20 year old Michael
Hooper and 19 year old Liam Gill have been frustrating, bewildering and
generally annoying opposition on a consistent basis throughout this year’s
Super 15 competition. Hooper plying his trade on Brumbies openside flank has
helped his team to the top of the Australian conference and has recently been called
into the Wallaby squad for the June internationals against Wales. Hooper
standing at only 5 foot 11 and weighing 97kg is already developing a physique
similar to that of Pocock but does he have skills at the break down to match? Surprising,
Hooper has just 11 turnovers this year but combined with his ability to slow
ball down on the deck, as well as his 160 tackles, he has become a highly
influential figure for the Brumbies outfit. Super Hooper is undoubtedly a
prestigious talent, blessed with an imposing presence, self-sacrificing bravery
and an eye for a turnover… or so we here at The Certain Interpretation thought…
DUN DUN DUHH!
Liam Gill is
currently the starting openside flanker for the Queensland Reds and has been in
pretty good form for the past 15 weeks of competition. Unexpectedly Gill is
taller than Hooper at 6 foot 1 and weighs 95kg although on the pitch Hooper
looks by far the superior physical specimen. First off it’s hard to believe
Gill is actually as big as the statistics say he is, as he radiates fragility
on the pitch. A comparison can be drawn between Gill and David de Gea, both
small under-gymed and drowning in their shirts. However the statistics don’t lie.
Gill has 23 turnovers this season, only one shy of Pocock, has made 155 tackles
and only conceded 11 penalties. These stats are incredible when compared to
Hooper’s 11 turnovers and 8 penalties. Hooper’s turnovers only outstrip his
penalties by 28.2%... this is a pretty unimpressive margin. Gill on the other
hand has a margin of 52.2% between his penalty count and his total number of
turnovers. Statistically, in terms of fetching, Gill is nearly twice the player
compared to Hooper.
Animal instinct and
our guts say Hooper but our brains and cold hard statistics say Gill. Quite the
conundrum. The solution lies in the fact that Hooper is a more rounded player;
he dominates the break down, carries reasonably well for a smaller dynamic
flanker and has been known to make nearly 30 tackles a game. He does this
whilst imposing his presence on the game… Hooper comes across as a big player
bred for big matches. Gill is evidently more specialized in stealing the ball
at the breakdown but does not offer the complete all rounded player that Hooper
is and is becoming. The boy can’t carry… Although we have to remember he is
only 19 so his physicality in the contact area and presence on the pitch will
improve drastically over the next few years.
Personally, I would
pick super Hooper every time. The stats can get stuffed! It comes down to an
issue of all round game and most importantly PRESENCE, which Hooper has by the
bucket load and Gill is yet to develop. It is a blessing that neither has taken
the path of Derick Minnie who clearly believes he is one of the world’s best flankers,
flopping all over the ball and achieving a horrendous penalty count of 26 so
far this season. Please Derick, call it a day, you ruin the game as a spectacle
(not that Lions games are ever much of a spectacle) and are giving a bad name
to backrows everywhere.
Hungover as always,
LC
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