Hooker options

Billy

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Randall - certainly fit enough and a great defender - but his dummy half work isn't anything to write home about.

Huth - best dummy half at the club, better than McCullough and Brailey, but big question marks over how effective he would be in defence, having played about 5 games of reserve grade last year in which his defence looked bad.

Coach is saying Crossland is an option because his defence has improved a lot in recent times. He certainly defended well in the scrimmage game against Parra and is a very fit guy. He also did a bit of time at hooker during games in under 18s under Dureau.

We could promote Mitch Black to the squad with a development contract - or even ask Tyler Randell if he'd go into isolation and hard training for the next few weeks to join the NRL bubble for a development contract.

Coach also mentioned Hoy as a chance. Hard to imagine him defending in the middle for long minutes.
 
Last edited:
I’d be throwing Mann in the middle, Randall to bench and Lino at 5/8. But I think he will Put Phoenix at 5/8.
 
Manns service was a bit ordinary. would try keep him at 6
So unfortunate for Watson, his few minutes he looked really good, the way he had forwards running into the ball
 
Tom Starling would be handy at the moment, shame we let him go but no way could we have forecast this many injuries in a key position.
 
Tom Starling would be handy at the moment, shame we let him go but no way could we have forecast this many injuries in a key position.

I agree Starling would be great but impossible to foresee injuries like this. Did you see him in the sheds last night standing next to Josh Papalii singing the team song? He looked like a year 7 kid he's that small.
 
Not sure we want to change our form spine player from 6 so we have Ponga 1, Mann 6, Randall, most likely, 9 with Pearce at 7, this is the least likely change to our spine. 1-5 look good/ok with Moga the likely drop out. 6-7 probably stay as is, would rest/drop Pearce, 8-13 as per today if fit, Sione a worry, if not Guerra, 14-17 is Crossland/Lino, Saulo, King, Guerra/Jones etc
 
I think the coach will start Randall his defence was excellent in his debut and I would like to see what he can do with the ball when working with Mitchel & Mann, as it was hard to judge his complete skill level with his heavy work load defending right across the park against Penrith.

Speedy recovery to both Andrew and Connor.
 
Randall - certainly fit enough and a great defender - but his dummy half work isn't anything to write home about.

Huth - best dummy half at the club, better than McCullough and Brailey, but big question marks over how effective he would be in defence, having played about 5 games of reserve grade last year in which his defence looked bad.

Coach is saying Crossland is an option because his defence has improved a lot in recent times. He certainly defended well in the scrimmage game against Parra and is a very fit guy. He also did a bit of time at hooker during games in under 18s under Dureau.

We could promote Mitch Black to the squad with a development contract - or even ask Tyler Randell if he'd go into isolation and hard training for the next few weeks to join the NRL bubble for a development contract.

Coach also mentioned Hoy as a chance. Hard to imagine him defending in the middle for long minutes.

Probably Randall for his defence and Crossland off the bench for utility.
 
They’re back to where they were with no experienced hookers left.....
It’s a shame Randall hasn’t been given more time off the bench since his debut to gain some experience
Yeah i agree with you there I thought after his debut he would have held onto that utility (14) position.
 
I don't think Randall offers anything from utility. With McCullough playing 80, there was no point putting Randall in. He either starts, or shouldn't be in the side.
 
The first name O’Brien said in the presser was Crossland. I expect Mann to go to 9 Crossland to 5:8. I think Hoy might get 14 because of his utility value.
 
That’s what I thought too. Logically it would be Randall at 14. Can Hoy play there if he had too? Will be interesting. Can someone just fix Brailey.
There are still doubts about Hoy defending as a 5/8 for about 20 tackles a game. No way can we throw him into hooker and ask him to do 40 per game. He said in an interview after Chris Randall did 70 in a game that that was more than he did last year.
 
There are still doubts about Hoy defending as a 5/8 for about 20 tackles a game. No way can we throw him into hooker and ask him to do 40 per game. He said in an interview after Chris Randall did 70 in a game that that was more than he did last year.

Ok so what are you thinking? Can Crossland be the 14? That way Mann isn’t shifted. Randall to start
 
Back
Top