm pleased that he didnt.

On the flip side Whiting would have played a lot more games than he has if it hadnt been for his own injuries. Good player.

bit harsh on him, could hardly hep his injuries in 08 and the 2 games he did play he was one of our best players in each.

and go with a bare squad of less gthan 20 players ?

Fair point.

We'd be mugs to get rid.....

Swap for Radford. Whiting reads the game better than most and Radford is well past retirement. He should have been paid off this season.

Also, his injuries meant we had to put G Horne in. He was meant to go to Donny before the injury crisis hit our forwards, remember.

Rich Whiting is Mr reliable; plays in any position to a very good standard, he's English, isn't disruptive, he's only 24 and above all his heart's in the club.
He's not a 'superstar' but he's worth his weight in gold over the season.

Well put. And we owe him for his cheeky shout in the CC Final at Cardiff.

Come Bai lad.

TBF it should be, the club have stuck by him despite his terrible luck with injuries. In this day and age many clubs would have decided enough is enough, obviously the club see him in their future plans and personally I'd like to see him played at LF, he's a better all round player then Washbrook IMO.

I wouldn't pick him in the first 17. That said he is a fantastic squad player and can cover lots of positions and never lets the side down.

We need some utility, we've got rid of Horne and Lee who both fell into that bracket. My only concern with whiting is his injury record. He doesn't do niggles, he just breaks things.

IMO whiting should be LF in the absence of washy

i'm not keen on him in the centres as he doesn't seem to have enough pace. if he bulked up more then possibly 2nd row but we have so much competition for places it would be tough to pick him

if we get loads of injuries again i reckon agar will play whiting anywhere he can because of washy and turner. i reckon agar will use the friendlys for jordan turner and see how he goes. that will prob determine pecking order for turner and whiting but IMO washy at 13 everytime

He should be used in the backrow, his go forward and dfence is go enough IMO to play there, Raford, Tickle and Fitzgibbon could be gone for 2011 so he can replace one of them.

No problem with him playig centre in an emerdency but Hall, Yeaman, Briscoe and Turner should play there before him.

Backow of Tickle Fizgibbon and washy, with manu on the bench, anyone injured Whiting comes in.

TBH, I've always thought that Whiting was our potential replacement for Chris Chester as a 2nd-rower who runs good lines and passes the ball well. Unfortunately, he also seems to have a certain similarity with his injury record, and I still think he needs another half-stone at least to play there regularly.

As a few others have said, a very good squad man, but hard to see where he'd force his way in to a fully-fit squad. On saying that, out of our multitude of budget utility players in recent years he's the only one who I've thought has a genuine chance of doing so. Glad he stayed and I expect him to rack up another 15 games or so this season at least.

But Radford will be lucky to be in the 17. Are you saying that Whiting should be our back up prop?