I can understand people questioning why a team struggling to score points would keep a defensive player like Hughes over a more attacking player like Caine.
Obviously I can only speculate, but I'd suggest Ricky has confidence that if nothing else, our side can defend. Although its been woeful at times in 2009, we showed that in the past 2 seasons we can defend better than most and we can win games on the back of it. I for one have much more confidence in our defense to win us a game, than I do in our attack to do the same thing. Like I said, although we're not showing it like we have previously, we have what it takes to hold teams out. Rather than stacking the side with attack orientated players that might (its not proven) put on enough points to win, its probably wiser to stick to what we know we're good at, and leave key players with those defensive abilities in the side in the hope that we regain that awesome defense.
Think about the games we've played and lost this year. To say the tries we've conceded were soft is an understatement. If our 2008 defense was shown in 2009 I reckon we'd be pretty close to 4/4 to be honest and leading the comp, be it in an ugly fashion.
The one try the Bulldogs would of scored tough last Sunday was prevented solely by Corey Hughes. Had we had our 2008 defense in that game and Hughes not of stopped that try, it would of been a 6 point victory to the Bulldogs. I'm certain Caine would not have made the try saver Hughes did.
