Which “top clubs” have had success with a 2 hooker system? The 2015 or 2017 Cowboys? The 2021 minor premiers Storm who didn’t make the GF?
Top 4 last year were all teams with 80 minute hookers. 18 of 20 teams in GF’s in the last 10 years had 80 minute hookers (injuries aside).
QLD do it in origin, sure - but in origin there is more ball in play, the opposition can’t do video on you, and the bloke on the bench is a top 10 player in the world (and often plays other roles in the game).
I think most NRL coaches have a preference for an 80 minute player at hooker. There are less than 17 of those players in the league though, so some teams are forced to do it differently.
Teams this season with 2 dummy halves
*Panthers (Kenny/Luke)
*Broncos (Paix/Walters)
*Raiders (Woolford/Levi/Starling) *Dolphins (Marshall King/Stone/Nikorima/Donohoe)
*Tigers (Koroisau/Simpkin) *Dragons (Mbye/Liddle)
*Roosters (Smith/Turpin)
*Eels (Hodgson/Hands)
*Knights (Brailey/Crossland)
*Sea Eagles (Croker/Lawton/Weekes)
*Bulldogs (Mahoney/Brown)
*Titans (Randall/Verills/Clarke)
with 1 dummy half
*Storm (Grant)
*Warriors (Egan/Lussick)
*Sharks (Brailey)
*Rabbitohs (Cook)
*Cowboys (Robson, although they have Granville, and Townsend and Dearden also tend to come in at dummy half to give Robson a break)
Lets say the game got faster with the rule changes 2019 onwards
2019 Roosters had Verills, Friend, Radley in the season, Verills and Friend GF. Raiders had Hodgson and Havili during season but chose to have Simonson on the bench for grand final instead of another dummy half
2020 Storm had Smith and Smith, Panthers had Koroisau and Kenny during season but chose to have Naden on the bench for grand final instead of another dummy half.
2021 Panthers had Koroisau and Kenny during season but chose to have May on the bench for grand final. Rabbitohs chose to use Marshall as utility
2022 Panthers had Koroisau and Kenny. Eels had Mahoney and chose to have Arthar on the bench