bag me... i dont care. i decided to write this thread after reading an article. basically to sum it up lance hohaia came from promising young halfback (predicted to lead the kiwis in future years) to a player forced to play hooker not even in the starting 17.
since the beginning of the season we have failed to find 2 halves that can lead this team.
faumuina - cant really blame him... he is a backrower playing in the wrong position.
fien - crap kicking game, offers little in attack besides his individual run at the line.
ropati - no kicking game, no organisation skills. nothing but a simple ballrunner.
rovelli - probably the only light so far in our halves department. but still his kicking game is not up to NRL standards.
we have given 4 players a chance to stake their claim. none of them are convincing. yet lance hohaia is pretty set to play hooker still. honestly what is cleary thinking??? it is in hohaia's best interest AS WELL AS NZRL that he gets put in the no7 or at least no 6 jersey.
yeh sure lance would be a great hooker, cos of his quick feet and long passing game, but he would make a better halfback. this guy has a brilliant kicking game.
i see rovelli as a 5/8th, playing a similar role to benji marshall. limit his kicking game but throw him the ball and let him do what he does...
hohaia has shown in BC level, in nrl level and even in international level that he has what it takes to be a great halfback.
i think it would be best for lance if he switches club. play for the rabbitohs or go to england... go somewhere where the club will let you play your position. it would be for him and his country (cos lets face it stacey jones has no more than 2 years left in international footy).
theres one thing that you fans seem to be forgetting. HOHAIA AND ROVELLI ARE THE SAME AGE!!! the club decided to groom one player to be the future the no7. apparently they chose the aussie!!
im just venting. really frustrated after reading that article.
see i didnt care when hohaia was playing hooker last season. i always saw him as a halfback but as if you can replace the lil general. but this is a rebuilding season for the warriors. hohaia belongs in the halves...
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Hohaia ready to meet Bulls
27 May 2006
By JOHN COFFEY
Lance Hohaia takes an important step towards rugby league rehabilitation when he plays hooker for the Waicoa Bay Stallions against the Canterbury Bulls at Rugby League Park tomorrow.
The former international stand-off half has been switched to hooker at the request of his New Zealand Warriors NRL club, which has decided that is where his future lies.
Still only 23, Hohaia enjoyed an outstanding rookie year in 2002 as the Warriors reached the NRL grand final and he made the first six of his seven test appearances.
It was then predicted Hohaia and Stacey Jones would be the Kiwis halves for years to come. That did not eventuate because of injuries to Hohaia and Jones's two-year "retirement" from 2003.
Last year, Jones was back at scrum-half and Hohaia given the vacant hooking role when New Zealand opened its Tri-Nations campaign with a resounding win over Australia in Sydney.
At that stage, Hohaia still had his eye on taking over from the French-bound Jones at scrum-half for club and country.
But while Jones stayed on to steer the Kiwis to their Tri-Nations triumph, Hohaia ruptured ligaments in his left ankle in Sydney and tore the ligaments of his right ankle coming back against England A.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has given Hohaia only three NRL games this season. Hohaia still sees himself as a half; Cleary regards him primarily as a hooker.
Hohaia's path back to the NRL became even tougher when new halfback pairing Grant Rovelli and Jerome Ropati and transplanted hooker Nathan Fien all impressed in the Warriors' win over Wests Tigers last Saturday.
The Stallions benefited from Hohaia's class early in the Bartercard Cup season, and tomorrow's game is his second after undergoing minor knee surgery.
"Lance has been great for us, even though it's been hard for him because he cannot train for us," said Waicoa Bay coach Hiki Rutene yesterday.
That changed last Thursday when Hohaia was released from Warriors duties to run with the Stallions. An instruction from Cleary arrived with Hohaia – that he revert to hooker.
"It is a Warriors request but it suits us. Lance is very quick out of dummy half and he's got a good, long pass. We want to try to get the ball wide of the big Canterbury forwards," said Rutene.
That meant splitting the Stallions' inside-back combination of Hohaia and Hayden Karena, a talented scrum-half who trialled with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2004.
Former national junior representative Issac John, 18, who has been with the Parramatta Eels for the past two years, replaces Hohaia at stand-off, and New Zealand Maori hooker Peter Prime moves to loose forward.
Waicoa Bay is missing its other full-time Warrior, Sam Rapira. The teenage prop made his debut against Wests Tigers and has gone to Sydney for tonight's match against the Cronulla Sharks. Captain and prop David Letele has played for North Sydney and in France, while fullback Te Teira Davis returns to the Stallions after scoring 10 tries in a club game last weekend.
Rutene was encouraged the Stallions shared the second-half points, 18-18, with the unbeaten Auckland Lions last week after trailing 4-38 at half-time.
"(Lions and Kiwis coach) Brian McClennan talked to us after the game and gave us a few tips. Canterbury plays a lot like the Lions, so that should help us this week," he said.
The Bulls will start favourites to extend their winning streak to six. But Waicoa Bay achieved big wins over Counties Manukau and Wellington, with Hohaia making the play and should be competitive.
Teams (kick-off 2.30pm):
Canterbury Bulls – Lusi Sione, Scott Hurrell, Donny Aitken, Lee Fidow, Lucas Tamakaha, Corey Lawrie, Duane Wineti, Vince Whare, Shane Beyers (c), Joseph Pombo, Blake Milner, Clinton Fraser, Jonny Limmer. Interchange: Ben Hurrell, Daniel Metcalf, Alex Timo, Ross Turi.
Waicoa Bay Stallions – Te Teira Davis, Mokonuiarangi McGrath, Karl Perry, Michael Stevens, Anaru Grant, Issac John, Hayden Karena, David Letele (c), Lance Hohaia, Shane Te Kura, Shea Brodrick, Simon Beale, Peter Prime. Interchange: Noah Rutene, Joshua David, Nicholas Standan, Michael Moore.
since the beginning of the season we have failed to find 2 halves that can lead this team.
faumuina - cant really blame him... he is a backrower playing in the wrong position.
fien - crap kicking game, offers little in attack besides his individual run at the line.
ropati - no kicking game, no organisation skills. nothing but a simple ballrunner.
rovelli - probably the only light so far in our halves department. but still his kicking game is not up to NRL standards.
we have given 4 players a chance to stake their claim. none of them are convincing. yet lance hohaia is pretty set to play hooker still. honestly what is cleary thinking??? it is in hohaia's best interest AS WELL AS NZRL that he gets put in the no7 or at least no 6 jersey.
yeh sure lance would be a great hooker, cos of his quick feet and long passing game, but he would make a better halfback. this guy has a brilliant kicking game.
i see rovelli as a 5/8th, playing a similar role to benji marshall. limit his kicking game but throw him the ball and let him do what he does...
hohaia has shown in BC level, in nrl level and even in international level that he has what it takes to be a great halfback.
i think it would be best for lance if he switches club. play for the rabbitohs or go to england... go somewhere where the club will let you play your position. it would be for him and his country (cos lets face it stacey jones has no more than 2 years left in international footy).
theres one thing that you fans seem to be forgetting. HOHAIA AND ROVELLI ARE THE SAME AGE!!! the club decided to groom one player to be the future the no7. apparently they chose the aussie!!
im just venting. really frustrated after reading that article.
see i didnt care when hohaia was playing hooker last season. i always saw him as a halfback but as if you can replace the lil general. but this is a rebuilding season for the warriors. hohaia belongs in the halves...
------
Hohaia ready to meet Bulls
27 May 2006
By JOHN COFFEY
Lance Hohaia takes an important step towards rugby league rehabilitation when he plays hooker for the Waicoa Bay Stallions against the Canterbury Bulls at Rugby League Park tomorrow.
The former international stand-off half has been switched to hooker at the request of his New Zealand Warriors NRL club, which has decided that is where his future lies.
Still only 23, Hohaia enjoyed an outstanding rookie year in 2002 as the Warriors reached the NRL grand final and he made the first six of his seven test appearances.
It was then predicted Hohaia and Stacey Jones would be the Kiwis halves for years to come. That did not eventuate because of injuries to Hohaia and Jones's two-year "retirement" from 2003.
Last year, Jones was back at scrum-half and Hohaia given the vacant hooking role when New Zealand opened its Tri-Nations campaign with a resounding win over Australia in Sydney.
At that stage, Hohaia still had his eye on taking over from the French-bound Jones at scrum-half for club and country.
But while Jones stayed on to steer the Kiwis to their Tri-Nations triumph, Hohaia ruptured ligaments in his left ankle in Sydney and tore the ligaments of his right ankle coming back against England A.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has given Hohaia only three NRL games this season. Hohaia still sees himself as a half; Cleary regards him primarily as a hooker.
Hohaia's path back to the NRL became even tougher when new halfback pairing Grant Rovelli and Jerome Ropati and transplanted hooker Nathan Fien all impressed in the Warriors' win over Wests Tigers last Saturday.
The Stallions benefited from Hohaia's class early in the Bartercard Cup season, and tomorrow's game is his second after undergoing minor knee surgery.
"Lance has been great for us, even though it's been hard for him because he cannot train for us," said Waicoa Bay coach Hiki Rutene yesterday.
That changed last Thursday when Hohaia was released from Warriors duties to run with the Stallions. An instruction from Cleary arrived with Hohaia – that he revert to hooker.
"It is a Warriors request but it suits us. Lance is very quick out of dummy half and he's got a good, long pass. We want to try to get the ball wide of the big Canterbury forwards," said Rutene.
That meant splitting the Stallions' inside-back combination of Hohaia and Hayden Karena, a talented scrum-half who trialled with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2004.
Former national junior representative Issac John, 18, who has been with the Parramatta Eels for the past two years, replaces Hohaia at stand-off, and New Zealand Maori hooker Peter Prime moves to loose forward.
Waicoa Bay is missing its other full-time Warrior, Sam Rapira. The teenage prop made his debut against Wests Tigers and has gone to Sydney for tonight's match against the Cronulla Sharks. Captain and prop David Letele has played for North Sydney and in France, while fullback Te Teira Davis returns to the Stallions after scoring 10 tries in a club game last weekend.
Rutene was encouraged the Stallions shared the second-half points, 18-18, with the unbeaten Auckland Lions last week after trailing 4-38 at half-time.
"(Lions and Kiwis coach) Brian McClennan talked to us after the game and gave us a few tips. Canterbury plays a lot like the Lions, so that should help us this week," he said.
The Bulls will start favourites to extend their winning streak to six. But Waicoa Bay achieved big wins over Counties Manukau and Wellington, with Hohaia making the play and should be competitive.
Teams (kick-off 2.30pm):
Canterbury Bulls – Lusi Sione, Scott Hurrell, Donny Aitken, Lee Fidow, Lucas Tamakaha, Corey Lawrie, Duane Wineti, Vince Whare, Shane Beyers (c), Joseph Pombo, Blake Milner, Clinton Fraser, Jonny Limmer. Interchange: Ben Hurrell, Daniel Metcalf, Alex Timo, Ross Turi.
Waicoa Bay Stallions – Te Teira Davis, Mokonuiarangi McGrath, Karl Perry, Michael Stevens, Anaru Grant, Issac John, Hayden Karena, David Letele (c), Lance Hohaia, Shane Te Kura, Shea Brodrick, Simon Beale, Peter Prime. Interchange: Noah Rutene, Joshua David, Nicholas Standan, Michael Moore.
