Tate's replacement

[Manu Vatuvei]

I still think he is the best utility that we have. If Locke were to go to the back however, the utility role would be somebody who can play in the halves, hooker and maybe in the backrow, so maybe that is not ideally Hohaia- but if not him, who?

Isn't it more normal to have a back-up hooker on the bench? A utility is only good value if he is actually good in a few positions. I honestly think Hohaia is only any good at FB.

The best half/hooker we have is actually probably Heremaia imo, but he's doing enough to hold on to his spot in the starting line-up. Actually, I'm struggling...maybe a hooker from the 20s? Otherwise I guess Hohaia is the next best thing.

Personally I'm a long way away from moving Hohaia though.

 

[Meth]

Isn't it more normal to have a back-up hooker on the bench? A utility is only good value if he is actually good in a few positions. I honestly think Hohaia is only any good at FB.

The best half/hooker we have is actually probably Heremaia imo, but he's doing enough to hold on to his spot in the starting line-up. Actually, I'm struggling...maybe a hooker from the 20s? Otherwise I guess Hohaia is the next best thing.

Personally I'm a long way away from moving Hohaia though.

Fair enough.

I guess I am at the point where, if Locke is our future at fullback and Hohaia isn't playing well enough to hold him out, I am ready for the switch to happen, or at least be tried.

Heremaia would be great on the bench if we had a starting hooker aside from him; but we don't. So, we are then left with a choice of Hohaia, Henderson or somebody else- Mara perhaps? Personally, I still think it's Hohaia

 

[ozbash]

good fullback
good centre
ok hooker
rubbish 6

still, the way Ives has them switching around during a game, Lance would probably play 3 out of 4 of those positions...

 

[Martli]

Locke's time will come. I'm happy to keep Hohaia there for now, if injury strikes (C'mon, it's bound to happen at some point) then maybe Locke will get a shot.

 

[ozreece77]

I wonder if Cleary has plans for Inu to play at fullback next year.

After all, he did represent the Kiwis at FB on his debut, after a handful of NRL games.

 

[LeagueNut]

Can someone please explain to me what value Hohaia is on the bench?

Crap in the halves- has nfi when he has an important distribution role. Everyone knows this by now, right?

Crap at hooker- has nfi when he has an important distribution role. Everyone knows this by now, right?

Fullback- Well, apparently he's been dropped because he's crap there.

So...we want to put him on the bench because he's useless in a bunch of positions and maybe he can play centre a bit?

The thing with Lance is that if you name him as a #6, #7 or #9 he seems to hate the extra responsibility of guiding the team around and plays like a rotten potato. But if you chuck him in to one of those positions during a match for a short time he often goes OK. Maybe he thinks too much and gets himself too stressed or something?

Having a back-up hooker on the bench doesn't always work (Henderson), we need a genuine "utility" and Lance fits that title nicely.

 

[Lego_Man]

I actually think centre is Hohaia's worst position, he looked all at sea there defensively.