In order to be a Hooker you need to have the brain of a half and the ability to pinpoint pass and tackle.

You can't just spend 20-40 minutes scooting. Russell has neither of the above attributes.

Regrettably not split enough to lose the GF!
There have been whispers on here at various times about Sandow, but no detail. For those of us not in the know it gets quite tedious. Anyone prepared to enlighten by PM?

One rumour I heard was he was seen in the bulls head off his head on columbian marching powder. ....

He's never been in the bulls head ...people believe some real nonsense. ...and spread it as fact.

I see what you did there

He was in the blacky arms though. Fact.

Scooting from dummy half seems to have been a big part of this years game plan.

And it appears to have worked too!

Mmmm did it though ?

You're right it has. but a Hooker doesn't just scoot does he? He spots weakness and exploits it. He calls what channel the set is played in and communicates the with the halves to launch an attack. he plays in the front row and his tackling has to be second to none. a half playing in a forwards body. he has to be switched on and alert at all times and pass a ball with pinpoint accuracy. The Hooker has the most complex role on the field and has to have unbelievable fitness.

And you think we should give all this work to a bloke who looks alright when he scoots from a quick PTB?

People look at a dummy half and think 'it's not that hard to ship a ball out and scoot'. well it is. next time just watch Daryl clark or Houghton or Powell. they never stop moving. even when they're waiting for a PTB they're alert and looking around.

Russell can't tackle, can't catch and most importantly, he can't pass. But he has got a good scoot

... so I suppose you're right. He could just come on the field to spend 20odd minutes scooting at watch the rest of the team fall apart.

The stats are worth looking at. The stats strongly suggest that Warrington are the best attacking side in Super League.
They also suggest that the best Tackle Buster in the league is Matty Russell. The idea that he can't tackle, catch or pass is much too simple. He has some weaknesses in his game but he is also a very special runner and breaker of tackles. it would be ludicrous to get rid of such a player. The very obvious problem is where to play him. I do not have the answer and I don't think Tony Smith knows either. Whatever ... we want him at Warrington. If we are searching desperately for a try I'd want him on the pitch ... Full Back, Loose Forward, Wing, Prop, Hooker ... (not all game of course) but he has something which others just don't have.

People forget that a hooker role is one of a forwards and must continually be able to tackle big forwards running at you down the middle.
Matty Russell does not meet that criteria.
Anyone who thinks he ought to be a hooker,I'm guessing means he is to dress up in drag and hang around street corners or they are dissolutioned.

When you say dissolutioned did you mean disillusioned, or was your post really a work of genius? Be honest.

I also agree with the points made by you and others that hooking isn't scooting and Russell isn't a part time hooker in any sense of the word

When you say "dissolutioned" did you mean disillusioned or is your post really a work of literary genius, be honest now?

I also agree with the views on this thread that there's more to hooking than scooting and I'm not convinced that Russell has much more to offer technically than scooting (you can't fault his effort) therefore isn't a hooker part time or otherwise

Either would be fitting had I not put 'ed'
on the end.

I am afraid you are missing the irony of my post. I am not for one minute suggesting that Russell should be our reserve hooker ,but what i am saying is that we have had enough square pegs in round holes this season to suggest that Mr Smith maybe forced to shoe horn Russell in as reserve hooker just to get him on the pitch if all the other positions are covered.If Dwyer is going to hitch hike up the A49 then we will be light in back up hookers & any arising injuries could well result in Russell covering that position out of necessity.

"but a Hooker doesn't just scoot does he? He spots weakness and exploits it. He calls what channel the set is played in and communicates the with the halves to launch an attack. he plays in the front row and his tackling has to be second to none. a half playing in a forwards body. he has to be switched on and alert at all times and pass a ball with pinpoint accuracy. The Hooker has the most complex role on the field and has to have unbelievable fitness."

Bloody hell ... you must have been a hooker or you are having a laugh. Yes you cannot be serious ... good joke.
Most hookers I know have been ... funny shaped aggressive little men not big enough to be a proper forward or fast enough to be a back. With a bit of skill at passing and a bit of pace off the mark. Most can tackle so long as someone runs straight at 'em but useless defensively out wide. We need to nip this worship of hookers in the bud.

Steady on Smiffy, I used to play hooker.

i was a hooker for 10 years and.. and.. and.. well yes, it sums me up perfectly.

that's a hooker from the 70's and 80's - Now they are as described a complete player and a very important cog. Cunningham changed the rules.

I rest my case! I thought there might be a few hookers on the forum. The one virtue most have is ... a sense of humour.
The thing is (if you played a few years back) one of your main jobs was actually hooking for the ball (and fighting in almost every scrum) ... but you had to re-invent yourselves. "Acting" Half-Back is a very apt term for you now.
So there is Offload, Deckchair & Biscuit ... any more???

If Matty Russell was on this forum he wouldn't be sticking his hand up either as one or a wannabe

I've been with a few hookers and played with a few !!



Does that count ?

I fed the ball to a few and the odd back rower(ahem)

I think the topic of "Wire Contract Extensions" may have drifted a shade ... ah well!

Welcome to the off-season.