Hohaia looking to end frustrating season
14 August 2006
Lance Hohaia hopes what has been a frustrating National Rugby League season for him will have a silver lining.
Hohaia got an NRL recall for the New Zealand Warriors at the weekend as replacement for the injured Tony Martin and he grabbed a brace of tries in a 26-0 whitewash of North Queensland in Auckland.
It was only his ninth appearance of the season and came after a month of being overlooked for first-grade.
His club fortunes haven't dampened his ambition to add to his seven test caps by playing in this year's Tri-Nations tournament, but he knows he needs game time to press his claims.
"There's three games left and then there's the Kiwis coming up," he said.
"I just want to keep playing well and putting myself in the frame for that."
Hohaia, 23, was a straight replacement for Martin against the Cowboys, so rather then operating in the halves or at hooker, he slotted into the unfamiliar position of centre.
His only other NRL experience in that position was in the 66-0 win over South Sydney in late June, when he played part of the match there and scored one of his three tries from centre.
Hohaia said the move out wide hadn't needed too much of an adjustment, although he was sometimes jumping into dummy half on Saturday night, and being called back by lock Louis Anderson.
"Louis must have yelled at me 10 to 15 times to get back out on my edge because I sort of lurked back out in the middle automatically without thinking," he said.
With his limited opportunities, Hohaia admitted that it had been " a rough year" after coming back from ankle ligament damage suffered in last year's Tri-Nations campaign.
"I've had a few injuries that sort of pull you down," he said.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"It's had an effect on my confidence and my form so I'm just happy to be back out there and playing well."
Apart from his two tries, Hohaia landed three goals, having been given the goal kicking duties in Martin's absence.
He was also featured in a controversial moment 10 minutes from time, when he was hit high by second rower Luke O'Donnell, who then elbowed him in the face while on the ground.
O'Donnell was sent off, and Hohaia was left "a bit dozy", but he cleared his head quickly enough to grab his first touchdown moments later.
Coach Ivan Cleary said he used Hohaia at centre against the Cowboys because it was less complicated than breaking up the halves combination of Grant Rovelli and Jerome Ropati.
He said what Hohaia had shown was his versatility as a good ball player.
As to why Hohaia hadn't got more game time this season, Cleary said the reason was simply "the form of the other guys".
Victory over the Cowboys lifted the Warriors up a place to 12th, but they now face a trip to Olympic Park, where competition leaders Melbourne have not been beaten this year
14 August 2006
Lance Hohaia hopes what has been a frustrating National Rugby League season for him will have a silver lining.
Hohaia got an NRL recall for the New Zealand Warriors at the weekend as replacement for the injured Tony Martin and he grabbed a brace of tries in a 26-0 whitewash of North Queensland in Auckland.
It was only his ninth appearance of the season and came after a month of being overlooked for first-grade.
His club fortunes haven't dampened his ambition to add to his seven test caps by playing in this year's Tri-Nations tournament, but he knows he needs game time to press his claims.
"There's three games left and then there's the Kiwis coming up," he said.
"I just want to keep playing well and putting myself in the frame for that."
Hohaia, 23, was a straight replacement for Martin against the Cowboys, so rather then operating in the halves or at hooker, he slotted into the unfamiliar position of centre.
His only other NRL experience in that position was in the 66-0 win over South Sydney in late June, when he played part of the match there and scored one of his three tries from centre.
Hohaia said the move out wide hadn't needed too much of an adjustment, although he was sometimes jumping into dummy half on Saturday night, and being called back by lock Louis Anderson.
"Louis must have yelled at me 10 to 15 times to get back out on my edge because I sort of lurked back out in the middle automatically without thinking," he said.
With his limited opportunities, Hohaia admitted that it had been " a rough year" after coming back from ankle ligament damage suffered in last year's Tri-Nations campaign.
"I've had a few injuries that sort of pull you down," he said.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"It's had an effect on my confidence and my form so I'm just happy to be back out there and playing well."
Apart from his two tries, Hohaia landed three goals, having been given the goal kicking duties in Martin's absence.
He was also featured in a controversial moment 10 minutes from time, when he was hit high by second rower Luke O'Donnell, who then elbowed him in the face while on the ground.
O'Donnell was sent off, and Hohaia was left "a bit dozy", but he cleared his head quickly enough to grab his first touchdown moments later.
Coach Ivan Cleary said he used Hohaia at centre against the Cowboys because it was less complicated than breaking up the halves combination of Grant Rovelli and Jerome Ropati.
He said what Hohaia had shown was his versatility as a good ball player.
As to why Hohaia hadn't got more game time this season, Cleary said the reason was simply "the form of the other guys".
Victory over the Cowboys lifted the Warriors up a place to 12th, but they now face a trip to Olympic Park, where competition leaders Melbourne have not been beaten this year
