I'd tend to see the alternate hypothesis as it being a chemistry thing and development thing hypen. Given the thing about where blokes like McCarthy, Kersten, Cox etc have been thrown in there and be the axis around which we're trying to build a forward line, whereas ideally they'd have some time on the periphery first. If you were just to break the elements down and write them on a bit of paper about another team you'd probably understand there's a bit of work to be done and it'd take a reasonable amount of time.
Also I'd plump for Bennell to get some form of run this year too, if possible, even if only to help his acclimatising for next year.