Barba vs Boyd

[Big Pete]

From Bennett's perspective, it's about achieving balance.

He already has two exciting live-wires in Milford and Hunt. He knows he can't rely on them to be 100% each and every week but he can rely more on Darius Boyd than he can a Ben Barba.

Whether that's right or wrong is up for debate but I think there's some merit behind it.

 

[Porthoz]

From Bennett's perspective, it's about achieving balance.

He already has two exciting live-wires in Milford and Hunt. He knows he can't rely on them to be 100% each and every week but he can rely more on Darius Boyd than he can a Ben Barba.

Whether that's right or wrong is up for debate but I think there's some merit behind it.

There is certainly merit to it, although I disagree with the premise that Boyd is more reliable than Barba.

I would on the contrary argue, that it's an advantage to have someone creative or an x-factor like Barba on the field when the halves combo isn't carburating.

 

[Unbreakable]

Why don't we just have 13 X-Factor's on the field at the same time, that way when 12 of them play like shit, we still have someone playing awesome?

 

[Alec]

To be completely honest, surely we all realise Bennett is sticking Milford in the halves to make room for Boyd at fullback?

Just hope it works out....

 

[Big Pete]

There is certainly merit to it, although I disagree with the premise that Boyd is more reliable than Barba.

I would on the contrary argue, that it's an advantage to have someone creative or an x-factor like Barba on the field when the halves combo isn't carburating.

I don't think it's as clear cut as it once was but Boyd still has a few more ticks to his name (better error rate, rep. honours, premierships etc.) than Barba does (a journalist award).

That's fine but I don't know how many NRL coaches would agree with you. There is a reason why Tim Sheens is without a job after all.

 

[Porthoz]

Why don't we just have 13 X-Factor's on the field at the same time, that way when 12 of them play like shit, we still have someone playing awesome?

We could, if we threw reason and common sense out the door... :rolleyes:

Feel free to tell me how Boyd can be of value if the halves aren't having an off day, given there's very little x-factor to him.
More than anything, Boyd will be reliant of his halves creativity to deliver results. (admittedly not as much as Hoffman would)

 

[Alec]

Barba has been beyond shit this year.

 

[Foordy]

Barba has been beyond shit this year.

True but Boyd wasn't any better

 

[Russell Coight]

True but Boyd wasn't any better

You don't get sick of repeating yourself do you?

 

[broncos4life]

True but Boyd wasn't any better

That's debatable, but besides that Boyd has far more runs on the board

 

[Porthoz]

I don't think it's as clear cut as it once was but Boyd still has a few more ticks to his name (better error rate, rep. honours, premierships etc.) than Barba does (a journalist award).

That's fine but I don't know how many NRL coaches would agree with you. There is a reason why Tim Sheens is without a job after all.

Haha, neither do I. And I'm not applying for a NRL coaching gig either, nor am I implying that I am capable of being one, but I stand by my opinion.

His rep honours are really related to his performance as a winger, more than as a fullback. Diminishing Barba's Dally M with the "journalist award" moniker is really bullshit, come on. Barba was a force beyond what Boyd has ever been in 2011 and 2012, had an injury riddled and psychologically tough 2013, and showed signs of improving in 2014.

Besides, if there is someone capable of getting the best out of Barba, it's Bennett!

 

[Unbreakable]

Feel free to tell me how Boyd can be of value if the halves aren't having an off day, given there's very little x-factor to him.
More than anything, Boyd will be reliant of his halves creativity to deliver results. (admittedly not as much as Hoffman would)

The whole idea that Bennett is angling towards is having a guy who you know what you're going to get from each week playing at Fullback, we know that Hunt and Milford have some games where they go completely invisible, it's bound to happen, Bennett doesn't want to risk having 3 guys in the spine who at any given stage could turn up a complete shocker.

At the same token, as Foordy has repeated about 632 times since Bennett signed, Boyd was woeful this year, and was marginally better than Barba, if at all, but if I had to choose one of the two in terms of being a safe and consistent player, it's clearly Boyd.

 

[Alec]

True but Boyd wasn't any better

That's why I don't want either at fullback.

 

[Foordy]

That's why I don't want either at fullback.

We'll one of them will need to be fullback as I don't thini we have any other legit options at this stage.

The only ones I can think of would be Kahu or Hoffman

 

[Porthoz]

The whole idea that Bennett is angling towards is having a guy who you know what you're going to get from each week playing at Fullback, we know that Hunt and Milford have some games where they go completely invisible, it's bound to happen, Bennett doesn't want to risk having 3 guys in the spine who at any given stage could turn up a complete shocker.

At the same token, as Foordy has repeated about 632 times since Bennett signed, Boyd was woeful this year, and was marginally better than Barba, if at all, but if I had to chose one of the two in terms of being a safe and consistent player, it's clearly Boyd.

I'd say he was worse, but let's avoid repeating it for the 633rd time. :laugh:

I get what you and BP are saying, but I was arguing what BP said about both halves being off their game. In that case, although it's remotely possible that Barba could also be off his game, it's more likely that the needed spark would come from him than from Boyd.
In fact I don't see Boyd being capable of it... period.

In other words, while I agree Boyd will probably be more consistent, I disagree that it will be more beneficial to the team, because going from the premise that Bennett is capable of returning either player close to their best, Barba has infinitely more upside.

 

[Alec]

Hoffman in defence/Hodges in attack >>> Barba and Boyd

 

[Big Pete]

Haha, neither do I. And I'm not applying for a NRL coaching gig either, nor am I implying that I am capable of being one, but I stand by my opinion.

His rep honours are really related to his performance as a winger, more than as a fullback. Diminishing Barba's Dally M with the "journalist award" moniker is really bullshit, come on. Barba was a force beyond what Boyd has ever been in 2011 and 2012, had an injury riddled and psychologically tough 2013, and showed signs of improving in 2014.

Besides, if there is someone capable of getting the best out of Barba, it's Bennett!

But it is a journalist award...

It's no different to the 'Rugby League Immortal' stuff.

The same people we all bag out somehow become credible because they apply a different label to it.

Barba had a great 2012, he doesn't need a medal to symbolise that but he can't continue to coast on it and none of his form outside of that season has come close to touching that.

Whether it's right or wrong, Boyd has showed more composure and consistensy than Barba and at a standard of football as well. Bennett needs somebody he can trust to help alleviate the expectations on his half and since Boyd is available he wants him. Now I personally don't want him for a number of reasons but I can see the logic and if he can make it work I don't have an issue.

EDIT: Of what I saw in Newcastle, when Mullen and Roberts were off (which was a lot) the Knights could always count on Boyd's work on the second-man to create opportunities. The Broncos didn't have that fail-safe. In-fact, the narrative with Barba at the back was at best, he'd give you one good half and then go completely invisible for the second before doing something stupid.

 

[Alec]

But it is a journalist award...

It's no different to the 'Rugby League Immortal' stuff.

The same people we all bag out somehow become credible because they apply a different label to it.

Barba had a great 2012, he doesn't need a medal to symbolise that but he can't continue to coast on it and none of his form outside of that season has come close to touching that.

Whether it's right or wrong, Boyd has showed more composure and consistensy than Barba and at a standard of football as well. Bennett needs somebody he can trust to help alleviate the expectations on his half and since Boyd is available he wants him. Now I personally don't want him for a number of reasons but I can see the logic and if he can make it work I don't have an issue.

Yep, there were people eating up Barba's shit this year purely because of his 2012, even though he was no better than Maranta or Alwyn Simpson or something.

Same thing happened with Kemp after his 2008.