Player Lance Hohaia

[Tajhay_old]

The Manly game wasn't an example of his x-factor?

i think spence is referring to the fact that it was his ONLY example of the x factor in the entire nrl season to date...

 

[Jesbass_old]

i think spence is referring to the fact that it was his ONLY example of the x factor in the entire nrl season to date...

Fair enough. I'd say the winner against the Roosters and his wrap and try in the same match would show a bit of his x-factor, but these moments really do seem to be few and far between. He worked well as an impact player, but he struggles when he's targeted by forwards for 80 minutes.

 

[tHe_maC_old]

No. Be realistic, Wade isn't going anywhere.

Stick Hohaia at CENTRE and let him RUN!

 

[David Bragg_old]

Goodbye Stacey.
Lance to 7.Him and Henderson can both play 80 minutes.
Kevin Locke to the bench.

 

[BigD_old]

Man I was being heckled in a Sydney Bar today

Because, I Proudly wear my Warriors Jersey when the boyz are playing..

But a Maori Gentleman & myself . Both him & I where Totally ashamed at this performance..

Yep.. The 1 thing about Lance & Ive said it before...He's Elusive

Wade was unenergetic.

Warriors need a good centre...Tate's loss is having an impact

Otherwise a Pathetic performance especially in Defense

 

[Spence_old]

Fair enough. I'd say the winner against the Roosters and his wrap and try in the same match would show a bit of his x-factor, but these moments really do seem to be few and far between. He worked well as an impact player, but he struggles when he's targeted by forwards for 80 minutes.

Yes, he orchestrated the win against the Roosters. However, was it really his X-Factor? He scored one try which was pretty good, but basically any back could have scored from the same position. Then a few cross-field kicks to Manu. I'm not bagging his performance in that match, he has a solid game. But all the same, cross field kicks aren't what I call an X-Factor.

I'm not on the hate Jones band wagon, I think he has organised our backline fairly well, defended okay and has produced a few nice kicks into the in goal. I just think that we need a change. 2 wins in 8 games with Jones at halfback, is it? I don't know the stat. It might not be all his fault, but the halfback, no matter who he is, automatically gets his fair share of blame.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Yes, he orchestrated the win against the Roosters. However, was it really his X-Factor? He scored one try which was pretty good, but basically any back could have scored from the same position. Then a few cross-field kicks to Manu. I'm not bagging his performance in that match, he has a solid game. But all the same, cross field kicks aren't what I call an X-Factor.

I'm not on the hate Jones band wagon, I think he has organised our backline fairly well, defended okay and has produced a few nice kicks into the in goal. I just think that we need a change. 2 wins in 8 games with Jones at halfback, is it? I don't know the stat. It might not be all his fault, but the halfback, no matter who he is, automatically gets his fair share of blame.

I didn't say anything about his kicks to Manu.

I don't think a change would necessarily be a bad thing. I just think "fair share" is being completely unused. The amount of blame that Stacey is copping is far from fair.

 

[Spence_old]

I didn't say anything about his kicks to Manu.

I don't think a change would necessarily be a bad thing. I just think "fair share" is being completely unused. The amount of blame that Stacey is copping is far from fair.

That's a far point. I guess people are just frustrated with the team and blaming Stacey is an easy way to deal with it.

 

[Jesbass_old]

That's a far point. I guess people are just frustrated with the team and blaming Stacey is an easy way to deal with it.

It's also a blind way to do it. Thurston would have struggled behind a pack that was as dominated as ours.

 

[Spence_old]

I agree, that's why I said I'm not on the hate-Stacey-Jones bandwagon. I'm not just blaming him, I agree that our forward pack is the main problem. I just feel that it can't hurt to exlpore other options at halfback, as it has been a long time between wins.

 

[Jesbass_old]

I agree, that's why I said I'm not on the hate-Stacey-Jones bandwagon. I'm not just blaming him, I agree that our forward pack is the main problem. I just feel that it can't hurt to exlpore other options at halfback, as it has been a long time between wins.

Completely agree. And to be fair, it was completely unrealistic of me to expect people to take a balanced approach of our actual problem areas, as opposed to our perceived problem areas.

 

[DanKokoro_old]

Yes, he orchestrated the win against the Roosters. However, was it really his X-Factor? He scored one try which was pretty good, but basically any back could have scored from the same position. Then a few cross-field kicks to Manu. I'm not bagging his performance in that match, he has a solid game. But all the same, cross field kicks aren't what I call an X-Factor.

I'm not on the hate Jones band wagon, I think he has organised our backline fairly well, defended okay and has produced a few nice kicks into the in goal. I just think that we need a change. 2 wins in 8 games with Jones at halfback, is it? I don't know the stat. It might not be all his fault, but the halfback, no matter who he is, automatically gets his fair share of blame.

You're being very generous Spence.. Ever since he has been starting at half-back, we've shown a complete inability to score tries. Think of any other good half-back...
How often will they create try scoring opportunities with their passing game alone.. How many times has Jones done that? My count is ZERO.. literally..

Seriously if anyone can give me one example I'd love to hear it.. I realise noone's really defending Jones anymore, and rightly so, but it annoys me when people say " he's doing his job", "what did he do wrong" etc.. He is our CHIEF playmaker.. we're not scoring any tries.. he has to accept alot of responsibility for this. And the one part of his game that's actually keeping him in the side, his kicking game, is inconsistent. It was poor against Souths, Today, and definitely a couple other games which I can't name specifically. Because we rely on his kicking so heavily on the last(2005 anyone?), if he's having an off day we can't score. Another question.. Why does he never try to get a repeat set? Why does he always have to go for the 10%-chance-of-getting-a-try option? Even if it's failed 5 times already in the game.. let's just try it again, it's bound to work this time!! right guys!?

The most depressing thing about this is that the continuation of these failed tactics and selections is really making me question Ivan's ability as a coach. And I don't really want to do that. I also read before that Ivan said last week that "he was really happy about Stacey"..(presumably happy about how he's playing?) That just made me want to Vommit all over the screen, something which I will be doing if Jones is named in the number 7 jersey on Tuesday.

It's past the stage of embarrassment now..

 

[DanKokoro_old]

There's a hate jones bandwagon? Why don't we call it the I-hate-having-the-worst half-back-in-the-NRL-bandwagon. I agree that our forwards have been ****.. but they will come good again. Jones never will. Sooo basically Jones needs our forwards to be completely dominating in order to look like a semi competent half..

 

[Spence_old]

I remember one time he created a try through the hands. I think it was Ah Vans try, but I understand and agree with your point. I also agree with your point about the repeat sets. I thought that one thing that Stacey wouldn't have lost was his great short kicking game. I haven't seen much of that so far.

 

[Kid-Dynamite_old]

It's not a hate Jones band wagon, it's a hate the way Jones is playing bandwagon.

 

[DanKokoro_old]

It's not a hate Jones band wagon, it's a hate the way Jones is playing bandwagon.

pretty much... calling it a bandwagon implies people don't have actual reasons to think he sucks. And clearly that's not the case. The reason more and more people are starting to jump on "the wagon", is because some people still have faith in his ability to turn it around and start being awesome.. With every ineffective performance, more and more people lose faith. That happened to me after the cowboys game..

The people that still have faith in him to improve are better off wishing for a time-machine. So they can go back in time to 2002 to kidnap Jones when he was good, then bring him back to this time and swap him with old Jones..

PS i'm being a psycho about Jones because personally, I find it a little bit embarrassing that he's our first choice half-back.

 

[BringBackRovelli_old]

The thing I miss about our halves is that they don`t seem to look for weaknesses in the opponent and try to expose them. In fact we seem to go through the same motions against every opponent, remember when we were bombing the **** out of Folau`s wing against the Broncos?

The other issue I see is that in every team there needs to be a dominant half who is a good runner and can beat slack defenders with speed, a step or throw them off balance with a good dummy. But the thing is that if this player attracts strong coverage, then there must be an overlap outside him somewhere, and he needs to be able to get the ball away into space, if he has no room himself.

I think Stacey is not a real running threat at this stage of his career, certainly doesn`t demand special attention and a compressed defense. On the other hand Moon is a threat with his running game, but he`s unable to recognize and take advantage of overlaps outside him. Maybe Hohaia could be interesting, even if I don`t trust his kicking, because he`s a running threat and he can at least draw and pass.

 

[Lego_Man_old]

Man I was being heckled in a Sydney Bar today

Because, I Proudly wear my Warriors Jersey when the boyz are playing..

But a Maori Gentleman & myself . Both him & I where Totally ashamed at this performance..

Yep.. The 1 thing about Lance & Ive said it before...He's Elusive

Wade was unenergetic.

Warriors need a good centre...Tate's loss is having an impact

Otherwise a Pathetic performance especially in Defense

Did you go and beat up a woman after that to take out your frustration at the loss?

 

[Fazz_old]

IF you’re going to replace a defector, best do it with a loyalist.

England halfback Kyle Eastmond’s departure to rugby union has been an acrimonious affair, the youngster turning his back on St Helens fans who jeered him and later being suspended for reportedly using offensive gestures to supporters.

The man who will wear his jersey next Super League season could not be a more different fish. Warrior Lance Hohaia played the 15-man game by necessity as a kid but would never consider going to the dark side.

“My grandfather, my dad and my older brother all played league,” says Hohaia, sitting in an otherwise vacant hotel restaurant recently.

“I grew up in Huntly which is in the Waikato region, down not far from Auckland. It’s a staunch league town. From when I was five years old, as soon as I could run, I was out playing league.

“My dad (Rex) was always pushing me in that direction because that’s what his dad did and that’s what he did. In Hamilton in New Zealand you don’t have a lot of rugby league schools so I had to play union and then I played league on the opposite day. I always knew in my heart I wanted to play league. It’s just running through my veins.”

The 28-year-old utility star is a one-club-man in the NRL. It’s a year of lasts for him before leaving the Warriors for Saints on a four-year deal. In one of the longer A-List interviews we have conducted, he discussed the state of the game in New Zealand, his own ambitions, the rise of the Kiwis, some shambolic tours of the past and more.

While the bright lights of union attracted Eastmond, Hohaia in nonplussed by the hordes of rah-rah lovers who are flocking to league in the wake of New Zealand’s recent international successes.

“It’s nice to get that respect but at the end of the day it’s not why we get out there and play the game,” he says.

“We do it for the people that love rugby league the most and who need rugby league in their lives. That’s why we get out there and try and help out as much as we can. We’ve got the League For Life Foundation starting up as well. I’m actually a trustee on the foundation. It’s similar to the Men Of League. All those sorts of things help promote the image of the game too and what we’re trying to do as a business, I guess.”

With his credentials as a dyed-in-the-wool mungo established and space here at a premium, here’s how Lance looks back on a decade at the top in Auckland:

THE KIWIS: “The last 10 years, the Kiwis have made a lot of changes in their managerial side of things.

“(At times) it was just pretty unprofessional, I guess. It was more just a lack of funds … it’s hard to have everything for the players when you’re two million dollars in debt. You’re trying to spend as little as possible.

“You’d get guys 10 years ago that can go away on a tour and put on 10 kilos. It’s not going to help the team and it’s not going to help them.

“Now, anything we need or we want, it’s laid on for us. It’s no surprise that we’re playing better footy as a team and as individuals.”

GOING TO ST HELENS: “Basically what happened was the Warriors had an option for next year on me in their favour. My manager … informed me that St Helens had approached him, asking specifically about me, wanting (me) to go over there and play halfback, starting next season. Straight away, then, I was thinking it’s definitely a position I’ve always wanted to have a crack at, halfback. It’s what I grew up playing.

“The Warriors couldn’t give me an answer on the option in April and I wanted to get things sorted out sooner rather than later … we approached the Warriors and asked for a release and they were really good about it. I’m just happy to have my future secured and sorted so I can get back to playing good footy. It was weighing on my mind a little bit. It was a bit of an emotional time. The club has been my entire adult life really and I haven’t really had a chance to experience another footy team or another part of the world so that’s a part of the attractiveness of the deal.

“Each time I’ve come off contract, I’ve thought about where I want to be and what I want to do and the main thing (was) up until now I haven’t been satisfied with my time at the club, at the Warriors. I had unfinished business that I wanted to achieve – a few more things before I left.

“To win a premiership would have been nice. There’s this year still – that’s a possibility. To play over 150 games, 100 games, all those sort of milestones.”

HIGHLIGHTS: “Definitely my debut, 2002, against the Cowboys. The grand final appearance, 2002. The finals series that I’ve played in have been pretty memorable – 2008, last year’s game not so much.

“(In the grand final) I’d only just turned 19. There was a lot going on in my head. I remember first running out onto the ground and the 80,000, 80,000-plus, whatever it was. Twelve months earlier I was still in the classroom, hanging around with my mates at school. It was a big change for me. I came off the bench and I played five-eighth. Motu Tony started the game and I was pretty happy about that because I was shitting myself really.

“(About halftime, I remember) not a lot really. I do remember a part where (Daniel) Anderson played a video and he sort of didn’t say much. It was aimed at firing us up but we were looking around wondering ‘is there anything going to be said? What do we do now?’.

“But each coach has their different philosophies and I thought, generally, that Daniel was a pretty good coach for us – as have all my coaches been over the years.”

LOWLIGHTS: “The salary cap drama was a bit of down-point. We were on the Gold Coast, Tallebudgera, and we got stripped of four points. We would have made the finals that year. It’s not a good culture really when you’ve got things like that going on. It makes it hard for you to go out and perform each week.

STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE: OFF-FIELD “These days with the media and the sponsors and public scrutiny and the image of the game, you can’t afford to slip up at all, can you? … if you want to get paid lots of money to play footy for a living, you’ve got to behave. The implications of misbehaving are a lot stronger now than they were 10 years ago.

“It’s not about not having fun. It’s about everyone understanding the most important part of being in camp is the game, is playing and winning the game. If you want to be part of that team, this is the new culture that’s in the team and it’s been bred … the Australians have had it a little longer than we have. If you want to be part of this team, you have to be putting your best foot forward every day – at training, media responsibilities, sponsors. It’s not just about turning up here and collecting your money and going back to your clubs anymore. It might have been that way in the past.

“I’ve made mistakes in my life too. I’m no angel. But it’s just part of growing up. I wouldn’t change a thing over my career. I look back and I just think I’m so fortunate to have lived in New Zealand and played for my country and the Warriors for the last 10 years and earned some decent money and had my family close to me and managed to dodge some dramas that could have ended up badly. I’ve definitely learnt much later in my career…I don’t go out partying and all that much anymore because it’s just too risky. When I was younger I didn’t give a shit and I did. There are times when I could have got myself in trouble.”

LEAGUE IN NEW ZEALAND: “I think everyone agrees – players and management – that after the World Cup, we didn’t capitalise on the win as much as we should have. But since then, I think everything’s been going really well.

“The main thing is money. There’s not a lot of money going around. It’s only a small country and they’re only small towns as well. Participation numbers are not great outside of Auckland really. Auckland’s got it pretty sorted.”

MAKING MISTAKES: “ … obviously when you’re fullback, any mistake you make is a big mistake. It’s the last (line of defence), two minutes to go, something like that. If you’re up on the line, people don’t vilify you as much.

“At the end of the day, you’ve just got to make sure the next thing you do is a positive thing. The best thing you can do is put it out of your mind.

“I think you’re in control of your own destiny. Whatever you want to make happen on the field, you can make happen. I feel as though if you go in there half-hearted or your mind’s not 100 per cent focused on what you need to do, that’s when mistakes happen. That’s when you need to find a way of getting yourself through that – before the game preferably but if it happens during the game that’s what you’ve got to do: put it aside, forget about it, worry about what you need to do and what’s going to get you back on track.”

From this weeks Rugby league week (found online at https://stevemascord.com/2011/06/01/the-a-list-lance-hohaia-warriors-new-zealand/)

Good article, nice to know he's not bitter over going.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Yeah, good to hear some insight from the hobbit. He's only the second player I've heard mention that infamous half time "speech" from the Grand Final.