I know hookers have been a hot topic of late, but I actually thought Henderson had a pretty good game against the Eels. Did anyone else see it the same way?
I know I'm not Feka, but I think he deserved his test call up when he got it. I feel as though he's gone a bit off the boil since then, so might struggle when we have more depth available.
Out of curiosity, NU, who would you have had at hooker in the ANZAC test? And who would be your two Warriors hookers?
Out of curiosity, NU, who would you have had at hooker in the ANZAC test? And who would be your two Warriors hookers?
Ok, you asked for it
Warriors: Hooker, Henderson at hooker. Hohaia off the bench. McKinnon at fullback.
Kiwis: Hooker, Nathen Fien, Dean Haletau, Thomas Leuluai, Lance Hohaia, basically anyone deserving a test jumper not just old slow pass for being the last man standing.
Warriors: Hooker, Henderson at hooker. Hohaia off the bench. McKinnon at fullback.
Kiwis: Hooker, Nathen Fien, Dean Haletau, Thomas Leuluai, Lance Hohaia, basically anyone deserving a test jumper not just old slow pass for being the last man standing.
Ok, you asked for it
Warriors: Hooker, Henderson at hooker. Hohaia off the bench. McKinnon at fullback.
Kiwis: Hooker, Nathen Fien, Dean Haletau, Thomas Leuluai, Lance Hohaia, basically anyone deserving a test jumper not just old slow pass for being the last man standing.
Warriors:
Oh, didn't know you were a Henderson fan. Fair enough, and with Hohaia on the bench. McKinnon plays for another team, so...Locke to fullback?
Kiwis:
Nathan Fien was injured.
Dene Halatau was injured.
Thomas Leuluai plays in the ESL and has thus been ruled out by Kearney.
Lance Hohaia was at fullback, so who would you have at fullback?
I would have had Issac Luke and Aaron Heremaia. If it had been a tournament, Heremaia would have been dropped for Thomas Leuluai.
i think he did have a good game (a phill gould rates him) but i think he is a bit inconsistent at times.
He said he rates him, he said that he's a "Tenacious little fella" and talked about Hendo being good at straightening the team up with his dummy half runs and said that they look a much better side when Ian's on the field. However, 2 years ago when we beat the Storm in THAT 8 vs 1 semi final he said that Hendo was a selfish player that overplayed his hand far too often and that he'd be a lot better player if he selected when to run from dummy half better. (this was around the same time that Hendo took a tap from a penalty when Steve Price had called for a kick at goal, we nearly lost the game by 1 point.
phill made a comment during the game along the lines of been a good player dont remember the quote word for word just found that a little bit interesting.
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that sounds more like gus one day praising you the next day dishing you gota love that gus.
Okay NU, I'll reword JBs question, as I think you misunderstood him. Out of the players who could actually play in the test, so no injured players and no one from ESL, who would be your hookers?
Why no one from the ESL? IRLF rules clearly state that if a nation selects a player his club must release him. Same set of rules that saw the Kiwis lose 2 points in the 06 tri nations.
It is Kearney's decision not to select ESL players because they only fly in 2 days before the game and aren't given enough time to work on combinations, plays etc.
The decision was made after he made his coaching debut and brought Webb and Leuluai over for the Oz centenary test but were quite obviosly our worst performers that night. Almost immidiately after the game he said it just doesn't work and because the NRL kiwi stocks are so high now he would only select players for mid-season tests from the NRL. ESL based players however would be considered for end of year tournaments.
Ok i'll accept that with one point further to make. I'm not entirely sure of the time frame but i'm pretty sure that rule 3.2 of IRLF code stats that a player selected for his country must be given one clear week away from club duties prior to the day of the test or tour match.
Yes I did think he deserved his call up to the Kiwis. What was that, 6-7 weeks ago? Most people were more than happy he got the call up then. His form isn't up there where it was, but it's not pathetic. I struggle to see how a bloke can be worthy of a test call up to the World Champions some 6-7 weeks ago but now is debated by one or two as to his NRL worthiness. Henderson outplayed him last game, no doubt. He is definitely NRL quality.
In reference to Gould's comments, one should also remember Ian came through at the Roosters when Gould was quite cozy with the coach who we now know he doesn't get on so well with. For the conditions over the past couple of weeks, wet, slippery, markers caught up in a tangle, Henderson's more direct game was perfect. Full credit to him.
In reference to Gould's comments, one should also remember Ian came through at the Roosters when Gould was quite cozy with the coach who we now know he doesn't get on so well with. For the conditions over the past couple of weeks, wet, slippery, markers caught up in a tangle, Henderson's more direct game was perfect. Full credit to him.
Yeah, that was a dumb play by Hendo. Perhaps Gould thinks he's improved over the last two years?
Back to my earlier query - and it's cool if you don't want to answer NU, but I'd be keen to hear your thought process - who would you select as hookers for A) the Warriors given our current squad assuming nobody was unavailable due to injury, and B) for the Kiwis in the 2010 ANZAC Test?
A) For the Warriors, you would select Henderson at 9 and Hohaia at 14. Who would you have at fullback? Locke, I'm assuming, with Vatuvei and Tupou on the wings?
B) As noted earlier, ESL players weren't considered because past experience has made it clear that they struggle for the one off tests. (They tend to thrive in the tournament situation, though, as do he Kiwis in general.)
So as a simple recap:
Nathan Fien - unavailable due to injury
Dene Halatau - unavailable due to injury
Thomas Leuluai - unavailable due to geography
Lance Hohaia - available and was selected at 1 so if he's at 9 or 14, who's your 1?
Issac Luke - available and was selected at 9
Aaron Heremaia - available and was selected at 14
Other (former/potential) Kiwi hookers that come to mind:
Terence Seuseu - unavailable due to nationality and had only played 1 match all season so match fitness was questionable
David Faiumu - unavailable due to geography and nationality
Tevita Leo-Latu - unavailable due to geography and nationality
Masada Iosefa - unavailable due to nationality
Alex Glenn - available and a utility player typically covering the flanks and second row but has done a spot of hooking
I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head, but there may well have been others.
A) For the Warriors, you would select Henderson at 9 and Hohaia at 14. Who would you have at fullback? Locke, I'm assuming, with Vatuvei and Tupou on the wings?
B) As noted earlier, ESL players weren't considered because past experience has made it clear that they struggle for the one off tests. (They tend to thrive in the tournament situation, though, as do he Kiwis in general.)
So as a simple recap:
Nathan Fien - unavailable due to injury
Dene Halatau - unavailable due to injury
Thomas Leuluai - unavailable due to geography
Lance Hohaia - available and was selected at 1 so if he's at 9 or 14, who's your 1?
Issac Luke - available and was selected at 9
Aaron Heremaia - available and was selected at 14
Other (former/potential) Kiwi hookers that come to mind:
Terence Seuseu - unavailable due to nationality and had only played 1 match all season so match fitness was questionable
David Faiumu - unavailable due to geography and nationality
Tevita Leo-Latu - unavailable due to geography and nationality
Masada Iosefa - unavailable due to nationality
Alex Glenn - available and a utility player typically covering the flanks and second row but has done a spot of hooking
I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head, but there may well have been others.
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Personally, I would have had Glenn on the bench... but at the time Heremaia's selection didn't surprise me, I also think he deserves his spot in the side, but maybe off the bench.
