General The Hooker issue

[Far Away Fan]

Other teams have come up with immensely talented hookers...Souths have more than one, the Cowboys pass on Segeyaro, he goes to the Panthers and another star is born, etc.

What do we have?

Nathan Friend is good, yes, but not great, and for all his strengths and his ability to rack up the tackles, he is only going to be up for one more year, if that.

Thomas Leuluai, who has just been re-signed until the end of 2017. As depth for the halves after Shaun Johnson's three matches on the sidelines, because Tuimoala Lolohea isn't ready yet. Depth there, for sure.
As a First Grade hooker, he's not yet convinced everyone that he is it for us. Yesterday's match against the Knights added little confidence to the idea of him being our No.9 for the the indefinite future.

Siliva Havili. Who has been on the bench a few times, but has hardly been used, and since Cappy came in as head coach has been consigned to the reserves. He should be given more of a chance, IMO. Maybe he is our star hooker, maybe not. A big question mark there, too.

The way things are, it's far from obvious that we have the top class hooker we need if we're going to win a Premiership.

Ok...discuss...or not....

 

[Numbnutsnz]

Forget Matai and keep throwing money at Isaac Luke.

 

[mt.wellington]

Quite a bit of this has been discussed over here:

https://www.nzwarriors.com/threads/thomas-leuluai-hooker-halves-reserves.37741/

Have altered my opinion. Always wanted Thomas Leuluai to be our lead hooker with Siliva Havili on the bench to sub him but Im slowly starting to see merit in having Ben Henry as Tommy's sub as he can then move on the edge or roll his sleeves up in the middle. Also cant underestimate his centre utility factor. Hard to say really as its been awhile since I have seen Siliva play.

All useless at the moment as Nathan Friend is in form and arguably the in form hooker. Still would like to see us switch it up next year but for now the arrangement remains. Only 3 games left of the season proper anyway...

 

[Blain]

Who is best best pure hooker the Warriors have developed?

Heremaia was ok, but was a converted half due to requirements. Off the top of my head, since I've been watching league, we've had Marsh, Gatis, Henderson, Hohaia, Fien and now Friend. We've never had depth, and hardly someone of NRL potential actually develop through the club. That's pretty shithouse, and I have no idea why.

 

[InsideBall]

I think what this team needs more than anything is an 80 minute hooker, who can provide impact on both sides of the ball from the 1st to the 80th minute.

Friend simply doesn't have that in his game, he hasn't the capacity to play 80 minutes and remain strong defensively - teams target him for extra metres or easy offloads, and it has been killing us, especially the offloads. Moreover, his service from dummy half becomes atrocious towards the back ends of each half when he plays a full game... as we've seen on the weekend, he plays his best footy when he's having a break (and being pushed for his spot).

Thomas I think has the skills needed to be a quality hooker, but it remains to be seen whether he can develop into an 80 minute player, which for the balance of this team I think is critical... It's probably too far into this season to go put that kind of pressure on him, but with a full off-season training solely at hooker, with an eye to 80 minutes I'd be really interested to see what he could do - it's my hope that he can become that 80 minute player. And I agree with Mt Welly, if you have Benry on the bench permanently as a mr Fix it - he'd be there primarily as an interchange forward (as well as centre cover), but fully prepared to take over hooking duties is the occasion called for it... you cover all bases.

Otherwise, as I've said before, I'd love us to have a really serious crack at Andrew McCullogh or someone of his ilk - 80 minute, quality footballer, off contract at the end of next year...

 

[wallacenz]

Who is best best pure hooker the Warriors have developed?

Heremaia was ok, but was a converted half due to requirements. Off the top of my head, since I've been watching league, we've had Marsh, Gatis, Henderson, Hohaia, Fien and now Friend. We've never had depth, and hardly someone of NRL potential actually develop through the club. That's pretty shithouse, and I have no idea why.

Cameron Smith was a converted half aswell, hes not bad

 

[Danpatmac]

I really would like to see Havili given some chances next year. I thought he lifted in the Test and he could be one of those fellas that just lifts his game dependent on the opposition?

 

[Far Away Fan]

I really would like to see Havili given some chances next year. I thought he lifted in the Test and he could be one of those fellas that just lifts his game dependent on the opposition?

...or lifts his game when faith is placed in him. So far it hasn't been. I feel that that is what has happened in the case of Segeyaro and Souths' young guys. Cappy's way seems to be: show us what you've got in the reserves and then if you're good you'll get FG time. That works for some, probably the majority, but not for all. Some of those who it doesn't work for may well be super-talented, but they're gonna slip through the cracks and shine elsewhere.

 

[Inruin]

Who is best best pure hooker the Warriors have developed?

Heremaia was ok, but was a converted half due to requirements. Off the top of my head, since I've been watching league, we've had Marsh, Gatis, Henderson, Hohaia, Fien and now Friend. We've never had depth, and hardly someone of NRL potential actually develop through the club. That's pretty shithouse, and I have no idea why.

Sid Eru was the best I have seen

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

It may not be a popular opinion, but I kind of like the look of Kurt Robinson from the Juniors. He may not be anything stellar, thusfar, but he just has the real hooker look about him. The way he moves, and the way he studies the field looks better, and more natural than any of our first grade options right now. I'm not saying he should be rushed up, but a genuine focus on developing him would be good. He may not be a top hooker in the future, but I think he would be a more all-round hooker than our current options.

 

[Magic Stick]

Who is best best pure hooker the Warriors have developed?.

Nicky Watson

 

[brightman]

From what I've read about Kata, he has played halfback in union. The hooker in league and the halfback in union are both 'dummy halves' and direct their team around the field. So with an eye to the future I develop Kata as a hooker and see how far he goes. But for now TL is my pick with an offseason training for the role he'll be fine.

 

[¿N. ig-mah¿]

From what I've read about Kata, he has played halfback in union. The hooker in league and the halfback in union are both 'dummy halves' and direct their team around the field. So with an eye to the future I develop Kata as a hooker and see how far he goes. But for now TL is my pick with an offseason training for the role he'll be fine.

It appeared Elliot was heading down that line, but since Cappy took over, it seems Kata is destined for wing (or maybe centre).

 

[matiunz]

Cant see why we dont target a decent halfback from union if we dont have any hookers coming through, theres a few around.