: Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:27 pm  

Starbug wrote:

Penky is the best player in the Championships full stop

Just a pity he's playing for you lot instead of us

I'd argue that, as good as Penky is, Gleeson is a step above.

Fev REALLY Missed out there.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:25 pm  

Cameron Smith by a country mile

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:38 pm  

Brew wrote:

I'd argue that, as good as Penky is, Gleeson is a step above.

Fev REALLY Missed out there.

Agree Gleeson is better than Penky but there still the best 2 hookers in this league.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:30 pm  

Beswick has looked very good indeed at hooker since Gleese has been injured . . . will he get anymore game time there?

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:37 pm  

Beswick's favourite position is hooker, but he'd never get a look in at Widnes when Smith was fit, because having watched the two players for the last few years for us, Smith is bar far the better hooker. I'd agree that Penky is a better player than Smith, but it's even with Gleeson. Gleeson can't play for 80 minutes, otherwise he'd still be at Warrington, and Penky doesn't play 80 mins either, Smith does every week.

When Smith doesn't play, it has a major effect on us as his passing, defence and organisation is all very good. Some people judge hookers on alot more than scooting from dummy half.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:00 pm  

AJ Viking wrote:

Beswick's favourite position is hooker, but he'd never get a look in at Widnes when Smith was fit, because having watched the two players for the last few years for us, Smith is bar far the better hooker. I'd agree that Penky is a better player than Smith, but it's even with Gleeson. Gleeson can't play for 80 minutes, otherwise he'd still be at Warrington, and Penky doesn't play 80 mins either, Smith does every week.

When Smith doesn't play, it has a major effect on us as his passing, defence and organisation is all very good. Some people judge hookers on alot more than scooting from dummy half.

Penky can play 80 minutes, he's just not as effective. Look at all the best teams, they've all got 2 good hookers who interchange, Saints with cunnigham and roby, Leeds with Diskin and buderus. Not sure who your back up hooker is? but the reason why smith possibly plays 80 minutes every week is that your reserve hooker is a big step down from smith.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:06 pm  

Blueboy wrote:

Penky can play 80 minutes, he's just not as effective. Look at all the best teams, they've all got 2 good hookers who interchange, Saints with cunnigham and roby, Leeds with Diskin and buderus. Not sure who your back up hooker is? but the reason why smith possibly plays 80 minutes every week is that your reserve hooker is a big step down from smith.

Exactly right, but thats my point that if Smith was an interchange hooker, he may scoot more etc. as Penky and Glees can do.

Our reserve hooker is Brett Robinson who we got from Wigan's A team, and is a million miles behind Smith by the look of things/

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:10 pm  

AJ Viking wrote:

Exactly right, but thats my point that if Smith was an interchange hooker, he may scoot more etc. as Penky and Glees can do.

Our reserve hooker is Brett Robinson who we got from Wigan's A team, and is a million miles behind Smith by the look of things/

Has Duffy ever played there? I'm sure some people will say it's a bad shout but he's playing loose forward now which he hasn't played much of so could be worth a go at hooker. Plus if it gives Smith a chance to rest he could be more effective.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:27 pm  

Not really, he went there for short spells pre-season when McCormack was giving everyone game time but he wasn't too effective. Maybe he needs more time there to learn the role? Certainly an option.

McCormack was a fan of Smith playing the full game as he never used him and Beswick amongst the hookers, Beswick always played loose forward. Now I don't think Cullen has a choice, though with regards to when he was at Warrington he used Clarke and Gleeson as interchange hookers so he may look into it.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:03 pm  

My first choice Hooker outside SL would definately be Gleeson.
I agree that Penky is, at times, devastating. But he has a habit of making some poor decisions, particular about his passing. He often fires passes at prop forwards chests which are almost impossible to hold on to and on far too many occasions he give the flat pass too late, and the ball, attacker and defender all arrive in the same place at the same time.
Gleeson plays mistake free rugby, looks to have all the time in the world with the ball in hand, hardly seems to break in to a jog and oppostition still struggle to get 2 hands on him. Defensively he is solid as a rock.

Halifax have the best 2 hookers in the division, and with beswick we have one of the best all round rugby players.