NRL: Hohaia looks forward to big challenge at Saints

Lance Hohaia. Photo / Getty Images

In the end, Lance Hohaia decided he had to leave to find his home.

Positional home, that is. In recent years Hohaia has played fullback, hooker, five-eighth and even centre for the Warriors. He's done all that pretty well - for a halfback.

When he links with English powerhouse St Helens next season, Hohaia will be installed as the club's halfback.

He will replace Kyle Eastmond, the Great Britain starlet whose league career is coming to an ugly end ahead of a switch to rugby next season.

Eastmond was recently suspended by the club for giving fans a two-fingered salute.

They can be an unforgiving bunch, English fans, and the Saints faithful have let Eastmond know exactly how they feel about his decision to join Bath and his declining form.

Before Eastmond, Saints had a decade of the brilliant Sean Long steering the ship. Now they are looking forward to four years of Hohaia. It's a heck of a challenge, and it's one he is looking forward to.

"It is a big role and there is going to be a lot of pressure on me but I wouldn't have signed if I didn't think I was up to it," Hohaia said.

"I definitely think I am most natural in the halves. That is where I grew up playing and that is where I feel most comfortable.

"It has always been a spot I've wanted to play. I haven't played regularly there at NRL level and it is definitely a spot I want to give a crack. It has taken me 10 years to really get here."

Here, of course, is actually over there. Hohaia made no bones about the fact he will be well paid. For a 28 year-old with 10 seasons on the clock, the financial security of a four-year deal was hard to turn down.

With the Warriors offering only a one-year extension - and wanting even to wait and see on that - Hohaia's choice was effectively made for him.

The long-term signing of fullback Glen Fisiiahi and hooker Nathan Friend suggested the writing might be on the wall for a player who will go down as the greatest utility the club has seen - and possibly ever will.

Hohaia inked the Saints deal not long after being dropped for the round four match against Cronulla after a tough start to the season. That wasn't, he insisted, the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I don't think so. I had these thoughts many months ago, thinking about my future and where I want to go. I'm happy with my time here at the club. I just feel in my heart it is the right decision to move on and experience something new.

"It is definitely going to be sad for me to leave. It is a decision I agonised over. My heart has always been here at the Warriors and I was always leaning to wanting to stay, but I feel it is the right decision. [The Warriors] definitely gave me the opportunity to stay. In the end it was my decision to leave. That's just the nature of the industry I'm in."

Hohaia has been named to start at fullback in place of the injured Fisiiahi in the only change to the starting line-up to face Manly on Saturday night.

Brookvale Oval, 7.30pm Saturday

MANLY
Brett Stewart
Michael Robertson
Jamie Lyon (c)
Steve Matai
Will Hopoate
Kieran Foran
Daly Cherry-Evans
Jason King (c)
Matt Ballin
Brent Kite
Anthony Watmough
Joe Galuvao
Glenn Stewart

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Bill Tupou
Shaun Berrigan
Simon Mannering (c)
Krisnan Inu
Feleti Mateo
James Maloney
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Jacob Lillyman
Lewis Brown
Elijah Taylor
Micheal Luck

Manly: Terence Seuseu, Jamie Buhrer, George Rose, Vic Mauro, Tim Robinson, Michael Oldfield, Tony Williams.

Warriors: Jeremy Latimore, Ben Matulino, Ukuma Ta'ai, Russell Packer, Sione Lousi.