Richard Loe: Brett shows Jekyll and Hyde sides

I was backing Stephen Brett to have a big game against the Hurricanes. I'd heard he hadn't gone too well in the first two trial games so thought he was due.

But, unfortunately for the Blues, he didn't quite pull it off. His opening try showed how effective he can be when he attacks the line at speed and he created John Afoa's try with his quick footwork.

He is talented but, unfortunately, he also threw an intercept pass you could see coming from a long way off and that effectively killed off the Blues' chances.

At this level, if you do 10 things quite well but then make one major blunder, it's the one mistake that everyone focuses on and remembers.

I don't think Brett is a risk-taker, as such, it's more that he doesn't yet have the ability to consistently make good decisions. He doesn't seem to be able to err on the side of caution and if he thinks there is a chance something will come off, he'll decide to give it a try.

It was obvious the Blues wanted to set the tempo of the game early and they made the mistake of using their pace as the foundation rather than building something more concrete through possession and territory.

They will be feeling a little anxious now as it's always tough when you lose a home game. Maybe this week we will see more from Alby Mathewson, who wasn't given much opportunity at Albany.

I'm still convinced he's a bloody good little halfback and that will come through as the competition develops.

As for the Hurricanes, they impressed me with the way they came back in the second half. Coach Colin Cooper said their comeback was largely down to captain Andrew Hore and the senior players taking control and demanding a lift in performance.

Making Hore captain was a smart move and one which I think could pay dividends for the Hurricanes. Hore has been around for a long time and is one of those guys who is respected by everyone.

He doesn't say much but what he does say is worth listening to. He's the kind of captain who will say his piece and he'll say it directly without some players getting all snotty about it.

Clearly that worked for the Hurricanes as they responded strongly when they really had to. In the past we all know the Hurricanes have had the ability to be a quality team but have dropped their bundle for no obvious reason.

The key for them is to produce consistent performances, and Friday night was encouraging.

Maybe not so encouraging for Rodney So'oialo as he is going to find it tough to win back a place in the starting team. There will be those who say Rodney's time has gone and that through age, loss of form or whatever, it's time for him to move over.

But let's say Victor Vito pulls up short in a few weeks, So'oialo is going to be a fantastic man to have in reserve.

I wouldn't write So'oialo off - he's a seasoned campaigner; he's hard and he's committed and there is always room in this game for players with those qualities.