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http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20736390-23214,00.html
Finch to be five-eighth
By Margie McDonald
November 11, 2006
BRETT Finch will pick up with Parramatta where he left off with Sydney Roosters when new coach Michael Hagan hands him the five-eighth jersey.
Hagan confirmed at the first-grade squad's first training session at Parramatta Stadium yesterday that Tim Smith would retain the halfback's jersey with Finch his partner at second receiver.
"That's what we've spoken about and he understood that when he agreed to come here," Hagan said of Finch playing five-eighth.
Finch, 25, played his last six games with the Roosters at pivot after youngster Josh Lewis took up the halfback duties.
Former Roosters coach Ricky Stuart kept the pairing intact as the team won two of its final six games in 2006.
While Stuart experimented with Finch, Braith Anasta, Lewis, Jamie Soward and Craig Wing in the halves and hooker roles, Hagan wants to cement the No.6-No.7 combination from day one of pre-season training.
He is also aware of the "second-year syndrome" talk that wafted around Smith this year.
Smith, 21, produced a mixed season dotted with unspectacular on-field performances, injury and two off-field alcohol related incidents.
But Hagan has a great deal of expertise in nurturing talented halfbacks and is keeping faith with Smith.
"They (Finch and Smith) need to work together and sort out their roles within the team," Hagan said.
"But Tim Smith is the No.1 halfback and that's how it will work from here on in."
When Matt Orford signed with Manly in 2006, regular halfback Michael Monaghan shifted to hooker.
Hagan was never going to tread that path with Finch.
"We've got a good couple of hookers in Mark Riddell and P.J. Marsh, and they're important to this team in that position."
Hagan is reunited with former Newcastle wing Timana Tahu, who had a brilliant season cut short by injury this year.
What originally was diagnosed as a badly corked knee in the third Origin match turned out to be torn medial ligaments that put the Test wing out for the rest of the season and the Tri-Nations.
Hagan and Tahu have also spoken about the speedy back's role, and the 26-year-old wants to remain in the centres.
"That's what he came here for and we'd like to develop him to the stage where hopefully he'd be a centre at rep level too."
Tahu was one of the players, who completed the first official day of training yesterday.
Missing were Marsh (knee), Luke Burt (ankle), Justin Tsoulos (shoulder) and Aaron Cannings (shoulder) having had off-season operations.
Also absent were Nathan Hindmarsh and Jarryd Hayne, who are on Tri-Nations duty with Australia, with Nathan Cayless training with New Zealand.
Feleti Mateo and Fuifui Moimoi are contesting World Cup qualification with Tonga.
Hagan realises he might be sticking his neck out giving both public and private guarantees to players, but he wants to set his style early.
"I guess you live and die by your word sometimes," he said.
"I'm comfortable with that."
