I like Fitzy but he doesn't react instinctively like a natural hooker, his decision making isn't always the best & he seems to need an extra half a second at the ruck to decide what he's going to do. Also he doesn't kick well from dummy half. This is an important part of a hookers game now & probably cost us the match on Saturday.

Don't like criticising players & overall I don't think he's done too badly at hooker but these points won't have gone unnoticed by the other coaches.

If we make one major signing for 2010 I think it's pretty nailed on it's gonna be a new hooker.

He's not a hooker. To be honest, I'm struggling to think of where he could fit into the team. Fitzy doesn't bring anywhere near enough to compensate for what we lose when Fish is off the pitch. I doubt he'll be here next year and I'd like to see us a sign an out and out hooker as a replacement, but who? I don't know.

Very harsh to say he cost us the game on Saturday, yes it was a very bad last play option but there was still a set of tackles to defend before Warrington scored and we were still in the lead.

It was the pivotal moment of the game though. We had to complete 2-3 sets at that stage & I think Wire were broken but that led to Kings try & the momentum totally shifted.

Not really sure who's on the market tbh. I'd like Robbie Farah, but that might be a bit optimistic.

Like your sig by the way

Saturday was a mix of the brilliant (eg Webster's try in which Fitzhenry had a juggling hand) and the bloody awful. Typical adrenalin-fuelled cup tie, bit hits and craziness all over the pitch. Fitzhenry's fluffed kick was poor, but no worse than the normally reliable Galea and Murrell kicking straight out. We struggled to gain yards in the second half and that was the narrow difference between the teams imo. Oh, for a fit Mick Vella! Hopefully he'll be ready for the trip to Hudds.

I'd like to see a new hooker, as we don't have any natural cover for Fisher (Cockayne, can do what Fitzhenry does if the latter leaves). On the other hand Murrell can play there at a pinch and Spaven might be ready for a few games in 2010 (???).

Totally agree, when he gets the ball he gives the impression he doesn't know what to do next, and dithers quite a bit. He was signed s a prolific try-scoring back with a nickname as the Finisher! We are not getting the benefit of this with him stuck totally out of position at hooker. I noticed Justin hauled him off soon after thw Warrington try and brought Fish back. Whether this was planned anyway I am not sure but I wonder if Justin is thinking the experiment isn't really working and Cockayne will figure more now he back? How I wish we had signed Mickey Higham like some fans were calling for when he was available, he looked very sharp when he came on.

My feelings too, it went pear-shaped from then on. the ball should have gone to Dobbo or Cookey and been kicked to the corner, it barely made 10 metres and Warrington were back on the offensive in our half.

i would like to see ben cockayne as our intrechange hooker

The Fitzhenry incident is probably the biggest talking point of the game and had he simply kicked the ball from dummy-half straight away (as he has done very well many times during this season) then we probably go on to win the game.

But like others have said Cooke, Galea and Murrell all kicked out on the full along with Stan giving away a needless penalty when I felt we were on the way to putting Wire away early so Fitzy was not alone, it's just that his gaff was at the most crucial time.

On the flip side his role in Websters try was pure class; juggling the ball to then produce an inch perfect pass against the line he was running with precision to Dobson who then passed to Webster.

Fisher makes a few stupid decisions but he technically superb in all areas you want from a hooker.

It's fair to say Fitzhenry's main strength as a hooker is his support play, speed and physical strength when running into defenders behind the ruck. His style annoys people cos he's unorthodox yet this same style was absolutely devastating in the NRL, scoring some of the most amazing tries I have ever seen.

I don't think Cockayne is a better option at hooker because I don't think his right to left passing off the floor is good enough and has cost us dear in the past (Bradford away last season) though he's still a great option in terms of being 3rd choice.

As far as next year goes, no-one needs to worry as I'm sure Justin and the board have everything in hand - as always...

Thorman is better than fitzhenry.

I have a lot of time for this kid. His only error in the game was giving Macca the crash pass on the last in the first half when Rovers had numbers out wide. Cookie went barmy. But his defence is superb, he was first man in on all the big men locking the ball and starting the wrestle and his general play around the ruck and his decision making is excellent.

Fitzy has to go it would be stupid keeping him.

I personally think he is only been played by justin to justify signing him.

Releasing him and keeping kirk netherton would have been a miles better option.

Until you get an injury crisis and you need players who can slot in at FB, wing, centre, off half, hooker and probably do well at loose man as well. Fitzy is an ideal squad man, along with Ben we have two who can cover several positions well. Kirk is a single position player and if we want the luxury of having two of those, we need them to be top class.

Whats happened to FWO

Id personally rather have to out and out hookers in my squad and one utility man tbh. We have better second choice players in all the positions you have just named.


You can't underestimate the qualities of having a two good hookers in your team.

Folded hopefully. What a flop.

Such a shame i thought it was going to be massive aswell

Second row is his best position according to nickhkr

Cant understand why we are playing a winger in a specialised hooking role?
Is it because he's a aussie on a very big contract hence play him just to justify the salary.
It's only my opinion but i have always thought him being sh*t

if anyone else went to quins away chaz played at hooker rotating with fisher and it worked very well as both are ball players and we won the game which is also a positive as before that we had never won there

Iv allways known him being sh#t hes a shocking talentless player, the worst player in our squad by far.


And he is only being played to justify the signing.

Everyone has their own opinions but tripe like this shows you know very, very little about Rugby League.

Well said, these pillocks wouldn't know a decent RL player from a ballet dancer. Probably some of the ones who quote Fletch and Mansson as 'world class' in previous threads. Fitzy is a good quality RL player, better than a lot in SL.

Correct me if i'm wrong but terry Newton is ooc at end of year i think, might only be a stop gap cos he's gettin on a bit but could do a job, still a nasty tw#t and a very good hooker. Just a thought

There may be a somewhat over reaction to our recent loss .

Fitzy may well have been moved infield to add some zip to the attack.

Our current league standing does indicate that we are doing some things well to say the least , though of course the true indication will be at the end of the season.

I think he's playing really well and doesn't look out of place playing at hooker. Let's face it he's played there lots this season and we're not going too badly are we? Just because we lost one game (yes, i know it was an important one) doesn't mean we should start knocking players who are actually doing a very good job for us. Fitzy gets through lots of work when he's on the field and has given us an option that we otherwise might not have. I agree that he is not a world-beater and that in an ideal world we would like to have two top class hookers like Leeds and Saints, but until we are in such a position let's give Fitzy some credit for playing out of his prefered position and making a bloody good job of it.

I agree that signing another specialist hooker would probably improve the team, but for god's sake don't start on Fitzy - he's hardly Chris Thorman!