Lance Hohaia

[Manu Vatuvei]

Now, I'm not one to get stuck in to individual players or hold a grudge against players I don't like and keep bringing it up over and over again, but...(lol who am I kidding)

...am I the only one who noticed that Lance Hohaia was by far the worst player on the field tonight- and by worst player on the field I mean, he looked as if he'd never played rugby league before.

Furthermore, has he or has he not been giving off that very impression for his entire career..????

I'm interested to see what people think as I've always thought Hohaia was useless and hence am probably pretty set in my ways. I thought tonight NZ's forwards made good metres almost at will but we never looked like scoring near the line due to a lack of cohesion when we went wide. This was mostly due to Hohaia (Leuluai was better) who makes simple things like catching and passing look like pulling teeth.

 

[screeny]

I've always thought Hohaia was a defender who punches far above his weight but with next to no creativity or kicking game. So yes, like you, he's one of those players about whom I wonder how he got to where he did (or has).

 

[ozbash]

lance should have had #9 on his back. some people have very short memories..

 

[RLIF]

Ben Roberts to 6,
Lance Hohaia to 9,
David Fauimia to 15,

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

lance should have had #9 on his back. some people have very short memories..

Not me oz. Hohaia's best form ever was at hooker in late 2005. However, that's still not great as his lack of vision and creativity are still stifling there. Nevertheless, he's no worse than Halatau and probably threatens more out of dummy half.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Whats with Hohaias kicking game. He did okay finding open space but FMD dont stand still 15 metres away and kick it run on to the f**king ball and kick

 

[LordLeague]

I agree Hohaia to 9. Halatau trys hard but its time to give somebody else a go at 9.

LordLeague

 

[Johnny_L_O]

I agree, Hohia was very average and does not look like a pro player. If he plays the next two expect a series whitewash!

 

[jamesgould]

Not me oz. Hohaia's best form ever was at hooker in late 2005. However, that's still not great as his lack of vision and creativity are still stifling there. Nevertheless, he's no worse than Halatau and probably threatens more out of dummy half.

That was good, but when he first came into first grade, he looked the gun! I don't know where it all went wrong ...

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

That was good, but when he first came into first grade, he looked the gun! I don't know where it all went wrong ...

Nah

He looked the gun for maybe 3 or 4 games, because he had (still has) a good running game

Very strong, agile and quick, no doubt about it

Catching, passing, kicking, thinking- not his go

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Whats with Hohaias kicking game. He did okay finding open space but FMD dont stand still 15 metres away and kick it run on to the f**king ball and kick

Everything he does looks awkward. He kicks exclusively drop-punt style. He still throws old-fashioned end-over-end passes. The guy just doesn't have, and has never appeared to have, the skill-set of a 6 or 7.

 

[Iafeta]

I actually thought both halves went ok, seemed to me Kemble had asked them to find the ground and get it towards the goal line/corner, and I thought Hohaia did that. I wouldn't say it was overly creative... Leuluai, that guy is starting to become a good player.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I thought Hohaia's long kicking was ok

However, we would've been better off playing with 12 for the first 5 tackles of each set

 

[Nook]

I thought both halves went fairly well, a vast improvement on Roberts and Smith.

 

[Mr Angry]

For mine halves need to be a pair. One who runs the show and one who probes around.

Hohaia, needs to be used like Shaun Berrigan, if your going to have him.

NZ needs a real player the one who runs the show.

Athletes they have plenty of.

I can only think of one Stacey, before him nothing.

 

[ozbash]

stacey never had a #6 outside of him tho, he had hohaia (who i believe is a good hooker, not a half) ropati, motu, vagana and faumuina. apart from ropati, none were what you'd call 5/8s and history has shown ropati wasnt a very good one.

so, stacey was basically a 1 man band. Would have been an interesting halves combo of jones/benji.

the big problem with the wankers selecting the team is lack of balls, they try a combo , get beaten and then immediately change it f**king up the whole team. thomas leuluai has always potentially been a bloody good halfback. Took an ESL club to develope it though.

we have had players before stace who ran the show, ridgey and freeman spring to mind immediately, darryl williams and filliapina are 2 more.

 

[Big Mick]

Issac Luke #9 for NZ next year
Masada Iosefa #14

 

[The Observer]

Unfortunately I missed the game, but Kemble missed some obvious things when he picked Hohaia:
1) He is not a five eighth - he was shown up in NRL and agianst GB in 2002. He has played well at dummy half. He could have played halfback well, he has done well as an organiser, directing play, and kicking for distance

2) He is not a goalkicker!

Kemble was rash dropping both halves for two new players, especially given that Hohaia hasn't played any footy for 2 months AND he hasn't played in the halves for a season. It should have been Roberts and Leuluai in the halves.

Its a shame Kiwi Roots was not on this year, we would have had a great showdown between two halves combinations:

NORTH - 6 Roberts 7 Leuluai 9 L Anderson vs
SOUTH - 6 Jeremy Smith 7 Hohaia 9 Faiumu

 

[hutch]

he didnt have the best of games but he has not played much nrl footy this year. i would have him before roberts and smith any day, i think those two are the worst halves in the nrl. hohaia is a confidence player, and he must not have much at the back of a pretty disappointing year.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Whats with Hohaias kicking game. He did okay finding open space but FMD dont stand still 15 metres away and kick it run on to the f**king ball and kick

mate you didnt play rugby league did you:crazy: - his kicking game was good - he wasnt caught underpressure nor were his kicks were to short.:crazy: .

How was running on to the ball going to help his kicking game?? when you in your own half its about kicking for territory.

He did okay finding space - he did much better than anyone else last week or this week.

I agree with bringing in Roberts to play 6 or 9 - with lance and thomas.