Billy did have a particularly good trial. Paix and Turpin didn't.
I'm sure no one has forgotten he did land the bench position, and then moved to start. You might also remember few were singing his praises at the end of that season. I said he should use the 2022 season to land a job elsewhere to save his old man the pain of having to demote him, or worse come under fire for favouring him. That was translated into "Billy hate."
He's not the side's biggest problem, but his inability to play long minutes, hand the aforesaid issue with his father are still looming wet patches on the bed.
He wasn't our worst player against the Sharks, that's for sure. But Mozer should be in the team now, and Smoothy has been the better hooker this season on average.
I agree there's decisions to be made moving forwards, but I don't agree that Mozer should be in the team now. He's only played 30-odd games of Cup. Next year he will be more ready, this year I think injury cover is where he should be. He's right where he should be IMO, learning his trade and mixing it with the big boys at training.
The issue really comes from how he plays - he's a big minute hooker by all reports, who works himself into the game. More of a Cam Smith than an Api K for example (not a comparison of the player, just the way he plays, to be clear). Billy is halves cover in the event we lose a #6 or #7 throughout a game, and Smoothy has shown he is also capable of big minutes in that situation.
So realistically you'd probably want Mozer starting next year and either Billy or Smoothy off the bench, in which case Billy probably has to get the nod due to his halves cover - but Smoothy I think is probably the better bench hooker based on what we've seen to date. But he's also IMO too good for that and would probably get a start at a few other clubs. IMO Smoothy could be an 80-min hooker, he's shown he can do it on occasion and he's held his own remarkably well in those games. Tyson I believe is also more consistent than Billy.
Without Mozer in the wings, the rotation works. Trying to bring Mozer into first grade though in a way that suits his game, is going to be a real challenge due to the other pieces of the puzzle we have in that position. If Billy didn't bring halves cover I think he's the one left out based on performances this year, but especially with Reyno we can't overlook that cover. So then Smoothy is the one left out and I think that's really unfair because he's really solid and IMO has outplayed Billy for the most part this year. Alternatively, delay Mozer another year...but I don't think we can without losing him, that would be 3 full years in Cup...
I like Billy but probably for sentimental reasons as much as anything he does on the field. When he gets it right he's pretty damn good, but he is inconsistent. I really like Tyson too and the way he goes about his business, head down, works hard, he's well and truly earnt his place and he's really solid. Is Mozer going to be better?
I don't envy the upcoming decisions in this space but boy I hope the brains trust get it right.
