Friendy makes too many tackles for a hooker!

[G-Unit Guerra]

Shaun Fensom (raiders) and Dallas Johnson (Cowboys) only have to worry about tackling and can chalk up a million a game.

We are shooting ourselves in the foot by allowing Jake to tackle, tackle, tackle and play for 80. With a decent hooking option in Mitchell, let's actually replace our hooker after 30, give him a breather, and allow him to add some more quality to his work. Don't get me wrong, what he is doing week in week out is fantastic... if he were a lock. But Jake's our hooker.
Our dummy half service has clearly been affected by the mountain of work he is going through.
I love Jake and the work he has done in trying to get us back into competition but I'd love it more if he could focus his attentions to getting teams on the backfoot with decisive and attacking probes out of dummy half.

Do others agree?

Can someone stand up and do half of Jake's workload to allow him to be a hooker?

Can Smith read a post?

[Guest]

All very valid points.

[Guest]

I agree. I do question Jakes attacking ability though. He has always been a defensive hooker and even when he does try to attack, he is simply not quick enough. I have no problem with a defensive hooker. We have a very talented halves pairing so there isn't a great need for an attacking hooker

[Johnny Tobin]

it shits me that Riddell comes on and Jake becomes a back-rower.

If Riddell is to be there at all it should be the other way around.

[G-Unit Guerra]

We potentially have attacking halves. When they don't fire who do we go to?

Kramer86 - I have no problem with a defensive hooker, however the hooker touches the ball more than any other player. He needs to be able to distribute and create in an attacking sense. We've all seen Jake take the ball to the line and probe around the ruck with success, but not since he's been flogging himself in defence.

[Guest]

We potentially have attacking halves. When they don't fire who do we go to?

Kramer86 - I have no problem with a defensive hooker, however the hooker touches the ball more than any other player. He needs to be able to distribute and create in an attacking sense. We've all seen Jake take the ball to the line and probe around the ruck with success, but not since he's been flogging himself in defence.

I don't agree with this. Every now and then he will create something interesting, but that rarely happens. With a halves combination of Pearce and Carney, we don't really need a creative/attacking hooker. Just someone who can distribute, tackle and occasionally question the defense

[Guest]

I think the attack will come with another year or two and some confidence

[Vasco]

Cameron Smith wasn't a champion hooker at 21.

Give him time to develop his game. The kid can play.

[G-Unit Guerra]

I don't agree with this. Every now and then he will create something interesting, but that rarely happens. With a halves combination of Pearce and Carney, we don't really need a creative/attacking hooker. Just someone who can distribute, tackle and occasionally question the defense

That is my point. Could he not do it more often if he were fresher?

Cameron Smith wasn't a champion hooker at 21.

Give him time to develop his game. The kid can play.

I'm not knocking him. I just think he doesn't need to be an 80 minute, 60+ tackles a week hooker who distributes balls.

[crikey chris]

Cameron Smith wasn't a champion hooker at 21.

Give him time to develop his game. The kid can play.

It is about time some of our under performing pack did some tackling. If Jake is out injured, who will do his 50-60 tackles?
The kid must be buggered after every game!

Show me another 21yr old hooker who makes 50-60 tackles a game who has an attacking game?

[Guest]

I could not believe my eyes when the smallest bloke on our team was taking hit ups, to accomodate for Mark Riddell.

If I was Jake, and I was getting hammered by big blokes, and then watching my replacement single handedly ruin an entire attacking set, I would be deadset livid.

Kid has a lot of heart. It's about time others did there fair share of the work, and we ****ed off the piss weak crap that forces him out of his best position for part of the game, so he can shine.

[Guest]

It is about time some of our under performing pack did some tackling. If Jake is out injured, who will do his 50-60 tackles?
The kid must be buggered after every game!

Show me another 21yr old hooker who makes 50-60 tackles a game who has an attacking game?

That's the point. If Jake gets a breather and isn't making 60 tackles a game he would be offering much more in attack. I think he and Watts would have been sharing the hooking duties close to 50/50 if Watts wasn't injured/you know what. Unfortunately we've been stuck with Riddell as an emergency and he offers very little. With Anthony Mitchell signing on Jake should be getting a bit of a breather and hopefully we see a bit more from him in an attacking sense when he's fresher.