Just on Gutho.....
While he has done well at doesn't-matta this year, and lately has shown that he has the makings of a good first grade 5/8, I do wonder if that would have been his position at Manly. I somehow doubt that he would be the long term solution to be DCE's halves partner. As we know DCE thrives on having an organising 5/8 next to him. He had that in Foran and he had it with Killer. But Gutho, for mine, would have been a bit too much like Walker in that respect (though more skillful).
Gutho as a centre or winger at Manly yes, as a 5/8 next to DCE.....I have my doubts.
Either way I wish he was still at Manly. Perfect replacement for Skivy next year if Steve's neck doesn't allow him to play on, and the perfect fit for the right wing for a year until Skivy retired. And a class goal kicker as well.
I still (partly) blame Mateo and Burgess though. If they had left when asked at the end of last season instead of digging their heels in and basically spending this year going through the motions in NSW Cup there wouldn't have been a need to cut either Gutho or Peta Hiku in order to sign Walker and Taupau. And had we been able to keep Gutho and Hiku, given the injuries we had this year its a fair bet both would have played a lot of first grade (I mean, just look at how much we had to play Wiliame and Wright.....).
