hookers for next year

[murraymob]

Funny you ask that, I was thinking about him the other day when I was looking through our hooker depth.

I asked the club and they said he is currently sitting out for disciplinary reasons and he will rejoin the squad when he complies with certain criteria.

sad another trindall to come through our club with unlimited talent but just cant stay out of trouble

 

[Bob]

For $350k I’d have a serious crack at Reece Robson from the Dragons, has 2 clubs after him plus the drags want to keep him

 

[franklin2323]

I'd use this season to develop Dean Blore as a 9. Assuming we can't get anyone he could make a good 9

 

[franklin2323]

For $350k I’d have a serious crack at Reece Robson from the Dragons, has 2 clubs after him plus the drags want to keep him

Getting rid of one of the current hookers. Along with others leaving should be able to get that

 

[Panfa]

For about $150 k we could get the brailey brother from cronulla freddy said he was the best young hooker playing origin for nsw in the lower grades.

 

[franklin2323]

For about $150 k we could get the brailey brother from cronulla freddy said he was the best young hooker playing origin for nsw in the lower grades.

Someone will pay overs and no guarantee he turns any good

 

[Panfa]

Theres no guarantees in life who says the saints guy is any better either.So far i haven't seen anything from katoa or egan that im impressed with other than egans try against parra in rd 1.

 

[martielang]

I’d stick with Katoa. Kid was good last night just an easy target.

At the moment (& it might change), he’s well ahead of Egan in quality.

 

[Panther Mick]

I would give Katoa a par score from Friday night. He was good in defense and he spotted an opportunity to go down the left edge for Mansour who nearly scored.
However the other aspect of his game the lack of running from dummy half is a concern. I don't know if he is currently restricted by an injury and it seems ridiculous if he is being told by the coach not to run but we are missing opportunities.
On Friday night just after halftime was the perfect example of why many are frustrated with him. Andrew Johns noticed it in commentary. We got a quick play the ball in our own half and an easy 10 to 15 metres was on offer from a scoot out of dummy half. Katoa took a step forward and passed the ball to someone else to hit it up.
If he didn't spot the opportunity of easy metres that is a concern. If he is carrying an injury restricting his running I can understand but its hurting us right now.
It has happened a few times this year from him.

 

[Fangs]

Katoa just looks a bit confused to me. He never looks relaxed and looks like he is getting to many orders. Needs to back himself a bit more.

 

[franklin2323]

Katoa just looks a bit confused to me. He never looks relaxed and looks like he is getting to many orders. Needs to back himself a bit more.

He has never been a teams regular hooker. So will lack the instincts proper hookers do

 

[franklin2323]

I would give Katoa a par score from Friday night. He was good in defense and he spotted an opportunity to go down the left edge for Mansour who nearly scored.
However the other aspect of his game the lack of running from dummy half is a concern. I don't know if he is currently restricted by an injury and it seems ridiculous if he is being told by the coach not to run but we are missing opportunities.
On Friday night just after halftime was the perfect example of why many are frustrated with him. Andrew Johns noticed it in commentary. We got a quick play the ball in our own half and an easy 10 to 15 metres was on offer from a scoot out of dummy half. Katoa took a step forward and passed the ball to someone else to hit it up.
If he didn't spot the opportunity of easy metres that is a concern. If he is carrying an injury restricting his running I can understand but its hurting us right now.
It has happened a few times this year from him.

That is why our attack is predictable. Even if Katoa makes no metres it might just get a defender to have some doubt. That then opens a gap for someone else.

I'd quite easily accept no try assists from Hooker if they are having 5-10 runs a game. Someone else will benefit from that

 

[mxlegend99]

Just go for Segeyaro. He and Ivan were successful together before. His form miggt not be great to begin with. But he would offer more than nothing from dummy half atleast.

Watch any other game and look at all the hookers who generate momentum for their team with a few runs through sets. Then look at ours. We're so far behind at hooker it's not funny.

Our halves jobs would ve so much easier if our hooker could help get other teams backpedalling and playing with a bit of space. Our rep forward pack would look like a rep forward pack if our hooker could do that too.

We play with no space and momentum in sets. Everyones job becomes harder in that situation. I think he's perfectly built to be a great hooker. But a hooker without a running game is not going to ever get the best out of his team.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Just go for Segeyaro. He and Ivan were successful together before. His form miggt not be great to begin with. But he would offer more than nothing from dummy half atleast.

Watch any other game and look at all the hookers who generate momentum for their team with a few runs through sets. Then look at ours. We're so far behind at hooker it's not funny.

Our halves jobs would ve so much easier if our hooker could help get other teams backpedalling and playing with a bit of space. Our rep forward pack would look like a rep forward pack if our hooker could do that too.

We play with no space and momentum in sets. Everyones job becomes harder in that situation. I think he's perfectly built to be a great hooker. But a hooker without a running game is not going to ever get the best out of his team.

Our Hookers can both run, our issue is that our forwards are being dominated in the ruck. You need fast play the balls in order to give the hooker a chance.

I’m not suggesting our guys are great, but they are good enough, if the forwards can get on top and start winning the ruck.

 

[TheFrog]

Just go for Segeyaro.

You've got to stick to your guns in the face of temptation.

 

[Abacus]

No to Sege for me - we don't need another bench hooker.

Just posted in the game day thread that I thought our play around the ruck improved once Egan came on. I'd be inclined to start with him and Katoa on the bench as a utility.

 

[mxlegend99]

Our Hookers can both run, our issue is that our forwards are being dominated in the ruck. You need fast play the balls in order to give the hooker a chance.

I’m not suggesting our guys are great, but they are good enough, if the forwards can get on top and start winning the ruck.

Round 1... our average play the ball speed was 3.15s. Eels was 3.57s.
Round 2... our average play the ball speed was 3.47s. Knights was 3.16s
Round 3... our average play the bal speed was 3.38s. Storm was 3.26s
Round 4... our average play the ball speed was 3.47s. tigers was 3.57s

So in 2 games we had a quicker play the ball, in 2 games it was only slightly slower. Yet we have the least dummy half runs of any team.



Our dummy half service is terrible and slow. Not the play the ball speed. Although with better servicefrom dummy half we could get more momentum and a quicker play the ball aswell.

The sad thing is most of the dummy half runs we get are from our backs darting from dummy half.

Our metres gained would be so much better with a hooker that could get momentum down field. With the opposition backpedalling we get an ever quicker play the ball, our halves and forwards get more space with the ball against retreating defence.

The defence don't need to worry about our hooker at all. And with slow service it makes it easy to smash the guys he is passing too before they have time to do much.

Katoa used to have a running game. A very good one. But until it comes back we are notplaying with an NRL standard hooker

 

[Luke Bowden]

Round 1... our average play the ball speed was 3.15s. Eels was 3.57s.
Round 2... our average play the ball speed was 3.47s. Knights was 3.16s
Round 3... our average play the bal speed was 3.38s. Storm was 3.26s
Round 4... our average play the ball speed was 3.47s. tigers was 3.57s

So in 2 games we had a quicker play the ball, in 2 games it was only slightly slower. Yet we have the least dummy half runs of any team.

View attachment 28725

Our dummy half service is terrible and slow. Not the play the ball speed. Although with better servicefrom dummy half we could get more momentum and a quicker play the ball aswell.

The sad thing is most of the dummy half runs we get are from our backs darting from dummy half.

Our metres gained would be so much better with a hooker that could get momentum down field. With the opposition backpedalling we get an ever quicker play the ball, our halves and forwards get more space with the ball against retreating defence.

The defence don't need to worry about our hooker at all. And with slow service it makes it easy to smash the guys he is passing too before they have time to do much.

Katoa used to have a running game. A very good one. But until it comes back we are notplaying with an NRL standard hooker

So I take it from this that you believe we don’t have an issue in the ruck? Or play the ball speed is fine and we aren’t dominated?

 

[mxlegend99]

Our biggest issue is the service from dummy half. It's slow and gives the players receiving the ball no time or space with it.

In 50% of our games we had a faster play the ball speed than our opposition. In the other 2 the difference was minimal. There were plenty of times we could have run in all 4 games. It's certainly not a reason for our hooker to never run the ball or to give average service. His service is the reason we struggle up field.

I believe a better hooker would help our pack dominate, give our halves more time with the ball and help our team play with momentum. Someone who spots an offside player and tries to work for the penalty etc. Those little things are absolutely huge.

 

[tonks]

Our biggest issue is the service from dummy half. It's slow and gives the players receiving the ball no time or space with it.

In 50% of our games we had a faster play the ball speed than our opposition. In the other 2 the difference was minimal. There were plenty of times we could have run in all 4 games. It's certainly not a reason for our hooker to never run the ball or to give average service. His service is the reason we struggle up field.

I believe a better hooker would help our pack dominate, give our halves more time with the ball and help our team play with momentum. Someone who spots an offside player and tries to work for the penalty etc. Those little things are absolutely huge.

Cleary had no time or space to slot that field goal? Service from Katoa looked pretty damn good to me.