2015 Halves

[theshed]

Hunt is great, and Barba is showing potential. The current issue is as a pair they aren't complimentary at this point.

Our team lacks direction and if Hunt, Barba or Macca can't stand up in this department one of them will have to be replaced by someone who can, despite their levels of individual skill.

Watching Cronk tonight was amazing. He directed the team in a way that only Thurston can come close to replicating and it made me miss Locky. Cronks kicking game is currently second to none.

I don't know what the answer is. I guess best case scenario Hunt develops into an organiser but if not one of those 3 spine players need to go. Though individually they all deserve to stay.

Unless Bennet finds a way to bypass the problem like Hasler has with the dogs.

 

[Porthoz]

7. Hunt
6. Hodges.

If I was going to bring one of the u20s through it would Duncan P. he is an organiser plays a simple game and looks to work for those around him. Taylor looks like a u20s half - looks good against loose defence, first option is always himself just like K. Nikorimi. Taylor needs some time in the ISC because he is clearly the most talented of the young guys, he is just not a great partner for Hunt at present.

Have you actually seen Taylor play? Because that sentence tells me you haven't...

 

[Unbreakable]

Yeah Taylor is like the polar opposite of Nikorima, Nikorima is all about speed and going himself, Taylor is about finesse and hitting crisp cut out passes.

 

[zappa]

7. Hunt
6. Barba

if u think thier combo hasnt been good, u obvoiusly havnt been watching footy, i cant wait to see what that pair are like after a full offseason of training, they will give peirce and maloney a run for thier money, i gaurantee it, and if bennet ruins a good thing i say bring hook back lol!

milford to fullback, hodges back to centre, front row, maguire and kennedy ( **** that pissing **** packer off, if bennet truthfully wants him, i question bennets policeman carrer back in the day) mcCoullagh is a bloody good hooker, not the kind u would pick up on the corner of palmy ave and the gold coast hwy, but a good hooker none the less, and i beleber he will be a good enough replacement for smith once he'sretired.

also everyone should lighten up on the glenn hate!, the mofo's been safe as **** all year!, yea i get it he hasnt scoreed many a try but he has had hoffman on his right for most of the year and that little kick he put through for reed a couple weeks ago was beautiful as ****.

vidot, has been a meter eater of the fucking century, if he aint on the wing he should be ion the back row....BUT, i beleive the meters he makes from being on the wong are invaluable, and there isnt anyone in the nrl who comes close to making the meteres he has on the wing...so fucking hats off to vidot..

hunt, what can i say, that little bugger has been our best all year, sure he was quite tonight and has a coupe of off games but ****, the improvemtn he has shown is immense, the **** will be qld HB in a couple years fo sho

 

[broncos4life]

Have you actually seen Taylor play? Because that sentence tells me you haven't...

Yep completely agree here. If you think Taylor doesn't organize and always looks to go himself you haven't watched him play, or your confusing him with one of the nikorimas

 

[jarro65]

Hunt/Barba.

A full preseason together will be invaluable.

 

[Brett]

7. Hunt
6. Barba

if u think thier combo hasnt been good, u obvoiusly havnt been watching footy, i cant wait to see what that pair are like after a full offseason of training, they will give peirce and maloney a run for thier money, i gaurantee it, and if bennet ruins a good thing i say bring hook back lol!

milford to fullback, hodges back to centre, front row, maguire and kennedy ( **** that pissing **** packer off, if bennet truthfully wants him, i question bennets policeman carrer back in the day) mcCoullagh is a bloody good hooker, not the kind u would pick up on the corner of palmy ave and the gold coast hwy, but a good hooker none the less, and i beleber he will be a good enough replacement for smith once he'sretired.

also everyone should lighten up on the glenn hate!, the mofo's been safe as **** all year!, yea i get it he hasnt scoreed many a try but he has had hoffman on his right for most of the year and that little kick he put through for reed a couple weeks ago was beautiful as ****.

vidot, has been a meter eater of the fucking century, if he aint on the wing he should be ion the back row....BUT, i beleive the meters he makes from being on the wong are invaluable, and there isnt anyone in the nrl who comes close to making the meteres he has on the wing...so fucking hats off to vidot..

hunt, what can i say, that little bugger has been our best all year, sure he was quite tonight and has a coupe of off games but ****, the improvemtn he has shown is immense, the **** will be qld HB in a couple years fo sho

If only all our players could get on the wong too!

 

[Danoz Direct]

I think if Barba loses weight to regain his former speed, will be a far more dangerous half. I think the extra weight has been the problem this year as speed is his best asset.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I think if Barba loses weight to regain his former speed, will be a far more dangerous half. I think the extra weight has been the problem this year as speed is his best asset.

Then he will revert back to being a complete turnstile in defence. Double edged sword danoz.....

 

[arieals]

Hope they have hunt @ 7, Milford @ 6 and a young, quick ball player @ full-back - maybe Taylor. Ever since Barba got injured playing at the dogs he's lost pace and keeps getting run down when he's in space. The Broncos spent way to much money on Barba :(

 

[Rabbir]

1. Milford
2. Vidot
3. Boyd
4. Hodges
5. Copley
6. Barba
7. Hunt

 

[unnerv1ng]

Hope they have hunt @ 7, Milford @ 6 and a young, quick ball player @ full-back - maybe Taylor. Ever since Barba got injured playing at the dogs he's lost pace and keeps getting run down when he's in space. The Broncos spent way to much money on Barba :(

Taylor at fullback?? Taylor is a born and bred half mate. Although I would still like to see him have a stint in ISC before getting thrown into first grade next year (It feels like everybody is throwing him into first grade after we finally got some under 20s on telly - Yeah he will be a solid first grader in time but I think Barba deserves his chance.)

I believe he will come off the bench for us at some stage next year. From what I have seen over the last month I would assume we will be seeing Barbs at 6 and Hunt at 7.

And by the way, we paid massive understanding for Barba.

 

[Foordy]

1. Milford
2. Vidot
3. Boyd
4. Hodges
5. Copley
6. Barba
7. Hunt

If Boyd comes, i would swap Boyd and Copley ... Copley is far more dangerous than Boyd in the centers. Boyd is a finisher ... put him on the wing and let him do what his best at finishing.

 

[Ari Gold]

FFS, we have given Barba less than 2 months to grow into the role. it even took Lockyer over a year to be fully comfortable with the transition from fullback to 5/8 and he is a true lengend of the game.

It will take time ... people need patience. but that comodity seems lacking around here, if they don't carve up immediately people have a go at them

I agree with a lot of what you said and I agree that Barba has got better and showed a lot of potential. However, my reasoning for the Taylor love is because even though Barba has shown improvement and potential, as a combination, I don't feel Barba and Hunt have shown a lot of potential. Both have been good as individuals but they don't really see to work together or compliment each other's styles and I haven't seen an improvement in that area.

Maybe this will come in the off-season, but in terms of their styles, Taylor looks more suited to Hunt's than Barba.

 

[Painin the Haas]

Taylor at fullback?? Taylor is a born and bred half mate. Although I would still like to see him have a stint in ISC before getting thrown into first grade next year (It feels like everybody is throwing him into first grade after we finally got some under 20s on telly - Yeah he will be a solid first grader in time but I think Barba deserves his chance.)

I believe he will come off the bench for us at some stage next year. From what I have seen over the last month I would assume we will be seeing Barbs at 6 and Hunt at 7.

And by the way, we paid massive understanding for Barba.

Not it saying I like the idea but he has played fullback in the u20's on several occasions

 

[Sproj]

This is the best balanced side we can offer me thinks:

1. Milford
2. Vidot
3. Copley
4. Hodges
5. Boyd
6. Barba
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough (with more crisp service)
10. Kennedy
11. Oates
12. Thaiday
13. Parker

14. Utility - Glenn
15. Impact prop - Molo
16. Prop - Garbutt most likely
17. Gillett

this can be played with but is also assuming Hannant and Hoffman are gone as Boyd comes.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Agreeing with [MENTION=1917]Ari Gold[/MENTION] . Taylor seems to be the best fit to partner in the halves. His strengths are Hunts weaknesses but Taylor can also run the ball quite well. Would be a good balanced halves pairing IMO. Milford at fullback and Barba might need to look elsewhere.

 

[bazza]

Am I the only one who reckons having a Dally M medal winner on the bench as a "super sub" is ludicrous? Like seriously, no disrespect to Taylor, but what has he achieved in comparison to Barba that warrants him selection ahead of Barba?

As far as I'm concerned, Barba needs to be somewhere in the starting side. He will come good. Bennett will return him to his Dally M form.

People don't appreciate how difficult it is to adjust to a new teams structure. The Broncos play a very different brand of footy to the Bulldogs, which is something that takes time adjusting to.

The Broncos are responsible for Barba's demise by bulking him up. The excess weight is something he is not used to. As a result he has lost his speed, evasiveness and therefore his confidence. Things that used to work for him, no longer work due to the added weight, and so he doesn't back his ability. At the broncos, although he hasn't been provided with much space, but he is no longer able to capitalise on those half chances when given minimal space to work with the same way he used to at the dogs.

Bulking up naturally smaller players never works. The added weight takes away from them all their great qualities, without giving them much in return. Since smaller players rely on their speed, agility and evasiveness, they are useless if that is taken away from them. You can bulk smaller players all you want, but they'll never have the same strength as a bigger player as they don't have the right body type to do much with the strength. A strong shorter player will always lose to a strong taller player. An intentionally bulked up small player will never be as damaging as when he was naturally slimmer. For instance, compare Chris Sandow when he was carrying extra weight, to the current, slimmer Chris Sandow.

On the other hand, bulking can work with taller players, since they have the right body type and can compensate their slight loss in speed with added strength. For instance, Greg Inglis has put on quite a bit of weight over the years, but since he was naturally bigger/taller, he can sacrifice a bit of speed in return for strength and be just as, if not more damaging.

Barba was told to put on 5kg, which for smaller players is a lot. Remove that weight and let him play with his natural body weight and he will be back to his devastating best. He will back himself, and his speed will be hard to defend against. He will therefore be able to create something out of nothing.