GavinStorkey,
I think it is widely understood that cadets will be the main source of pilots in the future, and as such the Direct Entry scheme for S/Os and F/Os has probably been closed or reduced to a miniscule scale. It is safe to say that in the future, the only way into a CX cockpit will be via the cadetship.
For an expatriate with a substantial amount of flying experience, and hence a choice of where to go, the Cathay cadetship may or may not be the best option for you. As you may have realized, the scheme mostly appeals to people with minimal flying experience. Check out some other threads, the debate of "whether it is worth it" has been done to the death. Good luck!