hookers for next year

[Luke Bowden]

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.

You think that’s a bigger issue than our completion rate?

 

[mxlegend99]

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

Cleary stood 12 metres behind the play the ball and gave himself the space. He was set for a quick kick.

That doesn't exactly get you up the gield though does it? If our players stood back 12+ metres we sould be lucky to get tackled on the same spot the ball was passed from.

 

[Luke Bowden]

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

That’s because there is nothing wrong with his service.

 

[mxlegend99]

You think that’s a bigger issue than our completion rate?

I was replying to this post in reference to the issues around the ruck. Obviously errors are our biggest issue as a whole. But that wasn't what we were talking about.

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]

That’s because there is nothing wrong with his service.

No. Its because Cleary stood 12 metres away. His service is shit. It's that simple.

Make all the excuses for it in the world. But its his shit service that is causing the thing's you're trying to blame him for.

He's the worst hooker we have had since Masada Iosefa.

 

[Luke Bowden]

I was replying to this post in reference to the issues around the ruck. Obviously errors are our biggest issue as a whole. But that wasn't what we were talking about.

How many “Biggest Issues” can we possibly have?

Surely only one.

You seem to think that our Dummy halves are our “Biggest Issue”.

Our completion rate is our biggest issue.

Makes us defend more, for longer periods, which creates fatigue. Fatigued players make panicked choices and quite often the wrong choice.

Our forwards aren’t able to dominate which puts pressure on our halves and the flow on effect continues.

It’s a simply game. Defend hard when you don’t have the ball, Hold onto the ball when you do.

If we fix up our completion rate, our halves will have more time and our hookers will get a chance to play the way they can.

I know you don’t like them, I know you’ll disagree, but what ever, it’s coaching 101.

That’s enough from me on the subject. I’ll let the team prove me right.

 

[mxlegend99]

Whatever mate. We are dead last for dummy half runs.. most those runs are our backs. The one and only time our halves have had time with the ball was when Cleary knew he needed to stand back more than 10 metres to kick the ball.

There's no team in the competition who would want to trade hookers with us. Regardless of highly how you rate either one of them. They're doing exactly what any bog average reserve grade hooker could do in the NRL. Without the running game.

Sione Katoa is just Masada Iosefa without a first grade hooker competing with him.

 

[Pomoz]

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.

Our play the balls were faster than the Tigers but somehow they made more dummy half runs.

 

[Abacus]

Tbf, MX has made it clear what he's after:

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.

When he says there's an issue with Katoa's service, he's absolutely right. With no threat of a DH run, the defence and markers can zero in on the receivers. Makes it harder for the forwards to get over the ad line.

Even Sterlo pulled Katoa up for not running from DH. It's either by instruction or Katoa has his head up his ass.

By Katoa not being a threat, it compromises his service (making it appear slow) because the defence can focus on the receivers.

 

[Royce is King]

I have not been in here for a couple of yrs... thought i would put my 2 cents in...... If anybody has the time go to the QRL websight and look at the highlights from the Easts Tigers vs Capras game from yesterday......... the Easts hooker is a guy called Aaron Booth and is aged around 24. Now the bloke has a ponytail and a handlebars mo.... but my god has this bloke got class.

He has a bullet pass, can engage the markers as well, great low tackler, has a kicking game and to top it off kicks goals...... but the greatest asset he has is time. I am involved with the Q.cup and our club are great rivals of easts so i am no fan of the tigers. But the last time the Q.CUP. had a hooker that was around mid 20s and deemed to be too old too make it was around 2013..... his name was Jake Granville. At this stage I think Booth is better than both our hookers...... I would buy him today and play him Friday.

 

[Panther Mick]

Interesting thoughts by Zorba on us.
His thoughts on Katoa, He blames him as the heart of our inability to score tries as well as he offers no spark at dummy half. He is calling for Luai to start at 9

A bit on Gould and O'Neil fight.

http://media.skyracing.com.au/POD/59/MJRs2C.mp3

 

[franklin2323]

Using Fox sports stats

Katoa 2 runs. 8m. 2 kicks for 59m
Egan 1 12m. 1 kick for 2 metres.
Both have no Try Assists
Egan does have a try. LB and 2 Tackle breaks.

How can anyone think they are acceptable numbers for hookers

 

[Tronald Crump]

Using Fox sports stats

Katoa 2 runs. 8m. 2 kicks for 59m
Egan 1 12m. 1 kick for 2 metres.
Both have no Try Assists
Egan does have a try. LB and 2 Tackle breaks.

How can anyone think they are acceptable numbers for hookers

They are not acceptable in my book.

 

[franklin2323]

They are not acceptable in my book.

Agreed. Hookers and FB needs to give another point of attack

 

[Tronald Crump]

Agreed. Hookers and FB needs to give another point of attack

Yep particularly when we are struggling for tries.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Ive been against it for so long. But we should bring Seggy back...

Would cost sweet FA and we are terrible in 9

 

[Fangs]

Watching Damien Cook v the warriors. He is playing superbly and is a constant danger out of dummy half.

It makes you realise just how stuffed we are for hookers. They don't offer anything close to what Cook does. Boys v Men.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Watching Damien Cook v the warriors. He is playing superbly and is a constant danger out of dummy half.

It makes you realise just how stuffed we are for hookers. They don't offer anything close to what Cook does. Boys v Men.

Not many Hookers do, though. He’s almost in a league by himself with his running game.

Running would be nice, but what we need the most is just good, clean service.

 

[Fangs]

Not many Hookers do, though. He’s almost in a league by himself with his running game.

Running would be nice, but what we need the most is just good, clean service.

Indeed.

Any form of running will help. Our halves deserve plenty of criticism but they are also on the back foot constantly because every team knows that we won't threaten them at the play the ball.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Indeed.

Any form of running will help. Our halves deserve plenty of criticism but they are also on the back foot constantly because every team knows that we won't threaten them at the play the ball.

I think we just have to stick with Katao as an 80 minute hooker for a while.

No more Luai playing mins there.