stillinthepast wrote:
Martin Dermot was one of those hookers who could get a quick pass out and he could also scoot when needed, but his greatest attribute in my mind was the ability to get the pass out in one movement from the floor with accuracy on it coupled with good length of pass so as to give the receiver a bit of room.
Also he was not afraid of a bit of biff, I will never forget him piling into the Aussie Paul Harrigan ( in Aus 1992 I think) when Harrigan smacked a GB teammate of Dermot, Harigan was about 6" taller and 4st heavier.
I treasure the video of that match along with the Wigan win in Brisbane in 1994, every time I fancy a R/L uplift I watch them.
Indeed, without getting off topic too much, he was just so quick thinking, he could spot what to do and exploit gaps so well with either quick ball (it's all feet placement, something nobody ever mentions about a hooker) or a run, or a step and draw in a defender for someone hitting a gap. There isn't a player like him in SL which saddens me, just like Andy Gregory, both genius on a rugby field, but sadly would be too unfashionable these days.
These were players who could open a defence that was only taken back 5 yards and not 10.