OFFICIAL Ashley Taylor to Titans

[Porthoz]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Seems like you're jumping to conclusions. Liar wasn't mentioned nor was it inferred. That is my opinion outside looking in. As far as I can see it was just BP asking you to provide evidence of a claim and when you can't ,it makes it less likely. I have had the same experience with you, asking for evidence for a claim and you were too tired to write a few lines.

Oh no, you're completely wrong... I wasn't too tired.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

This is all a bit silly. I've been prone to silliness, but this is just really silly.

We're in the perfect position. We have two awesome halves, a premiership-winning fullback, some really promising outside backs, and we're worried that one of the promising halves that we have is going to leave? OMFG find new shit to worry about!

"If Hunt & Milford stay healthy and play well, Taylor will never get a shot". Ooh, I don't care. Why? BECAUSE HUNT & MILFORD STAY HEALTHY AND PLAY WELL! "Milford is wasted at five-eighth because his skills are best utilised as a fullback". HE SCORED TWO FUCKING TRIES WHILE USING THOSE SAME SKILLS AS A FIVE-EIGHTH! "We can have both Taylor and Hunt as a halves pairing and still keep Milford at the back! MILFORD WAS PRETTY HORRIBLE DEFENSIVELY AND UNDER THE HIGH BALL AT FULLBACK! Don't just watch the highlight reels and ignore the other 78 minutes per game.

Testify !!

 

[lynx000]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

I asked unbreakable what he thought, and you actually replied for him, by saying "No, he's not". However, you're free to give your own opinion.

You're not answering my question, but I will clarify. This is not an unlikely scenario, although everything is possible, but let's say we're 2 years down the track, and:

- Taylor is absolutely killing it in lower grades, ISC and FG cameos when either Hunt or Milford are unavailable.
- Hunt and Milford have built a solid partnership in FG, Boyd is performing at his normal level.

What do you think will or should happen at that point?

Bennett will make a change to put him (Taylor) in the side somewhere. If you do not believe that he will, you simply have not observed Bennett enough over his coaching career. He has consistently done this throughout his career and has been willing to move players on or make changes to the line up. Fundamentally he will do what he has to do to make the team successful and if this requires Taylor being in the halves I believe he will do this. As posted earlier by Unbreakable, the ball is in Taylor's court to put forward a case the demands his selection. He has not done so yet.

 

[Splinter]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

What are people getting worked up about?
Taylor is a project now but realistically not a first grade project before 2017. He has a lot of talent just not defensively which is where he needs to work really hard

 

[rnabokov]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Bennett will make a change to put him (Taylor) in the side somewhere. If you do not believe that he will, you simply have not observed Bennett enough over his coaching career. He has consistently done this throughout his career and has been willing to move players on or make changes to the line up. Fundamentally he will do what he has to do to make the team successful and if this requires Taylor being in the halves I believe he will do this. As posted earlier by Unbreakable, the ball is in Taylor's court to put forward a case the demands his selection. He has not done so yet.

What possible changes could Bennett make to accommodate Taylor, assuming as Porthoz said, Hunt and Milford (and Kodi) continue to perform to expectations?

I am talking realistic changes which will keep Taylor's signature on a further Broncos contact.

 

[lynx000]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

What possible changes could Bennett make to accommodate Taylor, assuming as Porthoz said, Hunt and Milford (and Kodi) continue to perform to expectations?

I am talking realistic changes which will keep Taylor's signature on a further Broncos contact.

He moves Boyd and puts Milford at fullback. I believe that the reality is that for our back five positions, only two are presently locked down, that is, Boyd at fullback and Hodges at Centre. Vidot in all likelihood will be gone if not this season then next season. Oates is a stop gap winger who will find his way to the pack. Kahu and Copely look likely for two of the other three positions, but both have injury histories which are of concern. Hodges is one major injury away from being finished. I do not regard Maranta as anything other than a depth player (unless he develops further).

The whole debate around Taylor is premised upon an assumption that Bennett will never move Boyd from fullback. I do not accept that to be accurate based on 36 years of observation of him as a coach. If he believes it will better suit the team he will accommodate Taylor by moving Boyd to either wing or fullback. Bennett at the end of the day wants to win premierships,both for the sake of the team and from self-interest. He will do what is necessary to achieve that.

I believe our backline is far from settled and locked in and that opportunity for that change will arise in the next year to two years (provided that Taylor continues to develop and makes a case for his inclusion).

 

[rnabokov]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

He moves Boyd and puts Milford at fullback. I believe that the reality is that for our back five positions, only two are presently locked down, that is, Boyd at fullback and Hodges at Centre. Vidot in all likelihood will be gone if not this season then next season. Oates is a stop gap winger who will find his way to the pack. Kahu and Copely look likely for two of the other three positions, but both have injury histories which are of concern. Hodges is one major injury away from being finished. I do not regard Maranta as anything other than a depth player (unless he develops further).

The whole debate around Taylor is premised upon an assumption that Bennett will never move Boyd from fullback. I do not accept that to be accurate based on 36 years of observation of him as a coach. If he believes it will better suit the team he will accommodate Taylor by moving Boyd to either wing or fullback. Bennett at the end of the day wants to win premierships,both for the sake of the team and from self-interest. He will do what is necessary to achieve that.

I believe our backline is far from settled and locked in and that opportunity for that change will arise in the next year to two years (provided that Taylor continues to develop and makes a case for his inclusion).

Having just read a few other threads where J Nikorima and Byrnes are also being really talked up, and given Kodi's good form now, it seems in 2 years time, Wayne will need a lot of Panadol. In any case, it's so very good to see the class we have in our "junior" ranks.

Hmmm ... Milford at FB. Now there's an interesting idea ... I think I like it!

 

[Mr Fourex]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Got any plans to combat his defensive weaknesses at FB....?

 

[rnabokov]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Got any plans to combat his defensive weaknesses at FB....?

Yep. Hit them with Hodges' crutches

 

[broncos4life]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Having just read a few other threads where J Nikorima and Byrnes are also being really talked up, and given Kodi's good form now, it seems in 2 years time, Wayne will need a lot of Panadol. In any case, it's so very good to see the class we have in our "junior" ranks.

Hmmm ... Milford at FB. Now there's an interesting idea ... I think I like it!

Yeah that could work well. The 3 or 4 tries he lets in each game will really give the guys something to aim towards in attack

 

[rnabokov]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Yeah that could work well. The 3 or 4 tries he lets in each game will really give the guys something to aim towards in attack

Well, you seemed to like Lynx000's post which had him suggest Bennett moves Milford to the back given the possible scenarios in that post.

I guess where I am coming from is that, apart from the fact I feel Milford would be a good FB given Bennett's passion for good defence, all things being equal, I don't want us to lose Taylor, aside from the other possibles, and the only way I can see that happening is to move Boyd as Lynx suggested and replace him with Milford.

Otherwise, in 2017, Milford and Hunt, again all things being equal, will be locked in as half and 5/8 and there will be both no spot for Taylor (or J. or K. Niko).

If I am missing other options, please tell me. I accept the possibility that Hunt or Milford might fail by then and either be dropped or transfer out, but somehow, I can't see that happening atm

 

[Mr Fourex]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

So you're worried that Hunt and Milford will be too successful as a halves pairing....... interesting.

 

[Foordy]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

So you're worried that Hunt and Milford will be too successful as a halves pairing....... interesting.

There's failing and then there's failing.

They may go ok in the halves ... but, IMO, for Milford to be moved to the back he would have to spectacularly fail.

IMO, our team would benefit greatly by having a halves combination of 6. Hunt, 7. Taylor, with Milford at the back, I think it is a far more balanced team, with the 2 halves complementing each other well, and then allowing Milford that bit of extra space to do his thing.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Yep. Hit them with Hodges' crutches

Tie them up with Hodge's sticky tape, should hold up for half a game if your lucky.

 

[Ari Gold]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

So you're worried that Hunt and Milford will be too successful as a halves pairing....... interesting.

That's not my concern. My concern is that we're competitive with Milford at five-eight but never elite. Like if Milford becomes a 7/10 kinda guy -- going well enough and has enough natural talent that you don't drop him, but never really hitting top gear.

If this happens the goalposts on Taylor will move. Right now it's "He's not even played against men yet". If we're competitive with Milford but haven't won a prem, those goalposts will move and it'll be like "Milford is going pretty well and Hunt is on fire, they're just going to get better". Fact is, Milford will probably be good enough that there's always going to be a reason not to play Taylor in the halves ahead of him.

But I don't think our premiership potential is as great with Milf in 6 rather than 1. Locky was a genius five eight, but he still won 3x as many premierships at fullback than he did five eight, and in large part that's because in those teams he had two strong halves as well to take away the focus and allow him to have more time and space. From a team point of view, I think we'll be more dominant if Milford is our #3 guy who works with two strong halves, rather than having to be one of the two strong halves.

But we'll always be competitive with Milford. Which I'm sure will mean one of you will now be like "You're complaining we're competitive". But I think we could be more than just that. The Storm have shown that having a Big 3 takes you so much further. I want that. I think we can have that. But not with Milford at 6.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

That's not my concern. My concern is that we're competitive with Milford at five-eight but never elite. Like if Milford becomes a 7/10 kinda guy -- going well enough and has enough natural talent that you don't drop him, but never really hitting top gear.

If this happens the goalposts on Taylor will move. Right now it's "He's not even played against men yet". If we're competitive with Milford but haven't won a prem, those goalposts will move and it'll be like "Milford is going pretty well and Hunt is on fire, they're just going to get better". Fact is, Milford will probably be good enough that there's always going to be a reason not to play Taylor in the halves ahead of him.

But I don't think our premiership potential is as great with Milf in 6 rather than 1. Locky was a genius five eight, but he still won 3x as many premierships at fullback than he did five eight, and in large part that's because in those teams he had two strong halves as well to take away the focus and allow him to have more time and space. From a team point of view, I think we'll be more dominant if Milford is our #3 guy who works with two strong halves, rather than having to be one of the two strong halves.

But we'll always be competitive with Milford. Which I'm sure will mean one of you will now be like "You're complaining we're competitive". But I think we could be more than just that. The Storm have shown that having a Big 3 takes you so much further. I want that. I think we can have that. But not with Milford at 6.

It's funny the comparison to Lockyer with regards to Milford, indeed he did have two seasoned halves in Walters and Langer which took a lot of pressure off him for his development, problem for Taylor is he doesn't have that benefit given neither Hunt and Milford can be regarded as seasoned playmaker's with regards to what Lockyer had and besides, before Lockyer had even became a regular starter at fullback Lockyer had already had experience in first grade prior to that, Taylor is still running around in the NYC which is still a level I would regard below what Lockyer was playing prior to entering his first grade career. Lockyer clearly had advantages that really Taylor doesn't in the comparison. I'm not against down the track looking at the possibility of introducing him should Milford fail to deliver at 5/8th, but I also don't want to see his development disrupted by rushing him earlier then his ready, from a defensive perspective his got a lot of work ahead of him which in the NRL is a lot more demanding then you get in the NYC.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

Well, you seemed to like Lynx000's post which had him suggest Bennett moves Milford to the back given the possible scenarios in that post.

I guess where I am coming from is that, apart from the fact I feel Milford would be a good FB given Bennett's passion for good defence, all things being equal, I don't want us to lose Taylor, aside from the other possibles, and the only way I can see that happening is to move Boyd as Lynx suggested and replace him with Milford.

Otherwise, in 2017, Milford and Hunt, again all things being equal, will be locked in as half and 5/8 and there will be both no spot for Taylor (or J. or K. Niko).

If I am missing other options, please tell me. I accept the possibility that Hunt or Milford might fail by then and either be dropped or transfer out, but somehow, I can't see that happening atm

I liked Lynx post because I agreed with what he was saying in regards to bennett wanting to win premierships above all else... Is that ok?

If our biggest issue is that we lose a talented junior because our incumbents are playing to well, the world won't end

 

[broncos4life]

Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted

There is just so much assumption, speculation and opinions being passed off as fact that a reasonable discussion is never going to occur here. So have fun with that but this thread is too much for me