Recruitment freeze lifted

[Rugbyintheblood]

I would still love for his, wasps and England’s sake for Alfie to give hooker a real go. He is obviously great in the back row but the difference between him and other back rowers such as Tom Willis isn’t big and he is limited as a line out jumper. If he was able to still bring his power at hooker and his throwing in was up to it then the difference between him and the next would be big. He is potentially an international class backrow but i think potentially a world class hooker. Lots of ifs there but it would mean some more backrow cover was needed.

Yes all that makes sense to me. Jones tells Alfie to go to the back row - but will he ever pick him there? Evidently not yet.

Look there is no argument that he’s a force of nature.

I echo your comment - he does have the potential to be a world class hooker.

[coddy]

I disagree, I believe Alfie is at his best running off the back of a scrum or as a crash ball runner from line outs. Getting tied in and tired out from front row scrummaging and line out throwing takes away a lot of his running with the ball threats.

I'm happy for him and Tom Willis to share the load at number 8.

[Neils]

I disagree, I believe Alfie is at his best running off the back of a scrum or as a crash ball runner from line outs. Getting tied in and tired out from front row scrummaging and line out throwing takes away a lot of his running with the ball threats.

I'm happy for him and Tom Willis to share the load at number 8.

The problem with Alfie's crash ball tecnique last season is teams have wortked him out. Tom makes more consistent ground.

[BdeB]

I disagree, I believe Alfie is at his best running off the back of a scrum or as a crash ball runner from line outs. Getting tied in and tired out from front row scrummaging and line out throwing takes away a lot of his running with the ball threats.

I'm happy for him and Tom Willis to share the load at number 8.

But this is what we don’t know without trying it out. Will there be a big drop off in his running game? Maybe his power at scrummaging would be a huge asset? What is clear is that he won’t be a regular line out option so you have to find that elsewhere. Ideally all your back 5 can be jumpers, everyone that is not reduces your options and makes you more predictable to defend against.

[wasps]

I disagree, I believe Alfie is at his best running off the back of a scrum or as a crash ball runner from line outs. Getting tied in and tired out from front row scrummaging and line out throwing takes away a lot of his running with the ball threats.

I'm happy for him and Tom Willis to share the load at number 8.

But this is what we don’t know without trying it out. Will there be a big drop off in his running game? Maybe his power at scrummaging would be a huge asset? What is clear is that he won’t be a regular line out option so you have to find that elsewhere. Ideally all your back 5 can be jumpers, everyone that is not reduces your options and makes you more predictable to defend against.

This all assumes that he has any real background as a hooker.


I'm aware that he played some agree grade games at hooker.
The only match report that I was able to find says that he was an absolute beast, but his lineout throwing was wayward.


Since then he has said that he only ever played a few games at hooker so it's not even a natural position for him.




We may as well be talking about training Jack Willis as a hooker

[BdeB]

I disagree, I believe Alfie is at his best running off the back of a scrum or as a crash ball runner from line outs. Getting tied in and tired out from front row scrummaging and line out throwing takes away a lot of his running with the ball threats.

I'm happy for him and Tom Willis to share the load at number 8.

But this is what we don’t know without trying it out. Will there be a big drop off in his running game? Maybe his power at scrummaging would be a huge asset? What is clear is that he won’t be a regular line out option so you have to find that elsewhere. Ideally all your back 5 can be jumpers, everyone that is not reduces your options and makes you more predictable to defend against.

This all assumes that he has any real background as a hooker.


I'm aware that he played some agree grade games at hooker.
The only match report that I was able to find says that he was an absolute beast, but his lineout throwing was wayward.


Since then he has said that he only ever played a few games at hooker so it's not even a natural position for him.




We may as well be talking about training Jack Willis as a hooker

He played hooker all his youth representative career and for England age groups at hooker, that is about as good a pedigree as a young player could have. The Jack Willis comment is a bit silly isn’t it. You don’t get 6’3 hookers.

[wasps]

This all assumes that he has any real background as a hooker.


I'm aware that he played some agree grade games at hooker.
The only match report that I was able to find says that he was an absolute beast, but his lineout throwing was wayward.


Since then he has said that he only ever played a few games at hooker so it's not even a natural position for him.




We may as well be talking about training Jack Willis as a hooker

He played hooker all his youth representative career and for England age groups at hooker, that is about as good a pedigree as a young player could have. The Jack Willis comment is a bit silly isn’t it. You don’t get 6’3 hookers.

This is the article I'd read that led me to believe that he'd played very little at hooker

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/the-unlikely-alfie-barbeary-schoolboy-position-that-ended-at-wasps/


The Jack comment was obviously tongue in cheek, but Jack is only 2 inches taller than Alfie.
Looking around the top European leagues, it seems there's a lot of Hookers at 6'1/6'2.... Admittedly none at 6'3 though

[Egret]

Never understood why hookers 'have' to throw the ball into the lineout as it's a thankless task (ex hooker who was lucky to hit a barn door)

[wasps]

Never understood why hookers 'have' to throw the ball into the lineout as it's a thankless task (ex hooker who was lucky to hit a barn door)

I think it's more a case that since it has become the norm, no one else practices it.


As the game got analysed in greater detail, it was probably identified that in an attacking lineout, the hooker wasn't doing anything else... And as things have progressed, they seem very good at joining the back of a maul from the lineout.


It also allows both wings to be in position should there be a fast attack off the top

[Rossm]

Never understood why hookers 'have' to throw the ball into the lineout as it's a thankless task (ex hooker who was lucky to hit a barn door)

I'm also an ex-hooker and I never threw a ball in ever. Always the wing who used various self patented methods to get it towards the lineout. I stood at 1 and my job was either to clatter their scrum half or prevent their hooker clattering ours. Of course there was no lifting in my day and it was all a bit of a free for all and, with the ref always standing in field, how I did it was irrelevant. Lovely stuff

[RogerE]

Never understood why hookers 'have' to throw the ball into the lineout as it's a thankless task (ex hooker who was lucky to hit a barn door)

I'm also an ex-hooker and I never threw a ball in ever. Always the wing who used various self patented methods to get it towards the lineout. I stood at 1 and my job was either to clatter their scrum half or prevent their hooker clattering ours. Of course there was no lifting in my day and it was all a bit of a free for all and, with the ref always standing in field, how I did it was irrelevant. Lovely stuff

Played in the same era, but I was a centre/winger and hated having to throw-in. The thrower was always in the wrong if it didn't go to whoever it was aimed at, despite the fact that the forwards were more interested in their own little punch-ups rather than looking at the ball.

[Mellie]

Never understood why hookers 'have' to throw the ball into the lineout as it's a thankless task (ex hooker who was lucky to hit a barn door)

I'm also an ex-hooker and I never threw a ball in ever. Always the wing who used various self patented methods to get it towards the lineout. I stood at 1 and my job was either to clatter their scrum half or prevent their hooker clattering ours. Of course there was no lifting in my day and it was all a bit of a free for all and, with the ref always standing in field, how I did it was irrelevant. Lovely stuff

Played in the same era, but I was a centre/winger and hated having to throw-in. The thrower was always in the wrong if it didn't go to whoever it was aimed at, despite the fact that the forwards were more interested in their own little punch-ups rather than looking at the ball.

I remember playing a school match in that era as a winger. As you say Roger, the forwards just enjoyed a scrap, so I threw the ball over the back of them, and ran round in support, at which point the ball bounced up into my arms and I ran through and scored!

I now play hooker and still have to throw the ball in at lineouts.