Putting faith in youngsters always sounds good in theory and sometimes results in success. We've all seen it before where a young player bursts on to the NRL scene, leading their team to exciting new heights and then the next season rolls around, suddenly life isn't as easy. Some call this second-year syndrome, I prefer the 'Joys Of The NRL' where you've got to consistently learn and add skills to your craft or be left behind.

Two of last season's breakout stars were Jack Bird and Moses M'bye, the latter had flirted with the NRL prior to 2015 but truly emerged in 2015. There are obvious similarities between the two as they both play in the halves and prefer to run the footy, taking on defenders with speed and strength that saw them score a combined 10 tries. As they are halves after all, these two also combined for 17 try-assists as they offered plenty of highlights thanks to natural footy instincts.

The uncanny similarities between the two don't stop with where and how they play with Bird recently re-signing with Cronulla and M'bye knee deep in offers. Bird and M'bye were/are two of the most sought after halves in the NRL, which came after just one season of consistent NRL footy and understandably so; they are both guns and have been earmarked as the key players who can take the Bulldogs and Sharks forward.

It appears that no one has any concerns about second-year syndrome or the 'Joys Of The NRL' coming back round to bite M'bye and Bird on the backsides. I'm certainly of the belief that investing heavily in youngsters like M'bye and Bird is risking business but I guess it's what you've got to do to ensure that Bird for example, won't leave the club. 

One similarity that causes my weariness to grow is the situations that these two young halves find themselves in at their respective clubs. First of all the term 'half' might not even be fit for Bird as he's yet to really nail down that spot, not with the Sharks recruiting Chad Townsend and James Maloney. Bird can do a bit of everything and those keen NRL Nines observers will remember Bird roaming around on the edges in last year's Nines, showcasing his ability as a centre, which is one option that coach Shane Flannagan could chose for Bird.

Centre, fullback, half and second-row have all been mentioned as possibilities for Bird this season and it's far from an easy decision. Bird could partner Maloney in an exciting halves pairing, which would leave Townsend's career struggling to stay afloat. Bird could play right-centre where Gerard Beale played last season with Ricky Leutele at left-centre and there's a fullback jersey up for grabs thanks to Michael Gordon's departure but Valentine Holmes looks like he'd have the first chance at that spot.

Second-row can all but be ruled out as the Sharks have plenty of depth here, led by starts Wade Graham and Luke Lewis. Bird is the sort of player who needs as much footy as possible, so I'm leaning towards fullback or half but these are congested areas for the Sharks; I wouldn't pick Bird over Holmes ... I'd happily throw something completely different at the NRL and play Bird and Holmes as two fullback-like players though. Remember that Gordon, Barba and Holmes were all involved in mid-game positional switches throughout last season.

Bird's inexperience in the halves was evident last season as he would often go missing and lacked the execution of a true half with kicking etc. I like the idea of Bird and Maloney teaming up together, however having Townsend and Maloney steer the Sharks around is also enticing. 
Point being that the Sharks got their man in re-signing Bird after a huge 2015 season, but we don't really know what Bird is best at. The Sharks are banking on Bird finding a home somewhere in their backline, it's far from a certainty though and any sort of lack of clarity in Bird's role could see him plateau this year.

M'bye is different in that we know he will play in the halves with Josh Reynolds, it's just that my lasting memory from last season is how the Bulldogs struggled without Trent Hodkinson.

M'bye and Reynolds are both No.6s as they prefer to run the footy and are at their best when the halfback (Hodkinson last year) could control the game and free his halves partner to worry about exposing a weakness. M'bye, Reynolds and Hodkinson were involved in a weird triangle of halves who stepped on each other's toes and gave the Bulldogs a freakish attacking trio at the same time, they also tested Des Hasler's coaching nous, which was made easier when Hodkinson injured his wrist late in the season for example.

Just as I'm unsure about how Bird will handle whatever position he plays this season, there's uncertainty surrounding M'bye's ability to lead the Bulldogs. Reynolds is more experienced but I wouldn't count on him to guide the Doggies around the park as he prefers to go nuts for a few minutes and then settle down, repeating this cycle when the Bulldogs need a spark. This should be evident in the fact that M'bye will have the No.7 jersey while Reynolds rocks No.6.

Working in M'bye's favour is that he's playing in a contract year, which works in his favour as he'll be putting himself in the shop window again until he settles on a destination for 2017. This could be tricky though as M'bye will have this in the back of his mind for sure and it will be an ongoing distraction until he signs, he'll be one of the hottest targets through the early part of the season which will mean the media circus follows him closely. 

Confusing these recruitment matters for M'bye will be the position he plays. As I said, I expect M'bye to be the Doggies' halfback this season but clubs chasing M'bye don't exactly need a halfback. Melbourne and Gold Coast are my favourites to lure M'bye away from Belmore and with Cooper Cronk and Kane Elgey holding down the halfback duties for the long-term at these clubs, M'bye won't have a look in.

Luring M'bye away from Belmore won't be easy though as you'd have to assume that the Doggies are locking M'bye in as their own long-term halfback. M'bye could go play a supporting role for someone else and add his own spice to that team, or he could prove himself to be a dominant halfback who can lead the Bulldogs in all facets. 

All this just clouds the situation around M'bye and with Bird not yet settling on his own position with the Sharks, 2016 is shaping as a very interesting season for two of the hottest young halves in the NRL.