THE TRI-NATIONS KIWIS CONSIDERING HALATAU AS HOOKER
STEVE KILGALLON
24 September 2006
Sunday Star-Times
THE KIWIS are planning a surprise positional switch for the Wests Tigers utility Dene Halatau and may use him as their back-up hooker for the Tri-Nations.
The 23-year-old Invercargill-born Halatau has played more of his senior football in the backrow, but the Sunday Star-Times understands Kiwis coach Brian McClennan could consider capitalising on his effective dummy-half running by using him as interchange hooker.
New Zealand is likely to use its Australian convert Nathan Fien as the starting No 9 after David Faiumu was ruled out through injury and Lance Hohaia was omitted, with Halatau's pace a good weapon against tiring defences later in the game.
The only other obvious option for McClennan at hooker is another utility player, Hull's Motu Tony.
Halatau was a 2003 Kiwi tourist and played in the 2005 Anzac test, but after winning the grand final with the Tigers, a shoulder reconstruction kept him out of last year's Tri-Nations tour and the opening rounds of this season.
He managed only 14 NRL outings this season and admitted yesterday he was surprised to be called into the Kiwi train- on squad.
But after his truncated year, Halatau expects to be at peak fitness for the opening test on October 14 and is already practising his hooking skills. "I've spoken to Bluey and he has tossed a few ideas to me to be ready for if I make it into the team," said Halatau. "He has told me to keep fit and to work on dummy-half."
Halatau's big impact could come from bursting from the back of the ruck into retreating defences: a tactic that worked for the nimble Tigers last year.
"Over the year I've been working with (Tigers halfback) Scott Prince at training on my passing ... (and) I do enjoy getting in at dummy-half and having a little run," he says. "Our success last year, towards the end of the season, I was following behind Robbie Farah and doing a lot of double dummy-half running. I've learned a lot watching him and seeing how he plays and when the right time to run is or when to pass."
With the retirement of Danny Buderus, it is likely Halatau could face Farah in the two tests against Australia. "I'd look forward to that if it happens," says Halatau. "If I did get a start against him, he would be sledging me all game - I know what he's like - but he would get a fair bit back as well!"
He stood out in the Tigers' grand final march last year, but Halatau admits he has been more anonymous this season. "It was hard coming back and it took time to get my shoulder right," he considers. "Towards the end of the year I started to find my feet a little bit and I am confident if I get into the Tri-Nations team that might be when I hit my straps a bit.
"I've built up to it, and the Tigers are training twice a week up to the grand final and the Kiwi boys in Sydney are doing two days a week too, so I am feeling pretty fit."
Despite his relative lack of NRL exposure, McClennan says he has no doubts about Halatau's ability to produce at the top level.
"He's won a grand final already, which at his age is a fine effort," says McClennan. "We're quite lucky in the Kiwis that we have Dene, Paul Whatuira, Tony Puletua, Sonny Bill Williams and Roy Asotasi who've all won finals."
The Kiwis are not expected to come up with any surprise names with their final selection rounds, from players competing in this weekend's NRL semifinals and in the English Super League playoffs.
Tigers centre Paul Whatuira is likely to withdraw with a knee injury, and McClennan was an anxious viewer of Friday night's Bulldogs v Broncos semifinal as key forward Roy Asotasi's knee injury survived its first outing since round 24.
"The Bulldogs wouldn't take any risks with Roy and Roy himself wouldn't take any unnecessary risks," McClennan said. "Roy is a dead-cert for the Kiwis anyway, we don't want to go into the tri-nations without Roy Asotasi."
Meanwhile, the coach confirmed the Kiwis had no intention of adding a warm- up game to their schedule before the Tri- Nations despite the Australians lining up a test against Papua New Guinea and Britain due to play a local league selection in Newcastle, NSW.
But he said he was delighted with the idea of the mid-tournament friendly against the New Zealand Residents in Greymouth. The Kiwis will use Warriors development manager Tony Iro in an expanded analyst's role this year.
