2014 Halves Pairing

[Foordy]

I think Barba is more than capable of performing well at 5/8. Obviously if we sign Milford then Barba to fullback in a heart beat

 

[Danoz Direct]

I believe if we don't get Milford we should use our best young half and give him a chance to make his mark. Someone like Strasser, Paia'Aua or Taylor.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Agreed, throw Cullen in the mix as well, I don't want to blunt Barba's effectiveness by having him defending at 5/8th just to make Hoffman happy, team comes first and Hoffman needs to accept that.

 

[Broncoman]

How did Barba go when he played in the halves at Canterbury? I just remember him being a fullback and pre 2011 a bench player that was that filled in when a place in the back line was vacant.

 

[GCBRONCO]

How did Barba go when he played in the halves at Canterbury? I just remember him being a fullback and pre 2011 a bench player that was that filled in when a place in the back line was vacant.

Good but not anywhere near the player he showed his capable of being at fullback as he did in 2012, his shown to be the sort of player you want to be able to have a lot of free room to work with and the time to choose when to inject himself to really get the best out of him, defensively at 5/8th he would be a target and really I don't think its in his or the teams interest to have him defending there.

 

[Patto]

Agreed, throw Cullen in the mix as well, I don't want to blunt Barba's effectiveness by having him defending at 5/8th just to make Hoffman happy, team comes first and Hoffman needs to accept that.

It's not about making Hoff happy, but IF we get Milf it basically comes down to one of them being full back one 5/8th... And I think Barba is a better fullback then Milf but overall the combination of Barba in the halves and Milford at the back would be more effective imo.

End of the day if we get both we know they would both be great fullbacks and so it would come down to who can perform better in the halves during pre-season/trials.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Good but not anywhere near the player he showed his capable of being at fullback as he did in 2012, his shown to be the sort of player you want to be able to have a lot of free room to work with and the time to choose when to inject himself to really get the best out of him, defensively at 5/8th he would be a target and really I don't think its in his or the teams interest to have him defending there.

I think that's underselling him a bit. He scored 15 tries in 21 games and set up at least a half dozen more for a struggling side whilst playing only about 40-50 minutes a game. He wasn't simply there as injury cover - he went to five eighth and Ben Roberts moved either to lock or to the centres. I remember the double header at Suncorp that year where we lost to the Panthers but I was still excited to watch the second game solely because of Barba, who scored 2 tries and set up another playing off the bench.

Bulldogs v Titans Round 15 2010 - NRL Game Analyser - NRL.com - For reference.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I think that's underselling him a bit. He scored 15 tries in 21 games and set up at least a half dozen more for a struggling side whilst playing only about 40-50 minutes a game. He wasn't simply there as injury cover - he went to five eighth and Ben Roberts moved either to lock or to the centres. I remember the double header at Suncorp that year where we lost to the Panthers but I was still excited to watch the second game solely because of Barba, who scored 2 tries and set up another playing off the bench.

Bulldogs v Titans Round 15 2010 - NRL Game Analyser - NRL.com - For reference.

Perhaps I was a bit but that doesn't mean I don't rate him as a 5/8th in general and I certainly didn't say he was just there for injury cover......I just feel his shown himself to be at his best at fullback which as shown in 2012(having Barba at fullback and Hoffman on the wing presents more of a threat then Barba at 5/8th and Hoffman at fullback), Now if we do get Milford there may be indeed a case for him to play 5/8th but we can't just assume his a certainty, I'd rather have a plan in place for next season where we prepare for our future at 5/8th rather then a makeshift solution on the assumption that Milford, DCE or another playmaker of note will come.

 

[GCBRONCO]

It's not about making Hoff happy, but IF we get Milf it basically comes down to one of them being full back one 5/8th... And I think Barba is a better fullback then Milf but overall the combination of Barba in the halves and Milford at the back would be more effective imo.

End of the day if we get both we know they would both be great fullbacks and so it would come down to who can perform better in the halves during pre-season/trials.

Milford doesn't come into the equation until his actually signed, I want him at the club as much as the next person but the bottom line is at this stage the battle for fullback for next season is between Barba and Hoffman and I feel there's a strong case that Griffin will take the safer option of just pleasing Hoffman by handing him the fullback position which keeps him happy at least in the short term and play Barba at 5/8th, its not a terrible idea but IMO its not a constructive plan for the future either, I'd much rather see us give a youngster a go.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Perhaps I was a bit but that doesn't mean I don't rate him as a 5/8th in general and I certainly didn't say he was just there for injury cover......I just feel his shown himself to be at his best at fullback which as shown in 2012(having Barba at fullback and Hoffman on the wing presents more of a threat then Barba at 5/8th and Hoffman at fullback), Now if we do get Milford there may be indeed a case for him to play 5/8th but we can't just assume his a certainty, I'd rather have a plan in place for next season where we prepare for our future at 5/8th rather then a makeshift solution on the assumption that Milford, DCE or another playmaker of note will come.

Yeah the injury cover thing was in response to the guy you quoted. I'd agree that 1. Barba 2. Hoffman looks better than 1. Hoffman 6. Barba, but I'd rather the latter when the alternative at 6 is one of a host of potential debutantes that haven't exactly set the lower grades on fire when the alternative winger for the second option comes from a pool of Copley/Kahu/Vidot/Mills/Oates.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Copley hasn't shown himself to be a strike weapon, Kahu has a way to go yet to be a proven first grader, Mills is a maybe, Vidot and Oates are probably the most likely of those named but ideally you want Oates in the centres or the forwards. Hoffman has been there long enough at fullback by now to prove that his an effective attacking option for us at fullback and his not met the standard required for the type of spine we need to really make an impact in the competition. It's time to look for the future and I'd rather see us look for a longterm plan, rather then a makeshift one on an assumption that may not even eventuate and cost us a season of development.

 

[Broncoman]

Strasser has been officially signed

Meet new Bronco Zac Strasser | NRL | Zero Tackle

Give the guy a run in the trials and see how he goes

 

[jarro65]

Strasser has been officially signed

Meet new Bronco Zac Strasser | NRL | Zero Tackle

Give the guy a run in the trials and see how he goes

He's got a fair rap on him from those in the know.

I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops in the coming years.

 

[Foordy]

I may get bagged for this but:

If we get Milford, I would be tempted to play him at fullback with Barba in the halves

 

[Danoz Direct]

Its a fair comment but why not just slot Strasser into his normal position and let him develop in that position. We should leaved where he is most dangerous, my philosophy is if it aint broken don't fix it.

 

[Unbreakable]

Its a fair comment but why not just slot Strasser into his normal position and let him develop in that position. We should leaved where he is most dangerous, my philosophy is if it aint broken don't fix it.

Huh?

So you're saying if we get Milford we should just play Strasser in the halves anyway? You drunk m8?

 

[Unbreakable]

I may get bagged for this but:

If we get Milford, I would be tempted to play him at fullback with Barba in the halves

I was thinking about the same dilema yesterday, I almost think Milford would be more dangerous at Fullback, whilst Barba would probably have more touches / impact on the game as Five-Eighth, it all comes down to who has a better passing and kicking game though, I couldn't say for sure who's is better at the moment until I've watched them play together.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Huh?

So you're saying if we get Milford we should just play Strasser in the halves anyway? You drunk m8?

No I was saying if we didn't get Milford, that it was idea.