Unless the Rovelli deal is still on. If it's not we'd be foolish to not be looking at Drew.

Definatley agree.

Would be solid inter-change hooker and would have Berro in the centres.

If (when) we have a half injury, he could go in the halves, Berro interchanging hooker again and Turner/Whiting in the centres.

Exactly what i'd do. (unless as a 1 off Houghton can play 80)

Simples!

How can you possibly tell how quick he is now campared to what he used to be? Even if he had lost a lot of pace it would still be hard to tell over the short distances required to run on the field, people read too much into when a player turns 30, sprinters still perform at a high standard into there 30s, and from what I can see he is still a similar weight and build to what he used to be and dosnt have trouble with movement in my opinion.

I saw him make breaks for Aus/Queensland and Brisbane and I have seen him make breaks for Hull and he does seem to have lost that edge in pace, that's how I can possibly tell. It had nothing to do with his age, that was your assumption.

I've seen him win the Clive Churchill medal in Oz and have then seen him play 9 at Hull. He was a lot better back then at 9 than he is now too. Maybe we should just get rid.

Ok, ok. Keep calm!

I think it's a fixation because if we don't bring in another 9, the obvious choice is to use the SOO and international hooker we already have.



Then we'll agree to differ. I'd be very disappointed if he was played there over Berrigan. We have options at centre and that are better than playing Washy at hooker.

I'd say more a different opinion rather than a fixation. I've debated with myself what value Berro can add in the centres vs 9 and believe that it's in the best interest of the team to play him in the centres, even if that exposes us at 9 with Washy playing there. I just think we get more value out of Berro in the centres, i've not been quiet about my disappointment over the last few years with Berro's performances at 9.

It really could be like having a brand new international back signed up.

Quote ="Dave K."This game when Berrigan was at centre and Turner on the bench? www.superleague.co.uk/report.php?id=3314141 Drivel, so you honestley think Berrigan has been a good signing for Hull, he must be the highest paid player at Hull and we aren't getting our moneys worth from him, I would love him to do well at hooker or centre for Hull, but =#0000FFup to now he hasn't be good enough. With your opinions about him (on your own) you must be a personal friend or family member.'" Personally I'd say that apart from the blip this season when he had personal issues off-field, it's been more that the team around him haven't been good enough or played the right game for him. Individually, he has still looked a cut above his teammates the rest of the time in terms of ability IMO.

Quote ="Dave K."This game when Berrigan was at centre and Turner on the bench? www.superleague.co.uk/report.php?id=3314141 Drivel, so you honestley think Berrigan has been a good signing for Hull, he must be the highest paid player at Hull and we aren't getting our moneys worth from him, I would love him to do well at hooker or centre for Hull, but =#0000FFup to now he hasn't be good enough. With your opinions about him (on your own) you must be a personal friend or family member.'" Personally I'd say that apart from the blip this season when he had personal issues off-field, it's been more that the team around him haven't been good enough or played the right game for him. Individually, he has still looked a cut above his teammates the rest of the time in terms of ability IMO.

Or maybe we could leave him at hooker and play the right kind of attacking game to suit him. You know, with dummy runners and a quick ptb and stuff. The argument of how much value we get out of him is entirely of the club's own making IMO, and not his fault. So for people to keep levelling it him accusingly is besides the point.

It really could be like having a brand new international hooker signed up .

Don't be silly!!

If Agar had a Ferrari, he'd convert it to LPG to save money!

Do you know, the car analogy has cropped up in my mind too. We have done the equivalent of buying a Bentley to plough fields.

like that one too!

From what I've seen, there are still major question marks over whether he has the necessary distribution skills to play hooker. He has very seldom passed the ball quickly and accurately.

I also can't honestly say off-hand whether his kicking game is any good, which is another option needed at dummy half.

For me, there are still more question marks over his hooking ability than supporting evidence.

A brand new international back that wouldn't receive any service because we'd be lacking in the middle. We have options in the centre. Assuming Yeaman will be playing on one side, any one of Briscoe, Whiting or Turner could play on the other side. Whilst each of those options has its own inherent weakness, all are better than playing Washbrook at hooker.

This gets to the heart of the matter, for me. How many attacks seem to break down when he gets the ball at stand off? To be an effective hooker, you need to be taking the correct attacking options most of the time and execute them well. I don't think Washbrook has the speed of thought, or the accuracy in his passing game to do this.

I agree that the team around him havent been very good, but i still firmly believe that Berro's performances that were within his gift to control havent been up to scratch at 9.

And this is where i disagree. With limited service Berro received in the centres at the end of the season he showed us what we've missed since the likes of Barnett SNR imo.

If we play Berro 9 and use Whiting in the right centre with Horne and Long in the halves we have exactly the same side and same issues out that we've chosen in 2010. Big changes needed, one of which is Berro to centre.

Finally, some sense on the issue.

Completely agree. Hey, maybe you're related to him aswell!!

Well if that's correct there is something really wrong if it's noticeable over short distances like that, probably more of a case for him to play centre as he won't be effective running out of dummy half.

Then we disagree. For the vast majority of his time here I think he's done all he can barring miracle plays every game.

When given runners he picks the right passes and executes them well, and has set up tries this way. When given quick ptbs he runs from dummy half well and makes breaks, he's gained us ground and set up tries this way. When we've had the opposition penned in he's kicked well from dummy half to keep the pressure on, he's forced repeat sets this way.

The problem lies in the fact that prior to this season we did none of the above on a regular basis. When we did he showed his class.

You must have seen something I did not. He played well, certainly, but we never looked any better in attack because of it.



For a start, Long and Horne hardly played in 2010. Secondly, as spackler has already pointed out, our attacking structure is rubbish. We have no dummy runners, the play the ball is frequently slow and the backing up is non-existant. Moving Berrigan to centre won't solve those issues - particularly if it means playing Washbrook at hooker.

Might not solve the issue but imo will make us a more dangerous team. The only way to solve the issue will be to bring a decent coach in, but dont get me started on that again!!