Rather have neither of them, but i get your point.

Hame can cover prop and 2nd row and could be a bloody good player if coached right...we have Obst and possibly Newton to cover Houghton.

If we did this:
In:
McKinnon (Full back)
Seymour (Scrum half)
Ellis (scrum half)
Heremaia (hooker)
2 forwards


Out:
Phelps (Full back)
Long (scrum half)
Washbrook (hooker/utility)
Fitzgibbon (LF/prop)
Lauaki (2nd row)
Burnett (2nd row)

Retain:
Horne
O'Meley
Moa
Dowes

IMO this would be upgrading at FB, scrum half and hooker, but we'd need 2 forwards. However, it's time for one of those to be an academy promotion - bit fed up of waiting for one or two to get their chance. If we can get a very good forward signing, I think the squad looks better. Also, could we get Scott Wheeldon back? Bit short of homegrown players.

Can never have too many hookers

Can't even get in rovers team

Noticed that....great career move.

I don't disagree and think like you that we'll end up with one back too many and one forward too few which is why I'm really hoping we're getting one or two academy players ready for next year. At hooker we've been very lucky with Houghton's been injury free (touch wood!) this season and has played a tonne of minutes, which is as well because we've needed Obst to cover Long and Washy's been injured. I can see that we would want more at hooker. But I do think we're one over in the halves as it stands with Seymour, Ellis, Horne, Obst and Westy as cover.

Depends how you look at it. Whilst they can do a job there if pushed, I would personally prefer not to see either Obst or Westerman in the halves next year. Also, with the possible lightness in the pack we're talking about (particularly the back row by the look of it so far), I don't see how we'd be able to afford for Westerman to move from there. The 2 signed up players I don't see much use for next year are Obst, and Turner if Gleeson gets sorted.

A term of affection, clearly. Come back when you've gone a year without a Companies House fine, have met your ground improvement pledges made in March 2008 and have a credit rating that's not, well.... Oh, and binned Cockayne.

I disagree with that. I think we are very lucky that our only recognised number 9 hasnt suffered from injury so far this year.

Houghton is a quality number 9 but has his limitations which other teams are more then aware of. Great scooter and defender with decent distribution skills but maybe we need a bit more from such a pivotal positon and Houghton spelling Heremaia may just provide more from an attacking point of view.

People are writing off heremaia before they even seen him

I disagree with that and think we have been very fortunate that Houghton hasnt suffered any injuries this year given our lack of backup.

Houghton is a quality player, excellent at scooting, strong defender most the time and decent distributor but the top teams seem to have more at number 9 skill base wise and hopefully Heremaia and Houghton spelling each can compliment each other and can give Hull and attacking extra from that point of view.

1,6,7 and 9 run the team nowadays and by adding a different skill set to compliment Houghton at 9 may be a smart move IMO.