I guess you need a bit of management vis-a-vis game time etc. I think Dai selected well for this week, we learnt a lot and much if it was positive to boot.
First choice does not mean much, but in terms of contract renewal it means something. For example, Willis is probably worth more to the team than he is on, because frankly we can't be paying him enough given his herculean efforts.
I suspect that Cruse is worth as much to us than TT now, because he has improved beyond expectation whilst TT languished with injury. Zz too has been a revelation.
I don't want to be negative, but I suspect that Shields, Carr, Young, Vailanu, Reider etc. will be aware that Willis is above them, frankly I thought Ashley was smashing this weekend, and when Young is fit competition for a starting slot will be high.
I am not sure how much money those guys are on, but I suspect the next time contracts are up there might have to be some rejigging. Bassett seems to have dropped down the pecking order, one wonders what that might happen when his contract comes up again- he is presumably on a first choice renumeration package, especially given the non switch to Saints. Maybe he will pick up, idk, but the point is a player becoming first choice who was not before may be looking for a pay rise to reflect their status eventually, which may be acommodated if others drop. That appears to be how it works in soccer where status is defined by salary, albeit in a non salary cap market.