I read Ernies article and I wondered if he has done his homework properly.
1: The Welnix (7, 8, 9?) group have said no to marquees for a long time. Considering the position we are in, we were playing WORSE football last year and they never ponied up. What makes him think they are going to change their mind now especially as they have stated all along that they want to develop from with in with NZ youth and make it self sustaining?
2: We have no import slots. Considering Hernandez and Cunningham have 2 year deals, you pay out Stein, Ifill or Riera. Stein seems the most likely but would be on a decent wedge, Riera would be the cheapest but it in a position that we have a need, and Ifill is the better performing of all them (and I guess probably the team). Does he think the Welnix group have deep pockets considering we have already paid out about $90k (guess) for Lindsay and Totori. They wont want to eat a 3rd deal.
3: We have 4 imports and a Kiwi in that part of the field and none of them can score. To get the player he wants/needs, it has to be an absolute dead cert sure fire signing for them to eat a 3rd players wage.
4: Are we not near the cap? Any player that he would want to make the kind of impact he wants if going to cost a bit - room we probably don't have in the cap.
When you take that all into account, they only thing left is Australians - and the quality of player we need is extremely unlikely to be sitting uncontracted awaiting a call and if they are, they are probably a head case or out of shape and the state league wont have a sure fire undiscovered talent lying around hat the other 9 teams will have missed. That leaves Kiwis and the ones worth having, are already signed elsewhere either the one exception - Chris James.
So really, Ernie has to look at Chris James, or most likely, nothing at all. The alternative is hoping that the Welnix group will change their stance but I really do not see that happening any time soon.