Corey - Yes, man! Or Norman?

[nopatience101]

Norman has the skill set, he just lacks the vision atm and FB is the best place for him to develop that.

 

[broncos4life]

Norman has the skill set, he just lacks the vision atm and FB is the best place for him to develop that.

agreed

 

[Nashy]

So we drop Hoffman for a complete nuffie?

 

[Bucking Beads]

So we drop Hoffman for a complete nuffie?

I'd say they are both right up there in the nuffie stakes.

 

[Porthoz]

It's probably illegal, but can we take both players into a lab and build a hybrid with Hoffman's defensive abilities and Norman's attacking instincts?

 

[Nashy]

What attacking instinct? To run into a tackler every time he touches the ball instead of sending it out wide to centres and wingers who have massive, massive gaps to run?

 

[Black Philip]

If we're cloning footballers we might as well bring Lockyer back to the fold. Circa September 2006 thanks.

 

[Bull Shark]

personally don't see what the fuss is about with C.Norman ... he's not a outstanding runner of the ball, he doesn't throw a great pass and doesn't have a terrific short kicking game ... so how and why is he so talented according to many ?

don't get me wrong, something might emerge with him in the future but purely on what I've seen of him so far, I can't nominate one aspect of his game that makes him a supposedly great talent ..??

I think its pretty obvious when you see a player who is a genuinely good half in the making ... even if they're not the finished product at the time, they always have that instinctive creativity that makes you think there's something exciting about them ... Norman hasn't shown that imo ... to me he looks like someone who's clearly better suited in another position but really wants to be a five eigth ... and it's just not happening ..

imo he's a good athlete and a potentially capable first grade NRL player, just needs to find his niche ... be it as a fullback or a lock ect.

 

[Porthoz]

What attacking instinct? To run into a tackler every time he touches the ball instead of sending it out wide to centres and wingers who have massive, massive gaps to run?

In comparison to Hoffman, he's an amazing attacking machine!

At least he's there to take advantage of line breaks and offloads, can kick a ball, can time his runs, and although he needs to learn to do it more often, he can throw a cut-out pass! None of this can be said about Hoffman.

 

[Nashy]

Hoffman isn't a half either.

 

[broncos4life]

In comparison to Hoffman, he's an amazing attacking machine!

At least he's there to take advantage of line breaks and offloads, can kick a ball, can time his runs, and although he needs to learn to do it more often, he can throw a cut-out pass! None of this can be said about Hoffman.

That's very true. In fact if you had to say what Norman's best asset was IMO it is support play.... which is what we are so desperately missing at the moment. I. like others on here were so p***ed after hodges made that break and no one supported. FFS that is basic basic s*** and you could see hodgo was f***ed off

 

[Porthoz]

Hoffman isn't a half either.

Those are basic attacking skills any fullback needs nowadays. Hoffman has none!

 

[Nashy]

Those are basic attacking skills any fullback needs nowadays. Hoffman has none!

Since when?

Last I checked, the superstars that people think are Fullbacks, are to be handed the ball, and run into a gap provided by their halves. Teaching a fullback that junk is a waste of coaching time. IMO.

 

[Coxy]

Since when?

Last I checked, the superstars that people think are Fullbacks, are to be handed the ball, and run into a gap provided by their halves. Teaching a fullback that junk is a waste of coaching time. IMO.

It's just as important for a fullback to anticipate where the best place to run is - ie, a gap. Hoffman doesn't do that. Slater is masterful at it.

 

[Nashy]

It's easy when the only players you see Slater play with are the QLD halves.

 

[Coxy]

It's easy when the only players you see Slater play with are the QLD halves.

Well yes, there is that, but again, he puts himself in the right position. As inept as Wallace and Norman are in the halves, Hoffman never gave them that opportunity either.

 

[Nashy]

These threads are depressing. It just highlights how fucking shit some of our most vital positions are. I hope Prince can find some good form and rip it up this year.

 

[Coxy]

Yeah, it's depressing. Our spine is a joke.

Fullback: Hoffman, one dimensional. Norman, no dimensional. Bond, who?
Five-eighth: Norman, nuffy. Wallace, mediocre. Prince, old. Hunt, slow.
Halfback: Wallace, mediocre. Prince, old. Hunt, average.
Hooker: McCullough, solid, consistent but not spectacular. Hunt, average. Granville, unproven. Baptiste, meh.

God help us.