One position we have yet to excel in since Peats left is hooker. Last night King was slow, one dimensional and when he decided to be smart with a sharp kick he failed miserably. Will Smith excelled last year as a mister fix it but has shown he's a fullback not a hooker, seems to try to hard but I don't think he has the ball skills to be the full time hooker. Pritchard I was never a fan of, basically due to his injury history. Though still injury prone he has had a terrific year by fixing his attacking style, but can he be relied on for a 24 game campaign?
Which comes to a new Hooker, someone who I have raved about since watching him last year in lower grades, keeping a close eye on him and that man is Reed Mahoney. The speed, creativeness and enthusiam would be perfect as a 14 in this team, come in give Pritchard a break and let Mahoney dominate over tired forwards.
From Wenty and Holden cup I have seen him create more tries than either king or Pritchard did in the lower grades and has the tackling work rate of Pritchard in holden cup and also plays the full 80 of every game he has played this year in ISP and Jersey Flegg. I feel Pritchard and Mahoney and have Pritchard even move to lock while Mahoney comes on will be like Riddell and Marsh in 2005. A combination and bit of unorthodox from the ruck, unlike King and Smith who make Norman and Moses flat footed from slow inaccurate passes.
Now I have been right and wrong on players from juniors, I feel he is underrated and having him as a 14 for a year or two until he can take the reigns and king being off-contract, no hookers available on the market, Smith not a hooker and Pritchard injury prone, seeing what we have in him would be an experiment but could work.
What's everyone's thoughts? Do people feel Smith is a better back up option possibly? I don't but some may feel that way.
Replies
he's 86kg, so that'll make him 101kg?
Pritchard is 88kg, king is 90kg
most hookers would be around that 88-95 range, does everyone need to be big to play NRL to you chief?
measured him yourself had you?
Stooped ! Old frame
We r hurting bad
Its a far cry from last season. But ive come to the realisation that his positioning has been poor because he has been forced to make a number of desperate tackles that save us points. If french or hayne plays the fullback role we would be conceeding maybe 20+ more points
Matt parcell is who I would chase.
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