It seems the fad is becoming that a secondary hooker starts the game and the established hooker comes on after 15/20 minutes and completes same.
Qld did this in Origin, Penrith in the Premiership (and others) and Australia overnight in the WC,
It also seems that the hooker and halves becoming interchangeable to facilitate that.
Now Parramatta next year will have Josh Hodgson playing exactly this role i.e. the last 60 minutes........
Who will be the starting hooker.....and will this same player be a half with a view to providing the hooker relief and back up.
Hand's would have been seen to be "groomed" for this role half way through the season....Mitch Rein would seem to be on the outer, has he been released?
If you look at the situation by the end of the year, it would seem that Jake Arthur is being groomed for the role, the coach did say a couple of names of people that couldn't throw a pass from dummy half.
I have heard some comments recently about as having a couple of outstanding young halves coming through? We have signed Jake for two more years.
Is the fact that JA is now shaping for this role something to worry about or can he make a go of it?
Personally I think we should be looking at a serious hooker with the potential of having a replacement for Hodgson if he secumbs to injury. JA should be allowed to develop his game in Jersey Flegg so he can learn to physically dominate in his own age group, he may have the brains to play at a senior level, but we don't require that at this point in time.
Why discuss this now, we have a lot of hookers and halves on display in this current world cup, hopefully we have someone over there with the ability and authority to talk to players outside of the mainstream teams.
Replies
We won't get 60 minutes per game out of Hodgson. At least not 60 quality minutes.
All of the good first and second string hookers are pretty much tied up now.
I would consider throwing a contract at Jake Turpin as he is unsigned and would be good cover or even as the bench hooker.
Jake is not now nor never will be even a slightly adequate option at hooker.
His preferred position is halfback and even though he tries hard, he is just bog average at that.
If we go into next year with this stupid notion of using Jake as a hooker or even carrying him on the bench, we may as well not even turn up.
His dad got him a GF appearance which he would never ever ever have gotten at any club his dad wasn't a part of so now it's time to send him back to the lower grades where his "talents" are more suited.
I think Turpin may turn out to be the best of a bad bunch, but he can play half as well....he was very "rocks and diamonds (well nearly a zircon)" at Broncs and would come cheap.
Hopefully might find an uncut diamond amongst the rough at the world cup?
We will start with a very old has been hooker then replace him with an even older has been hooker. Not that it matters with our current squad I can't see us adding to our impressive list of grand final defeats
Ok, I'm sorry I didnt nominate you as a mod......you can have the oldest hooker role!
I have a theory that average halves can turn into very good hookers.
Cameron Smith debut as a half was ok but not spectacular turned into a 9 and changed the game.
Michael Ennis lower grade half transformed into a premiership and Origin 9
Robbie farah average half very handy hooker
Isaac Luke lower grade half premiership winning hooker
Recent times Crocker at Manly is doing a solid job converting into a 9.
Now can Jake do it I'm not sure I'll give him some credit his few appearances at 9 his service was good not spectacular but good he has footy smarts and the hooker needs that
Yes I agree Offy, I believe the same.....you know it would great to switch Gutho in there and buy someone like Dominic Young and groom him for fullback, we have our favourite player Simonsson potentially going back there.....you know once they got him off the wing he didn't do a bad job. Interestingly enough we had to wait untill the grandfinal to finally get him into the clear, He has pace, obviously he and the rest of the team have no idea how to apply it.
Crocker is the one we should be chasing, handy kicking game from dummy half - service is solid, has a decent running game and would compliment hodgo who I still think is a good signing despite his age.
I agree that most halves, if they can defend, can make great hookers. Hell even Dylan Brown would make a great hooker if he was not a great Five-Eighth already.
With Jake is more about speed to me. I do not think he is fast enough around the ruck to play hooker. Not quick on his feet. He can barely bend over to pick the ball up hahaha.
But in all seriousness, if JA is to have a role off the bench it has be as a designated Lock. Coming on in the midde and distributing to forwards, let Moses and Brown run their sides. It will add a different dimension on our attack. Only thing i see is how would he go defending in the middle that much? But BA playing him at Hooker he will defend at practically the same spot.
JA will take years to add the beef to his gangly/lean frame that's required to play in the pack. Perhaps he should talk to Paul Gallen about how to do it 😱. I know it won't happen while his father's the coach but He should be shunted back to cup and never heard from again..
I still think that the player "second hooker" role then onto the bench then back into the game somewhere isnt at our club yet, I suspect that JA is being groomed for it though.
On a tactical note BA likes to " front load" so the idea of having your best on at the end as you suggest with the 60 minutes hooker goes against his normal tactics. He likes his best on at the start.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next