Hooker

[Noeasyday]

If we can't get Friend then we should be looking at Connor Watson as hooker for 2021

 

[Bazildog]

If we can't get Friend then we should be looking at Connor Watson as hooker for 2021

Because of age and also the fact I dont believe Nick will let Friend go, I would be more than happy with Connor Watson at 9 and he would not be expensive.

 

[Noeasyday]

Because of age and also the fact I dont believe Nick will let Friend go, I would be more than happy with Connor Watson at 9 and he would not be expensive.

Also assuming we don't get Grant

 

[Brendan7]

I'd also be willing to gamble on Sam Verilis (the hooker that did his ACL on Friday for the Roosters)

 

[vegny]

Do we really need to recruit a 9? Im going to get a lot of x for this but i reckon we can get by with jmk.
Im not partial to having jmk but my opinion is he will be a much better player behind a stronger pack than what we currently have. Sure, every hooker will improve behind a better forwards but jmk will benefit heaps more. He has some running game that can trouble the opps imo.
What im saying is lets not jump into a conclusion that hooker is a recruitment priority based on what we have seen. Not many of them would look good in our current team and structure.

 

[Spoonman84]

Do we really need to recruit a 9? Im going to get a lot of x for this but i reckon we can get by with jmk.
Im not partial to having jmk but my opinion is he will be a much better player behind a stronger pack than what we currently have. Sure, every hooker will improve behind a better forwards but jmk will benefit heaps more. He has some running game that can trouble the opps imo.
What im saying is lets not jump into a conclusion that hooker is a recruitment priority based on what we have seen. Not many of them would look good in our current team and structure.

JMK could be playing behind the best pack ever assembled and do nothing.

He's simply out of his depth as a starting hooker. He doesn't have any vision or attacking flair that a hooker needs these days, little to no kicking game, struggles to play the full 80, no line speed, average service from dummy half and no game management from dummy half.

His biggest strengthen is his running game out of dummy half but this needs so much improvement as all of his runs are premeditated.

The amount of improvement from his first game at hooker to now has been minimal and if he was going to drastically improve to become our long term hooker he would be much further ahead of where he is now.

The sooner we get a better hooker the sooner we make genuine strides to becoming a better side.

 

[Rocket64]

Reed Mahoney came through our juniors, we should be trying to entice him back..

 

[KLil]

Throw the bank at b Smith hunt or Harry grant.. surely one will bite

 

[doggy bill]

Reuben Cotter from the cows. very good.

 

[_G-Dog_]

Do we really need to recruit a 9? Im going to get a lot of x for this but i reckon we can get by with jmk.

We will get on by like the last few years.. continuing to struggle to score points..

 

[Freakzilla]

Top 3 targets for 2021:

1. Harry Grant
2. Matt Parcell
3. Anyone but JMK

 

[Howie B]

Definitely has to be our number 1 recruitment for 21,we re tarts in the very very position

Its been our number 1 priority for the past 2 years. The club realises this

They have tried twice to sign Harry Grant and also Api Korosau.

Disappointing that those deals were not done but even the current board and coach arent dumb enough not to realise we need a top quality hooker. But its one thing to recognise it and another thing to get it done.

I cant see us signing a gun hooker next year for 2 big reasons :

1. There isnt really anyone available ; and
2. Even if there was, our club isnt that attractive to gun players at the moment

We will probably need to take a punt on youngster who isnt getting much game time elsewhere

 

[B-Train]

Its been our number 1 priority for the past 2 years. The club realises this

They have tried twice to sign Harry Grant and also Api Korosau.

Disappointing that those deals were not done but even the current board and coach arent dumb enough not to realise we need a top quality hooker. But its one thing to recognise it and another thing to get it done.

I cant see us signing a gun hooker next year for 2 big reasons :

1. There isnt really anyone available ; and
2. Even if there was, our club isnt that attractive to gun players at the moment

We will probably need to take a punt on youngster who isnt getting much game time elsewhere

So assuming Friend and Mahoney re-sign, backup options if the dream of Grant or Wombat doesn't pan out would be:

Watson, Starling, Cotter, Randall, Kenny, Roache (if he ever isn't injured), Havilli and Clarke or Parcell if they're even available from the ESL.

Can anyone think of other options? I'd take Starling or Cotter. Ideally they'd sign two hookers so we have capable backup for once.

 

[Howie B]

So assuming Friend and Mahoney re-sign, backup options if the dream of Grant or Wombat doesn't pan out would be:

Watson, Starling, Cotter, Randall, Kenny, Roache (if he ever isn't injured), Havilli and Clarke or Parcell if they're even available from the ESL.

Can anyone think of other options? I'd take Starling or Cotter. Ideally they'd sign two hookers so we have capable backup for once.

I haven’t seen most of them play mate .

Not sure about Watson . I doubt he has the finesse and footy smarts to be a top hooker. He is pretty much the perfect utility

 

[Spoonman84]

So assuming Friend and Mahoney re-sign, backup options if the dream of Grant or Wombat doesn't pan out would be:

Watson, Starling, Cotter, Randall, Kenny, Roache (if he ever isn't injured), Havilli and Clarke or Parcell if they're even available from the ESL.

Can anyone think of other options? I'd take Starling or Cotter. Ideally they'd sign two hookers so we have capable backup for once.

Let's be honest we are up shit creek without a paddle as far as hooking options go.

All those players bar Grant and Wombat (which are very long odds of being at Belmore) are more stop gap options that aren't going to improve things very much.

 

[B-Train]

I haven’t seen most of them play mate .

Not sure about Watson . I doubt he has the finesse and footy smarts to be a top hooker. He is pretty much the perfect utility

Watson is a gamble for sure. And his injury history isn't great. But he does provide a great running game, decent service and would thrive with the new rules. But he's not an 80 minute hooker, I agree...

Of the others, most are young backups. Randall played once for Newcastle and looked pretty sharp. Cotter looked dangerous last season for Nth Qld. Starling also for Canberra last year. Kenny from Penrith is more one dimensional but is reliable.

Havilli is a tank and not zippy out of dummy half but he's a reliable veteran who'd be good off the bench for one of the young hookers and can also play 2nd row as he does now for Canberra off the bench...

 

[B-Train]

Let's be honest we are up shit creek without a paddle as far as hooking options go.

All those players bar Grant and Wombat (which are very long odds of being at Belmore) are more stop gap options that aren't going to improve things very much.

Pretty much. But that's the likely situation they'll find themselves in.. It's about trying to find the best of an average bunch. None have anywhere near the upside of Grant or B.Smith.

 

[belmore_utd]

 

[Howie B]

Pretty much. But that's the likely situation they'll find themselves in.. It's about trying to find the best of an average bunch. None have anywhere near the upside of Grant or B.Smith.

And its pretty hard to spot any good youngsters at the moment because there are no reserve grade comps on.

 

[Mak Dogs]

By far the most important position we have to recruit. Jmk has never been a hooker and never will. His service or lack off has been terrible