Opinion: 'Hammer' still has my respect

Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett Photo/File

As a Crusader now living in enemy territory, "the Hammer" has always had my respect.

Coming from a Nelson home and a Canterbury University education, I was there when the nuggety frontrower held sway during the one of the Red and Black's shining provincial rugby eras.

I remember watching Mark Hammett score a try at the ground- formerly-known-as-Lancaster-Park during a Ranfurly Shield mauling of North Harbour, as the front rower in his 30s jumped to his feet and joyously sprinted back to halfway in the hopes of getting another, much like we all did as little nippers playing Under 7 games.

Years later, I was the young Greymouth reporter and he was the new Crusaders assistant coach as we talked on the phone about an upcoming preseason game at Rugby Park, when he enthused just how much importance the expansion of a Tasman union would have on developing the game.

We discussed the prospects of former Coaster Tim Bateman, a then 19-year-old breaking into the Crusaders, and a future veteran who Hammett specifically tapped to come back from Japan after he made the ballsy decision in 2011 that no championship could be won if Ma'a Nonu, or Andrew Hore for that matter, remained a part of his Hurricanes.

I remember standing in a media scrum in the bowels of AMI Stadium and watching Hammett hang off Robbie Deans' shoulder, back when that Crusaders coach had the Midas touch, and carefully watching Deans' reaction to every question fired from the Fourth Estate and his subsequent smooth response.

That's the man behind the camera for you a bloke who lives this game, knows this game and I hope, even now, still loves this game.

So I bring a little sentimentality to bear against the sharpest of the criticism the worst of the vitriolic and partisan voices calling for his head on a spike.

Hurricanes CEO James Te Puni is earning every red-cent of his salary, standing behind Hammett and categorically stating his coach will not be fired during this campaign.

Whatever is felt internally from individuals, there is no campaign that could survive that much upheaval at the top from a mid-season bloodletting cut Hammett loose now and perhaps prepare for the wooden spoon.

Tonight against the Cheetahs, he has handed Chris Smylie a rare opportunity at No9, given Ardie Savea a chance to prove himself at openside, and asked Alapati Leiua to step into the shoes of Cory Jane.

There are problems he doesn't own a well-oiled machine and like any determined mechanic he is tinkering, experimenting, and hoping the spare parts he has will fire up the engine he wants.

But like any mechanic, he can't race the machine himself.

It will be the leadership of 100th cap-earning Conrad Smith, Dane Coles getting control of the lineout, Beauden Barrett finding the gaps and Ben Franks winning the cleanout which will dictate if this franchise can turn itself around in 80 minutes.

And it will be all on them come kickoff, because by then Hammett will have done all he can do.