What do you want from a hooker ..

[Woodsie]

With all the conjecture over the availability of Fainu, the merits of Froggy and the worry about the lack of depth (although we have Lawton and che cum tong) ... one of recurring comments I read is a lack of a "running" game and how important it "supposibly" is in the modern game.

Let me say at the outset that a good dart from dummy half is a joyous thing .. and something to be admired .. but is it that important ..??

Without listing all the duties of a good rake, we can leave out for example that he takes his turn to bring the orange quarters .. lets list the most important attributes needed ..

In no order

1) crisp accurate service from dummy half

2) defense .. hookers top most tackle counts .. and if they don't keep the middle tight .. ****e happens.

3) Football smarts .. needs to work with and get the best out of the halfs and forwards.. leadership and ability to read the game.

4) running game.. individual brilliance..

if we accept that the perfect footballers are rare and become immortals .. the rest have strengths and weaknesses ..

So, my question is, which attribute would you rather be a weakness .. or which attribute would you like to be their main strength ..

Pss .. yes. I know at nrl level we should expect them to be good at everything .. they are .. I am talking about degrees of standards.

 

[Woodsie]

I'll start by saying that I have always believed it is the major role of the dummy half to get the best out of the other 12 blokes on the field first .. and be a star himself second.

 

[R3]

Matt Parcell had a good running game, but unfortunately he lacked those more vital attributes as you mentioned.

I agree a good running game for a hooker is a bonus that shouldn’t come at the cost of defence and team organisation etc

 

[Captain Moondog]

Accurate service from dummy half would be the most important imo.

 

[BOZO]

With all the conjecture over the availability of Fainu, the merits of Froggy and the worry about the lack of depth (although we have Lawton and che cum tong) ... one of recurring comments I read is a lack of a "running" game and how important it "supposibly" is in the modern game.

Let me say at the outset that a good dart from dummy half is a joyous thing .. and something to be admired .. but is it that important ..??

Without listing all the duties of a good rake, we can leave out for example that he takes his turn to bring the orange quarters .. lets list the most important attributes needed ..

In no order

1) crisp accurate service from dummy half

2) defense .. hookers top most tackle counts .. and if they don't keep the middle tight .. ****e happens.

3) Football smarts .. needs to work with and get the best out of the halfs and forwards.. leadership and ability to read the game.

4) running game.. individual brilliance..

if we accept that the perfect footballers are rare and become immortals .. the rest have strengths and weaknesses ..

So, my question is, which attribute would you rather be a weakness .. or which attribute would you like to be their main strength ..

Pss .. yes. I know at nrl level we should expect them to be good at everything .. they are .. I am talking about degrees of standards.

You have covered all those great attributes that Great hookers posses in the critical spine number 9

The more of those attributes a nine possesses the more competent , dynamic and valuable a nine they become to their team .

All those qualities are important as all make difference to turning a match
and the more of those qualities a nine has the more dominant they become and impact on the game

 

[jbb/james]

for mine is josh hodgson
another point of attack
i want a hooker that guides the pack around the park. he takes decoys and runners with him as he will at least investigate almost every set.
close to the line we seem less effective in attack, its harder to give tom room to beat his man so you need someone who is crafty
our pack also needs a good defender, as nuggety as hodgson is im less aware of his defence

short contract though, i see the future being less likely to need that type of player at 9 at manly once schuster, latu and little B Bear get some footy

 

[Brookie Bob]

I expected much more levity, given the title of this thread.........

Ok, I'll start.

Good conversation?

 

[Kaufusi's Elbow]

Tireless tackler and instinctive ball distribution please ... see Matt Ballin

 

[Ranga]

@Woodsie, I think the first three attributes you mention are way more important than the 4th. A team can operate a highly successful system without a hooker that has a running game. But it is extremely difficult to operate a successful system if your hooker has a ****e pass, cannot defend or doesn't provide that efficient conduit between forwards and the halves.

 

[The Who]

I expected much more levity, given the title of this thread.........

Ok, I'll start.

Good conversation?

Money back guarantee if not satisfied?

 

[mosto]

I think it's pretty obvious Des values 1 and 2 highly. As @Kaufusi's Elbow said, the Matt Ballin prototype.

Even at the Dogs he pretty much only wanted that from Lichaa, despite the wraps on his running game coming through the lower grades. Unfortunately, I think it exposed Lichaa's deficiencies in those areas that had previously been overlooked.

His use of Fainu showed he had flexed a bit on his dummy half having a license to run, but only if they are proficient at 1 and 2. I think that's been a part of why we don't see Croker run much, he wants his service and defence to become second nature first.

I think that's very viable if you have attacking options elsewhere, such as Manly do. Main job is get good ball to forwards/halves/Turbo and tackle you're arse off.

That's was why Ballin was picked to replace Smith in that SOO game. They knew he'd give quality ball to Thurston and make 50+ tackles.

 

[Woodsie]

I think it's pretty obvious Des values 1 and 2 highly. As @Kaufusi's Elbow said, the Matt Ballin prototype.

Even at the Dogs he pretty much only wanted that from Lichaa, despite the wraps on his running game coming through the lower grades. Unfortunately, I think it exposed Lichaa's deficiencies in those areas that had previously been overlooked.

His use of Fainu showed he had flexed a bit on his dummy half having a license to run, but only if they are proficient at 1 and 2. I think that's been a part of why we don't see Croker run much, he wants his service and defence to become second nature first.

I think that's very viable if you have attacking options elsewhere, such as Manly do. Main job is get good ball to forwards/halves/Turbo and tackle you're arse off.

That's was why Ballin was picked to replace Smith in that SOO game. They knew he'd give quality ball to Thurston and make 50+ tackles.

I think you are spot on..

 

[BOZO]

I think it's pretty obvious Des values 1 and 2 highly. As @Kaufusi's Elbow said, the Matt Ballin prototype.

Even at the Dogs he pretty much only wanted that from Lichaa, despite the wraps on his running game coming through the lower grades. Unfortunately, I think it exposed Lichaa's deficiencies in those areas that had previously been overlooked.

His use of Fainu showed he had flexed a bit on his dummy half having a license to run, but only if they are proficient at 1 and 2. I think that's been a part of why we don't see Croker run much, he wants his service and defence to become second nature first.

I think that's very viable if you have attacking options elsewhere, such as Manly do. Main job is get good ball to forwards/halves/Turbo and tackle you're arse off.

That's was why Ballin was picked to replace Smith in that SOO game. They knew he'd give quality ball to Thurston and make 50+ tackles.

That is also why QLD dominated for so long because they had the Dynamic Smith that dominated the game

 

[BOZO]

Every player has their potential limits

As you can only squeeze so much juice from an orange

 

[BOZO]

Take it away Winston

 

[BOZO]

Our Next Great Change ?

Gordon could not Kum quick enough

 

[BOZO]

Gordon could be the injection calves blood booster that we need to breath new life into our spine

 

[BOZO]

One more time Winston ...

 

[Woodsie]

Fuk me.. another thread infested with the bozo's.. and a load of meaningless and useless garbage.

For fuks sake .. Take some valium ..

 

[BOZO]

Fuk me.. another thread infested with the bozo's.. and a load of meaningless and useless garbage.

For fuks sake .. Take some valium ..

I dont mind your posts . I like passionate views from all our forum feathered friends