Why all the hate for Api

[eagerbeaver]

Got to agree, there were a couple of passes late in the game that almost resulted in intercept type tries, I personally don't get it, what does he practice?

I may be wrong here, but wasn't Hastings dummy half for the last 20-30 mins?

 

[Little Grubber Kick]

I may be wrong here, but wasn't Hastings dummy half for the last 20-30 mins?

well maybe, most of the time? but it was Api that threw a shocker when they had momentum 20 out, went under 3 players legs.

I like Api, great enthusiasm, but what does he practice!

 

[Simonmyers11]

Sorry mate, but Api rarely tops the tackle count. He has 22 I think tonight. I agree that Api does a lot of good things, the issue is he can't do the one job the hooker needs to do, accurately pass the ball following the play the ball.

27 today as didn't play 80 mins. 3rd top tackler. I think you will find in the other previous 6 games he topped the tackle count on 3 occasions and was second top of the other 3 to Jake. So yes, he is always at the top for tackles. 52 against the roosters. Passing needs to improve though

 

[Paw93]

27 today as didn't play 80 mins. 3rd top tackler. I think you will find in the other previous 6 games he topped the tackle count on 3 occasions and was second top of the other 3 to Jake. So yes, he is always at the top for tackles. 52 against the roosters. Passing needs to improve though

I'd like to see Hastings get an extended stint at dummy half but Api's defensive effort would be hard for him to replace. I think we tend to underestimate the amount of work that Api does in defence.

 

[Brocky]

Can

well maybe, most of the time? but it was Api that threw a shocker when they had momentum 20 out, went under 3 players legs.

I like Api, great enthusiasm, but what does he practice!

we swap him for ballin?

 

[Dan]

The dummy half dart, something everyone said we needed so badly for so long but we miss the service of ballin. I think the game has changed away from the darting game and more towards the forward roll on and halves playing again.

He has improved massively from last year but still has glaring issues

 

[HoldenV8]

I'd like to see Hastings get an extended stint at dummy half but Api's defensive effort would be hard for him to replace. I think we tend to underestimate the amount of work that Api does in defence.

The amount of tackling Matt Ballin got through each game didn't seem to affect his dummy half service.

 

[robbiea]

Half an hour of crisp service and chest high passing sure made the difference. Hastings needs to be taken seriously ,looks like he belongs out there.

 

[susan]

The second best hooker of all time in my opinion openly questioned his passing technique and lack of width when finding the halves pre match( hardly Sherlock Holmes stuff I know) and he has zero kicking game.

If we are picking spine players in the modern game with an ordinary passing game and absolutely no kicking game and solely based on tackle count and undeniable effort we are going backwards. Especially when teams actually target him in defence.

And geez wouldn't it be nice to be confident of a guy kicking an easy conversion. I reckon Dylan's kicking could cost a couple of games a season and that's usually the difference between making the eight or not.Hastings is almost worth a shot on that alone.

There is a lot of talent in this side if we can fix 6 and 9.

 

[Michael Clare]

Silly mistakes that are avoidable and poor defence will always lose you matches. The boys showed glimpses today of real talent and great heart to fight back bravely as they did, but those basic errors really cost us.

 

[Nordburg]

The amount of tackling Matt Ballin got through each game didn't seem to affect his dummy half service.

I'm no Korisau fan,but to be fair,by the time Ballin started playing full games as the only dummy half,he was a seasoned first grader and in his late 20's.His first few years were shared with varying other no.9's.

 

[globaleagle]

The storm likes Api...they ran to say Hi to him almost exclusively yesterday.

 

[Fibro Eagle]

The storm likes Api...they ran to say Hi to him almost exclusively yesterday.

They did it was mentioned in the commentary that the storm were saying run at api run at api

 

[Holmsey]

They did it was mentioned in the commentary that the storm were saying run at api run at api

Yeah heard that late in the first half, he seems to get tired late in the halves.

 

[SeaEagle28]

The second best hooker of all time in my opinion openly questioned his passing technique and lack of width when finding the halves pre match( hardly Sherlock Holmes stuff I know) and he has zero kicking game.

If we are picking spine players in the modern game with an ordinary passing game and absolutely no kicking game and solely based on tackle count and undeniable effort we are going backwards. Especially when teams actually target him in defence.

And geez wouldn't it be nice to be confident of a guy kicking an easy conversion. I reckon Dylan's kicking could cost a couple of games a season and that's usually the difference between making the eight or not.Hastings is almost worth a shot on that alone.

There is a lot of talent in this side if we can fix 6 and 9.

Totally agree Susan. Give Hasting at least a go at dummy half starter , has a good clean quicker pass than Api, hits the man before the line and we move forward. Kicks goals well and has a bit of ' come guys let's go ' attitude about him and could lead very well at the front. Would be down on what APi brings in defence but maybe worth a shot but not the worst defensively ? Interesting to what Baz is thinking!

 

[eaglebuzz]

Api has heart, he has toughness, he brings a lot of energy.... and he is not a first grade hooker.

Put him on the bench. He'd be a good L'Estrange style backup hooker (crap passes but good runs), and he's not bad halves cover either should someone go down.

Hastings is the obvious choice for the starting 9 right now. Just like Parcell proved himself to be the obvious choice for starting hooker at around this time last year. Barrett needs to set aside his admiration for Api as a human being and start thinking about who is actually going to do the job best.

Even our good performances this year have been in spite of Api being at hooker, not because of it.

 

[HoldenV8]

I'm no Korisau fan,but to be fair,by the time Ballin started playing full games as the only dummy half,he was a seasoned first grader and in his late 20's.His first few years were shared with varying other no.9's.

Ah, but as many keep pointing out.....didn't Api come to Manly with the pedigree of being an NRL premiership winning hooker?

 

[HoldenV8]

Api has heart, he has toughness, he brings a lot of energy.... and he is not a first grade hooker.

Put him on the bench. He'd be a good L'Estrange style backup hooker (crap passes but good runs), and he's not bad halves cover either should someone go down.

Hastings is the obvious choice for the starting 9 right now. Just like Parcell proved himself to be the obvious choice for starting hooker at around this time last year. Barrett needs to set aside his admiration for Api as a human being and start thinking about who is actually going to do the job best.

Even our good performances this year have been in spite of Api being at hooker, not because of it.

The problem with Barrett's thinking is that he has come out and said that Api is the "heart and soul of the team" and its going to be very hard for him to back down from that. Unfortunately I see Api as our sarting hooker for as long as Barrett is Manly coach, however long that may be.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Each to their own.. he was good enough to play dummy half for Souths in grand final a few years ago.. I guess my point is were not losing games because of Api, our attack is fine. Its clocking off for periods with poor defence, and kicking out on full twice.

Yes he won a GF but only because Luke was out.
Then went to panthers and did nothing. Has come to us and has done nothing.
Passing is poor from the ground.
Has huge heart but that's not enough at the top.i watched every match last year and this and honestly in the 3 matches we won this year was the only time i saw him run from dummy half with purpose. Please correct me if im wrong but i was so shocked in those 3 that it made me sit up and take notice.
Hes solid but offers little else.
No kicking from dummy half.
makes poor decisions at crucial times.
the looped passes behind the attack is killing me.

 

[Ralphie]

Each to their own.. he was good enough to play dummy half for Souths in grand final a few years ago.. I guess my point is were not losing games because of Api, our attack is fine. Its clocking off for periods with poor defence, and kicking out on full twice.

He only played in that game because he was all they had left.