The whole idea of ramming a team full of ex-academy players is so naive, I can't believe people are still advocating it as a way of running a professional sports club as it's been proven time and again NOT TO WORK.
We were slipping dangerously into this mentality around 2009, when people were thinking the likes of Dean, Ashurst, Frodsham etc. were all going to make it and automatically slot in to replace the international standard players we were losing (Gilmour, Longy, Sculthorpe, Talau, etc.)
In reality, although these players can come in and do a solid enough job without letting anyone down, the vast majority of them aren't of the required quality to sustain a continued challenge at the top of Super League. Not only that, but throwing them all in at the same time is poisonous to their development, and the better players who do have a chance of being Saints/international class, the Lomax/Jones/Makinsons of this world need experienced, battle-hardened pros to play alongside.
It's all about squad balance so I'm pleased with the signing of Manu as he gives us something we don't have. If we lose Dixon, so be it. We're not very often wrong about the youngsters we let go and, although he's shown some promise, there's been nothing to suggest he'll ever be as effective a player as Manu is.