BackSeatCoach wrote:
But numbers are real aren't they? Dave played his first season in 35, played number 8 the proceeding seasons until he ultimately selected to wear the No.35 again for his last season. Symbolic to Dave, maybe not to you.
Many players still see the awarding of squad number of 15 or below as a recognition, and as such many congratulating Corey Hall recently having being "promoted" to number 3, and similarly wondering with trepidation what Samisoni Langi will wear now that Reece was awarded No.4. Similarly, Batch played in 16 last year, and also chose to wear that number for KR this year. I don't think it's that difficult a concept. But it is real.
Which bit was pathetic?
All of it
You seem to think it's a slight and that it defines who will play and who won't, that's nonsense.
They are squad numbers not positional numbers in the old sense of the word. All clubs have different ways of allocating them, and players like different numbers for different reasons.
Truth is they are in many ways utterly meaningless, for example what number did Murphy play with last year? Didn't stop him playing in every game.
When Murphy plays on the wing he will be either 2 or 5 regardless of the number on his back, as he was last year.
So why make a big fuss because the 'pig' as you called him got the number five. If he actually plays ahead of Murphy then you may have a point, but for now it's plain nothing.