Anthony Milford @ 6

[Ari Gold]

Regardless of whether it's Milford or Barba in the 6 jersey, either way I can't help but wonder if this means Ash Taylor has no future with us. Obviously Taylor is more a half so were he to play Hunt would likely play 6, but really I don't see a pathway into first grade for him here.

 

[jarro65]

Taylor is still young .... so we have time ion our side there.

For me, i'd like to see him play a couple of seasons in the ISC, where he plays against men, rather than boys.

That should toughen him up for when it's time to make his NRL debut.

 

[Morkel]

Taylor is still young .... so we have time ion our side there.

For me, i'd like to see him play a couple of seasons in the ISC, where he plays against men, rather than boys.

That should toughen him up for when it's time to make his NRL debut.

Most definitely. Hopefully the Broncos will learn from Hunt's delayed development that a year or two in ISC is the way to go for young halves.

 

[Ari Gold]

He might be young but I don't necessarily know if he'd be willing to wait that long. Particularly when neither Hunt, Milford or Barba aren't even 26, yet alone nearing retirement age. I agree a period in ISC will do him good, but if I'm here right now, I'm not seeing a route into first grade anytime soon.

 

[rnabokov]

He might be young but I don't necessarily know if he'd be willing to wait that long. Particularly when neither Hunt, Milford or Barba aren't even 26, yet alone nearing retirement age. I agree a period in ISC will do him good, but if I'm here right now, I'm not seeing a route into first grade anytime soon.

That's what worries me. From what I have read and seen he might be another DCE or Alfie. It would be such a shame to see him tear it up at another club

 

[jarro65]

That's what worries me. From what I have read and seen he might be another DCE or Alfie. It would be such a shame to see him tear it up at another club

Hard to keep them all though isn't it ??

Hopefully the fact that Wayne will be there next year will be enough to convince young Taylor to stick around for a while, even though he is sure to be courted by the Bulldogs/Manlys etc.

 

[Foordy]

As much as I love what Barba has done in the 6 jersey, I think the sample size is far too small to call him a top Five-Eighth.

Hard to keep them all though isn't it ??

Hopefully the fact that Wayne will be there next year will be enough to convince young Taylor to stick around for a while, even though he is sure to be courted by the Bulldogs/Manlys etc.

If he can't see a path to first grade with us, then he certainly can't see one at Manly

 

[broncos4life]

He might be young but I don't necessarily know if he'd be willing to wait that long. Particularly when neither Hunt, Milford or Barba aren't even 26, yet alone nearing retirement age. I agree a period in ISC will do him good, but if I'm here right now, I'm not seeing a route into first grade anytime soon.

Right here and now, I agree there is no clear path for him. But IMHO he needs to spend at least 1 season in ISC and who knows what happens in a years time.

If he is ripping it up in the ISC and demands inclusion, then the club has to make a tough call and move whichever one of barba/hunt/milford he is better than either to the bench on move them on. I don't really see what the problem is. He is under contract for another 2 years and in that time they should have a fair idea whether he will cut it or not.

In relation to RNA's comments below that he may be another alfie/DCE - He may well be, but corey norman looked the same in the NYC, until the at least play some ISC you just can't tell IMO.

 

[subsbligh]

I hope he plays 1 for us next year and Barba keeps developing his game at 6.

Hodgo, as great as he is, can stick to right centre if we have Milford, Barba and Hunt running amok for us :-P

 

[Porthoz]

I'm gonna be outlandish or even outrageous to some... my sincere opinion is that we can't lose Taylor. I'd prefer to lose Hunt, Barba or even Milford.

 

[Ari Gold]

I'm gonna be outlandish or even outrageous to some... my sincere opinion is that we can't lose Taylor. I'd prefer to lose Hunt, Barba or even Milford.

For now it's a nice dilemma to have, but in a couple of years time it really could be a defining choice. A Hunt/Taylor partnership makes the most sense to me in theory, but obviously we don't know what's to be of Taylor yet. Could be better than DCE, could be a Tim Smith sized bust.

Some will say he's never played first grade and to lose a high quality player for him would be madness, and in many ways they are right. But he's also a high quality prospect and to never see him in action would also be madness. It really is hard to see how he ever gets a crack though. If our spine is doing well then even if Taylor is playing strongly I don't really see WB changing our halves combination in success. I don't ever recall him doing that in his time with us.

Like I said, for now, while Taylor is still untested, it's nice to have a highly promising prospect behind quality spine options, but in a couple of years it could end in tears.

 

[rnabokov]

I'm gonna be outlandish or even outrageous to some... my sincere opinion is that we can't lose Taylor. I'd prefer to lose Hunt, Barba or even Milford.

The only consolation I could handle is that if we lost Barba, Taylor steps up into the halves.

 

[Ari Gold]

The only consolation I could handle is that if we lost Barba, Taylor steps up into the halves.

The question really should be is Ben Barba a better halves player than Ash Taylor? Whilst he's a very dangerous player overall, if they are competing for spots in the halves thats really how it needs to be evaluated. Of course, impossible to do so until we see Taylor in first grade.

Would love to know what WB thinks of Taylor. Perhaps the talk of him not wanting Barba is more to do with Ash than Darius?

 

[Mr Fourex]

I'm gonna be outlandish or even outrageous to some... my sincere opinion is that we can't lose Taylor. I'd prefer to lose Hunt, Barba

Outrageous ^^^

or even Milford.

Ridiculous ^^^

 

[broncos4life]

I really feel like Taylor is starting to get over-hyped. I think he is a talent but so many halves look like absolute superstars in the NYC because defence is non-existent.

We haven't even seen him play any ISC and there is talk of displacing proven quality first graders like hunt and Milford... Seems very premature to me

 

[Splinter]

Right here and now, I agree there is no clear path for him. But IMHO he needs to spend at least 1 season in ISC and who knows what happens in a years time.

If he is ripping it up in the ISC and demands inclusion, then the club has to make a tough call and move whichever one of barba/hunt/milford he is better than either to the bench on move them on. I don't really see what the problem is. He is under contract for another 2 years and in that time they should have a fair idea whether he will cut it or not.

In relation to RNA's comments below that he may be another alfie/DCE - He may well be, but corey norman looked the same in the NYC, until the at least play some ISC you just can't tell IMO.

You must not have watched Norman play NYC, I am still scratching my head as to why the Broncos put so much faith into him being the chosen one. He was slightly above average there and that was all

 

[broncos4life]

You must not have watched Norman play NYC, I am still scratching my head as to why the Broncos put so much faith into him being the chosen one. He was slightly above average there and that was all

I watched him plenty in the NYC and he looked a class above and like a man against boys IMHO

 

[Mr Fourex]

Not to mention that Taylor has a dodgy shoulder.....