What to do with Hiku?

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susan

Bencher
Don't get me wrong I like this young bloke.He is a good footballer with plenty of skill BUT he lacks the one ingredient you cant coach and that is speed.
Our backline plays are virtually the same every week and they look fantastic because Brett gets on the outside of the B defender so easily because of his pace. Tonights first half was a classic example of that.The same moves with Hiku and it inevitably ends in a flat crabbing mess because the outside defenders can stay on their man as he lacks that explosive speed.

In my opinion he is not a fullback or a winger and we need to look at other options at fullback if possible when Brett is out. Gutherson is the obvious candidate but is he ready?I don't think so quite yet.If Tooves can't solve this problem we are in a bit of strife.We have to base our planning around Stewie not playing and treat every game he does play as a bonus rather than fretting about him being missing.

On the positive side Peta's footballing nouse,size and great defence makes him a perfect utility off the bench .We underuse our 4th bench player so much we may as well have a bloke like him who can cover back row and centre as have a prop who plays 10 or 12 minutes.If Brett does play he is an absolute must on the bench but NOT in the back 3.
 
Give him a chance :idea:

Once Wolfie and Jorge come back, Hiku will be the FB backup on the bench, as Snake's hamstring is a high probability risk each game, especially in wet weather :(

The first half shows that Manly can match it with the best, the second showed that we need to maintain the attack, and not relax when +10 ahead :cool:
 
Totally agree about Hiku. You need speed coming from his position.Very safe but not really a back. Real tough one. Brendan Reeves was another. Maybe he becomes a lock/hooker. We do have Buhrer though.
 
Happily Manly totally agree he should be on the bench EVERY week but as a utility to cover backline issues. I know we have limited options and he probably keeps the fullback position now Brett is gone but that does not disguise the fact him playing in the 1 jumper virtually renders all out wrap plays as a waste of time and condemns us to winning games via trench warfare (as most of the games were last year when Brett was out).
 
Put him through the same training that we put kite and watmough through.

And then put some sticky spray on his hands, then put Spider-Man grip on his hands and then make him hold onto it like it's his last $10
 
To be honest his hands have been very good for us in most games he has played. Everyone as an off night.I just think it is so obvious where his future lies with us and that is off the bench..
 
Seems he will play Fullback much of the season again. Hope I am wrong!
Good kid. Was just a little rusty last night. It's only round 1 right?
 
susan said:
Happily Manly totally agree he should be on the bench EVERY week but as a utility to cover backline issues. I know we have limited options and he probably keeps the fullback position now Brett is gone but that does not disguise the fact him playing in the 1 jumper virtually renders all out wrap plays as a waste of time and condemns us to winning games via trench warfare (as most of the games were last year when Brett was out).

I would try Wolfie at fullback as he has the speed and has no problems with a high ball when there is a distance between he and the rushing defense.

With Wolfie in the middle, more of our Players can offer him protection too when it comes to the bombs. (Although last night's block penalty, which was ridiculous, is something to be aware of:mad:)

A few years back we tried this in Newcastle and it worked really well.

Hiku instead of Buhrer on the bench for mine :cool:

I really worry that Manly equate success with Snake - for all intents and purposes, his attrition rate is increasing :s
 
Hiku must be the first man picked for the next game. Give him the next 5 games at full back. The mix of youth and experience just ain't quiet right in the eagles back line. Get the games into these young blokes early in the season so we have depth and can pick the best person later. I can't see stewart lasting his contract. You can't play one game n be out for 3 constantly. Time for transition. But may be change altogether is not that far away.
 
Upgrade his contract immediately. He will play the most time at fullback this year and needs to be retained.
 
This morning's Sun Herald says Hasler wants him at The Dogs.
 
g'day all,lets not forget the wraps everyone was giving him last year and the return metres he was gaining which was far superior to what brett does.i agree he doesn't have bretts speed and may not be as effective in wrap plays, so why not adjust our plays a little and use plays where he is effective playing through the middle sniffing around the forwards where his footwork and skill can be utilised against less mobile forwards as well as chiming in out wide.Lets not crucify the bloke for one bad game as there isn't anyone playing who hasn't had one.
cheers mike
 
Hiku's great. He was going well in the first half, then had to change position in bad weather conditions, couple drop balls.. a "forward" pass... He NEEDS to be resigned with the way snake is nowadays. He is 21 years old and has the potential for an amazing fullback.
 
caspersparks said:
Hiku's great. He was going well in the first half, then had to change position in bad weather conditions, couple drop balls.. a "forward" pass... He NEEDS to be resigned with the way snake is nowadays. He is 21 years old and has the potential for an amazing fullback.
for an amazing CENTRE
 
No one is crucifying anyone mike. Discussing his best position in the side is no crucifixion.aS I said in another thread these new rules are making the game a totally different beast.The speed of the game is rewarding speedy players and more points will be required to win matches.
 
He's not that slow, seems to have grown in size since last year, and looks great with the ball. BUT he was unprofessional in the 2nd half. One drop ball on a wet night on 1st tackle is bad but forgivable. But 2 in a row! He was running well but was swapping the ball from hand to hand as he got to the defence, fancy stuff. Imagine our surprise when he dropped that one too! The "forward" pass was a bad call, he looked good running in some space there, but the lollipop pass on the end was asking to be intercepted, or called back by inept refs.

The icing on the cake was horo's first tackle drop from the scrum in our 40. Or dce spinning it wide to Blair who got stripped (called a knock on) deep in our half, or maybe the icing was Lawrence getting stripped on our 20 but no penalty because after he was held apparently.

If Brett goes off again we must keep matai at centre somehow, he was carving them up, but once on the wing he disappeared.

I can't go past "unprofessional" to describe our 2nd half.
 
Hiku was also completely done in the air by Waqu for their first try. Not that he is alone in that - none of our wingers seem good in the air by modern standards and that's really the template to beat us - high kicks to the wings.

Of course he is a work in progress but there is a casualness and overplaying his hand that worries me. He is a strong runner but not quick. Centre would seem to be his spot.
 
EagleFromMay1967 said:
caspersparks said:
Hiku's great. He was going well in the first half, then had to change position in bad weather conditions, couple drop balls.. a "forward" pass... He NEEDS to be resigned with the way snake is nowadays. He is 21 years old and has the potential for an amazing fullback.
for an amazing CENTRE

Yep, the club have already indicated that as the long term plan.
Right now he's just at the top of the pecking order of reserves, so he plays wherever he can get a gig.

He's there to replace Jamie Lyon in a couple of years so there's no point in training him up to be a winger or a forward. Cheyse Blair is that guy.
 

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