Opinion Holland - bench hooker

[maroondog72]

wow,we can't find a better utility player than holland lol

 

[halfcast]

lewis would be a better 9 than holland

 

[TwinTurbo]

Current word is JMK (shoulder) will miss 2 to 4 weeks, Katoa played dummy half in the opposed session last week against the Tigers. Katoa has played 80 minutes for Penrith and Holland fills the bench utility role with the bonus of being able to kick goals (we do need a back up to Meaney). It's a daisy chain, Hopoate and Meany can substitute for DWZ, Holland can jump into centre, Smith to the wing etc. Considering his relative experience in the other roles (eg; centre) doing more work at hooker makes sense. It's doesn't mean that he's going to be used there, but just in case.

Go Dogs

 

[DogsOfWar1704]

Current word is JMK (shoulder) will miss 2 to 4 weeks, Katoa played dummy half in the opposed session last week against the Tigers. Katoa has played 80 minutes for Penrith and Holland fills the bench utility role with the bonus of being able to kick goals (we do need a back up to Meaney). It's a daisy chain, Hopoate and Meany can substitute for DWZ, Holland can jump into centre, Smith to the wing etc. Considering his relative experience in the other roles (eg; centre) doing more work at hooker makes sense. It's doesn't mean that he's going to be used there, but just in case.

Go Dogs

It says on the nrl app jmk will be right round 1

 

[B-Train]

This is what happens when you don't properly address the hooker situation within the last five years. The last regime screwed up massively with the Ennis/Cook/Lichaa situation and this regime haven't addressed such a key position long term yet either. Brailey or Robson would have solved that issue for a few years..

JMK was useful last season but is a short term solution. Katoa is a backup and behind them we have no one that can step in if need be. We've had the worst hookers in the comp for years and it's concerning that the club haven't made it a focal point.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Having a versatile back on the bench is a good idea, but having him there to act as an interchange hooker each and every game is probably not. Pay is still trying to turn Holland into a Kurt Mann type player.

 

[sgodllubsti]

holland as bench hooker, didnt the club resign jmk saying they had total confidence in him to do a great job and be the 80 minute hooker

 

[Bad Billy]

Dutchie was not bad the last time he filled in there.
I doubt he’s going to see too much hooker, he’d just be training there as an option, to cover injuries and keep pressure on the 2 first choice hookers.

 

[Scoooby]

Jmk jmk jmk ..!!!! Holland off bench, or katoa

 

[KiwiDog7]

I still remember a game when Ennis got injured and Des pushed Tolman to hooker for 50 mins and we won

Think it was v Warriors in Hamilton (NZ)

 

[Noeasyday]

A lot of teams carry a back on the bench, Holland did ok in 2018 in that role so it doesn't come as a surprise if that's the way he gets first grade minutes.
The amount of times that Cogger sat for 80 minutes late last season shows that if you have an 80 minute hooker the utility might not get used.
Better then JMK, CHN or Elliot at centre due to an early injury to a back.

 

[Squash the Berries!]

Hopefully JMK's injury isn't too serious if that report is correct. Obviously Katoa can't play 80 if Pay's backup is Holland.

Don't we have any other 9's at the club apart from JMK/Katoa, that would be a worry that we're so thin in the halves and at hooker also.

Yes Lewis

 

[Dingo]

Holland is not even a hookers arsehole can't see any reason to play him there. Katoa and JMK have it covered.

 

[Phalangist]

Surely Cogger/Wakeham could fill the bench utility hooker role because let’s face it they would only get 15 mins tops.

I recall Cogger sitting for two consecutive games last year

I think cogger should be the bench hooker and Wakeham should start.

 

[Bob dog]

Pack that bench with power like Ogden and RFM.

 

[Big M]

Having Holland on the bench gives Pay the luxury of having 3 big forwards on the bench as he can cover the backs as well,also in a pinch could be used as a backrower.Bonus goal kicker to.Everytime we lost a back to injury last year we didn’t have proper cover and suffered for it.Holland has good hands and a big kick on him to,hope Pay utilises him properly and not just as a bench warmer

 

[Alan79]

Please tell me this ain’t true

I would’ve thought Pay learnt from that failed experiment or is he so desperately wanting to include Holland in the 17?

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He looked like a better dh runner than Lichaa in the few games that he was pushed into the 9 and according to quotes from Lichaa when he signed with us, that was his strength as a player. He specifically said he saw himself in the mould of Isaac Luke and wanted to create spark with his dh runs. Perhaps that worked for him in the lower grades. It seemdd like Lichaa might have matured early and had some physical advantages during his development. But aside from those few games after Hasler was shown the door, even his dummy half running didn't stand out when teams knew to expect it.

I couldn't predict how Holland would handle 50-60 minutes as a hooker, but with depth at dummy half an issue for us this year it's not a bad idea to get him some time there at training as a just in case option. The idea of JMK being our hooker for the majority of last season was laughable to plenty prior to the year and the general consensus is that he outdid our aforementioned star hooker recruit with just a season in the role. Holland isn't perfect in any position. But I think that he is a player that gives his best and is ultimately driven to compete on every play. Sometimes that has meant he's made mistakes (which people seem to remember far more quickly than they do his good moments), but he is a player that won't mentally clock off if we're chasing the lead. If every player in the squad has the strength of will to compete even when we look like the uphill battle is too hard, it can go a long way towards turning defeat into a win. I'd rather we have a team of under-rated battlers who will give their all than a squad full of stars that clock off when it looks too hard. I really think thats what Pay sees in some of the players that many on here don't rate because they're not able to see beyond the few outstanding moments that some of the hyped up players give.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Having Holland on the bench gives Pay the luxury of having 3 big forwards on the bench as he can cover the backs as well,also in a pinch could be used as a backrower.Bonus goal kicker to.Everytime we lost a back to injury last year we didn’t have proper cover and suffered for it.Holland has good hands and a big kick on him to,hope Pay utilises him properly and not just as a bench warmer

3 big forwards = Elliott, Smith and Britt. Lol.

Wakeham should be starting anyway so there's another goal kicker alongside Meaney.

But yh I don't mind having a back on the bench as cover, but fuck playing him at hooker every week lol.

 

[Spoonman84]

3 big forwards = Elliott, Smith and Britt. Lol.

Wakeham should be starting anyway so there's another goal kicker alongside Meaney.

But yh I don't mind having a back on the bench as cover, but fuck playing him at hooker every week lol.

Get Averillo in there instead of Holland....

 

[albatross]

Surely Cogger/Wakeham could fill the bench utility hooker role because let’s face it they would only get 15 mins tops.

I recall Cogger sitting for two consecutive games last year

Cogger was only really bench cover for a probable Foran injury in those games. The fact Pay didn’t even give Cogger a few minutes at hooker shows he doesn’t rate him there. I doubt he could handle the defence there myself, even as a sub, and he’s not the sort of player to come on and weave magic at the end of games. Sad to say but Hollands about the closest we’ve got to a third hooker.

If JMK is injured though, we could play a forward (maybe Stimson?) at dummy half for 15 minutes when Katoa needs a break. Then we could maybe use someone like Averillo as utility, like Melbourne did with Papenhuyzen.