2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

He's got magic. And has the most natural form at full sprint of any player I've seen in the NRL. But it's not as if he hasn't been tried at fullback, time and time again.

As an outside back he seems to lack the physicality to make the most of his natural talents. So, he should be a fullback but can't seem to excel as a fullback.

There's something missing with him. He ain't the player people thought he was
 
They were winning. Payten didn’t wanna change something which was going well.

If it was me I would have been playing Hammer on a wing over Feldt, but I’m just some idiot with a smartphone, what do I know?
 
Can't beat Hiku either.

Hes 21, he's not 18. Hiku is a good player but he could fairly be described as a journeyman. Surely, Hammer grabs his spot?

If Hammer is that good, surely he finds a spot over Taulagi when he comes back from injury before Origin. Because until his selection for Origin Taulagi was a little known talent compared to Hammer. Seems Payten knows exactly what he's doing imo.
 
Les Misérables said:
@cowboyman what then are your thoughts as to why he ofteb can't make the cowboys 13 and sometimes even the 17. And you can't use injury because he's been fit and remained unselected
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Every time he has been fit he has been in the 17 so you’re already wrong on your opinion.

He started the year at fullback and lost the spot through injury. I and many other Cowboy fans couldn’t believe the limited time he got from the bench in the finals. Both games were begging for the spark that he provides from the bench. Right centre spot is his for years to come from next year or the following year but reports suggest he wants the fullback spot hence being allowed to shop himself around.

Hiku has been sensational all year. Was never beating him out for that spot this year. He and Townsend were laughed at by many on here and the public but both have been great signings. Payten has nailed it on both of them.

Hammer has proven in his limited club games and origin for that matter he can handle the physicality of the centre position. His front on defence and technique is superb (he locked up turbo one game with ease), sometimes gets caught on decision making but that’s understandable considering his been a fullback all his life.

Again you mustn’t of watched many Cowboys games this year or last but Taulagi is a gun and so reliable. One of the best finishes in the game and is safe as a bank. He has had that left wing spot his own for two+ years whether he was little known or not to you.
 
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He can't make the 13 though. Everything you're saying I agree with.

I'm saying that if he's the marque player he was touted to be at 18, why can't he beat Hiku to centre 3 seasons later if it means the only other spot for him is 5-10 mins off the bench?

There's a disconnect and it its this, he's a very talented young back but he doesn't have a specialist position that he excells at. And to the extent that he isn't a specialist, there are more effective specialists being picked ahead of him. One of which is a journeyman, playing good footy, but low cost journeyman nonetheless.

Where does Hammer go from here?
 
I think he’d be a really good fullback at a club willing to work with him and give him time.

He’s not a great yardage work guy so it’d want to be a team with outside backs who get through a lot of work.

Drinkwater’s passing game just opened up so many extra dimensions to North Queensland’s attack so he made himself undroppable despite his awful defence.
 
Les Misérables said:
He can't make the 13 though. Everything you're saying I agree with.

I'm saying that if he's the marque player he was touted to be at 18, why can't he beat Hiku to centre 3 seasons later if it means the only other spot for him is 5-10 mins off the bench?

There's a disconnect and it its this, he's a very talented young back but he doesn't have a specialist position that he excells at. And to the extent that he isn't a specialist, there are more effective specialists being picked ahead of him. One of which is a journeyman, playing good footy, but low cost journeyman nonetheless.

Where does Hammer go from here?
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Why can’t he beat Hiku to the centre spot? Probably because he has played less then 10 games at centre in his life compared to an experienced veteran that’s just made the NZ extended squad and had a superb season.

To say he can’t beat out a journeyman is just disrespect to Hammer and Hiku. He wasn’t training or being thought of as a right centre to start the year. So he didn’t lose out to him at all.

Hammer is still young, he don’t need to be dominating every game right now. Can easily groom him for that centre spot over the next 12 months but if that’s not what he wants then he has every right to leave/look at his options which is reportedly the case.

Hammer would make a very good fullback or centre for most NRL clubs. Sadly injury cost him his place this year and other guys took over and didn’t let up with form or injuries.
 
Hiku’s been really good and might get re-signed tbh. Huge work rate. He’s 28 and hadn’t played 150 games yet so it’s not like he’s about to retire.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Hiku’s been really good and might get re-signed tbh. Huge work rate. He’s 28 and hadn’t played 150 games yet so it’s not like he’s about to retire.
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He was also targeted by Payton to do the exact job he did this year. Coach knew what he was looking for.
 
Hiku is really underrated, he's had his injury problems but he was quality at the Warriors when he made it on the field for them, as well. Not sure why he doesn't get a bit more recognition ... it was even the same at the Warriors when I'd have had him as one of their best players while he was there.
 
jamesgould said:
Hiku is really underrated, he's had his injury problems but he was quality at the Warriors when he made it on the field for them, as well. Not sure why he doesn't get a bit more recognition ... it was even the same at the Warriors when I'd have had him as one of their best players while he was there.
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He made a couple of Warriors wingers careers with league leading tries for the year.
 
Well if an in form Hiku can keep him out of the 13 if I were Hammer I'd be looking for a new club. Tbf Hammer is under 90kgs, centre probably isn't his position.

Hammer could do a similar but probably better job of fullback than a Daine Laurie type. Better mover.
 
jamesgould said:
Hiku is really underrated, he's had his injury problems but he was quality at the Warriors when he made it on the field for them, as well. Not sure why he doesn't get a bit more recognition ... it was even the same at the Warriors when I'd have had him as one of their best players while he was there.
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Couldn’t agree more really enjoyed watching him play this year. Turns up every game plays with his heart, I’m exited to watch them grow again next year.
 
Les Misérables said:
Well if an in form Hiku can keep him out of the 13 if I were Hammer I'd be looking for a new club. Tbf Hammer is under 90kgs, centre probably isn't his position.

Hammer could do a similar but probably better job of fullback than a Daine Laurie type. Better mover.
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Watch games in future and not look at stats and judge off reputations (Hiku being a journeyman).
 
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