He featured in their season launch photos from last week, even if they were thinking about mugging him off, due to Roache he'd be back in the calculations. Wish we knew who was in top 30 and who wasn't, teams will get themselves in a situation where even if player 31 is in better form, they HAVE to play the top 30 guy if he's fit. what is the point of that.
It is strange that we haven't seen Cherrington in first grade since 2016 but we have to remember that he's still relatively young and his previous game time came at the Tigers while they were in a pretty terrible predicament.
Still not convinced about Cooke as back up hooker. Could Luke have lasted the full 80 mins yesterday? He looks fit now.
We didnt sign Lawton to play ISP. He needs a shot and he covers so many positions so he is a MUST to have on the bench. Surely we see him soon maybe even next week. Cook is out of his depth we cant afford poor reads like that as can cost us games.
I personally like Lawton as the back up hooker. Stronger defender than Cherrington and Cook. He's faster also which suits him coming off the bench. Still can't believe how much Cherrington has fallen off since his U20 days. His downside is that he's decent at everything but not great at any one thing. I liked Eiden Ackland's game at hooker last year for the U20's, knew how to control the game from there and had an unreal kicking game from dummy half. Looks to have moved back into the halves this year though.
I thought Cherrington was an excellent attacking hooker, it’s his defence that isn’t as robust as the others and it seems that Defensive strength is a key Kearney focus (we would all agree that defence is vital). Cherrington did an interview and revealed he was around 83-85 kgs, he said he had been asked to put on weight for defensive reasons. That’s his issue, I think he’s a better hooker than Cooke, Tevaga.
Perhaps Cherrington as straight hooker to start with Lawton as backup. Or we should buy that guy at the Tigers...umm Lolohea. He's great utility value
I'm always banging on at parents of young half backs to encourage kids to field kick / practice as they would for the other skills. Having a long kicking game is a licence to print money in NZ rugby league and an insurance policy for selection. Tony Kemp is the only one I've seen excell with a long range boot. He would have killed it in this 40/20 era with a conditioning coach like Corvo ( could have been fitter/ leaner). Jones practised heaps....I'm sure Johnson would....start them young folks .... I wouldn't try tell young Aklands father anything about anything except maybe look at Kearneys preference for developing endurance athletes rather than Props on Wings.....bleh Lawton at Hooker for mine....reasonable halves option at a pinch if Tohu goes down lol#our Six foot five back up half.
how bout his pointed toe ballerina action at the end of his long kicking motion.........unique to say the least
