Hutchison Pre Season Press Conference

[stevesonthebay]

To start the year, yes. Wasn't super keen on signing him but we had little alternative and if the club is going to continue to persist with Burton @ 6 then he's probably as close to as good an option as we'll find right now.

My overall personal preference would be to have both Sexton and Hutch in the halves together. Would be slow as fuck and it'd probably piss me off too but they're both at the least competent playmakers and I think they'd do a better job of utilising our biggest strength which is our edges. We got Kikau on one edge who can do it all as a backrower and simply needs a half inside him that's going to do the basics well and deliver the correct balls to him and Preston on the other who's looking like an excellent hole runner and again just needs a half inside him that's going to do the basics and make smart decisions. Our backs are more than good enough to then take advantage of the space if it opens up.

After watch Hutchison and seeing how hes lost some weight and looks more like a half he may even be quicker and more agile now. He says he's always wanted to establish himself as a top grade half and wanted to lose the weight as part of that.

It sounds like the whole team is being whipped into shape. Maybe Sexton will be at peak ability as well and they may make a good halves pairing. It does make sense as this would allow Burton and Critta in the centres. Then we have a choice of Taaffe or Tracy at fullback leaving one as a bench utility.

That just about solves the issue of too many utilities as well. Maybe Mann and Salmon on the bench so we more or less have a bench of forwards but can cover the halves and hooker. We also have the option of running with two hookers, maybe dropping Salmon or Mann. I just love the fact we have so many options and am beginning to see the sense in why they did this going forward.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

After watch Hutchison and seeing how hes lost some weight and looks more like a half he may even be quicker and more agile now. He says he's always wanted to establish himself as a top grade half and wanted to lose the weight as part of that.

It sounds like the whole team is being whipped into shape. Maybe Sexton will be at peak ability as well and they may make a good halves pairing. It does make sense as this would allow Burton and Critta in the centres. Then we have a choice of Taaffe or Tracy at fullback leaving one as a bench utility.

That just about solves the issue of too many utilities as well. Maybe Mann and Salmon on the bench so we more or less have a bench of forwards but can cover the halves and hooker. We also have the option of running with two hookers, maybe dropping Salmon or Mann. I just love the fact we have so many options and am beginning to see the sense in why they did this going forward.

I wouldn't look too much into the preseason talk, happens every year at every club but doesn't always eventuate into something.

Tracey walks into fullback for me, Mann lock/hooker off the bench, Salmon potentially too if you want more cover and options. At least two big boys.

 

[Snake]

No disrespect to Hutch but I wonder why he wasn’t given more cracks at 7 over his career. Like when Walker was injured last year.

 

[CCC]

I didn’t really think about this when we signed Hutch, but having a very experienced player that can play in the halves could be quite beneficial. I didn’t think he was as old as he is, but knew he’s been around a while.

Burton and Sexton are very young and not very experienced, so even if it’s just around training or whatever, Hutch is a good guy to have around. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play in the no.7 though, at least some of the games.

A bit like when Gus put Maloney next to Cleary when he was less experienced