Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:22 pm  

With Randell reportedly out for 2 Months ish, where do we go with 2nd 9, or Woody doing 80?

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:28 pm  

Max at FB, Rocky starting at hooker and Woody to stay on the bench as impact.

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:40 pm  

TheDreadnought wrote: Max at FB, Rocky starting at hooker and Woody to stay on the bench as impact. Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472

TheDreadnought wrote: Max at FB, Rocky starting at hooker and Woody to stay on the bench as impact. Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:56 pm  

1873 wrote: Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472 Rocky I think did a bit at 9 during first part of last season when Randell was out.

1873 wrote: Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472 Rocky I think did a bit at 9 during first part of last season when Randell was out.

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:56 pm  

Bad news for him and us. Another lay off means his stay has been punctuated with injuries.
Someone else will stand up and take the chance and they will be English and probably on less money too.
I suppose it has to be Rocky or Jordan Crowther as back up. I agree, bet Ben Reynolds wouldn't say no to the chance either.

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:03 pm  

1873 wrote: Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472 He played hooker for us against Hull KR in the opening SL fixture last year and a few games after as well. Definitely not a hooker but can make do whilst we're without...

1873 wrote: Do not recall Rocky at 9, anybody know if Reynolds done any 9 work? Batch in hospital too... https://twitter.com/i/status/1093503596442857472 He played hooker for us against Hull KR in the opening SL fixture last year and a few games after as well. Definitely not a hooker but can make do whilst we're without...

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:10 pm  

Given the reduction in interchanges having a hooker that can play the full 80 would be a major bonus and given Wood is imho our best hooker he'd be my choice for this anyway. Crowther can fill in mid-game if he needs a brief break.

Moving forward if he has to miss a game then Hampshire filled in at nine last year and can do the job with Max at fullback.

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:14 pm  

Sacred Cow wrote:

Given the reduction in interchanges having a hooker that can play the full 80 would be a major bonus and given Wood is imho our best hooker he'd be my choice for this anyway. Crowther can fill in mid-game if he needs a brief break.

Moving forward if he has to miss a game then Hampshire filled in at nine last year and can do the job with Max at fullback.

Rocky or Reynolds and wood interchange. Wood a massive bonus to bring on giving him the full 80 will kill the impact

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:27 pm  

newgroundb4cas wrote:

Rocky or Reynolds and wood interchange. Wood a massive bonus to bring on giving him the full 80 will kill the impact

An 'impact' hooker only really has that impact behind a dominant pack. The reduction of interchanges is designed to make particulary large packs like ours less dominant and as such the influence of the little men at the back of them is reduced whether they are fresh or not. Having an extra big man on the bench is likely to mean our pack can retain some extra dominance and Wood could keep the same influence throughout the game.

The only other way i would do it is to start with Crowther for the first 20-25 mins to soak up some juice out of the opposition forwards then switch him to the back row when Wood comes on for the rest of the game. That way we retain the extra forward in the 17.

Re: Hooking options? : Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:32 pm  

Didn't Chessie experiment with Crowther at Hooker in the Hull testimonial game. Seems a reasonable option as Jordan is used to operating as a middle, and looks to have a reasonable pass which will improve with work. That alone puts him in front of most of our hookers in the past 50 years