Ben Barba

[Big Pete]

Can the selectors ignore him any longer?

If not, where would you play him?

 

[Porthoz]

Utility

 

[Mister Wright]

He will play this year, no doubt. He will be on the bench. I even think, if like last year, Slater is injured he would come in for him instead of moving Inglis from the centres.

 

[Alec]

I'd still have Slater and Inglis ahead of him at fullback. I guess bench is the way to go, though I'd still prefer a competent defensive utility like Cronk and Berrigan were.

 

[Mister Wright]

Don't forget it was a fresh Billy Slater off the bench that one us the 3rd of the 7 year streak.

 

[fredie]

Put benny on the wing for maroons

 

[Broncoman]

Ironicly I was about to start a similar thread. The selectors would surely have an eye on him, if he was picked he would make a handy impact of the bench.

 

[Big Pete]

When he comes on, where would he play?

 

[Porthoz]

Depends on the score at the time I guess... I'd have probably bring him for a winger if the score is favourable or for a second rower if we're chasing it.

In the first case, he would be able to roam freely in attack, with Inglis and someone like Gillett or Taylor covering the centre/wings and Parker/Myles/Harrison moving from the lock to the second row fringe. In defense he would just return to the wing...

In the second case, I would just run the gauntlet and put Barba roaming the middle in attack, and take the risk of missing a second rower in defense, letting Inglis do the second row job, the winger would move to centre, and Barba again to the wing...

 

[Son Edo]

Hey, a spot on the wing couldn't hurt. Especially if Boyd doesn't deliver, or he could seal the other spot over Tate and others.

 

[Mister Wright]

He either goes to fullback - Slater centres & Inglis 2nd row or slots in the centres with Inglis 2nd row.

 

[subsbligh]

Short answer - barring injuries, I can't see why Qld will mess with the formula regardless of how well Barba is playing. He will never usurup the Slater/Smith combination.

Wasted on the wings and would be a liability there in defence and under the high ball. Fullbacks make poor wingers.

If it's the first or second Origin game and Slater is out, I'd put the best 17 on the park and have Barba at 1 and Inglis at 3. If it's a decider, lock it down - Inglis at 1, Nielsen/Tate, strong defensive centres.

If he's named as utility on the bench, I think the only place you can play him is fullback, rest Slater and go for the throat around 25-30 minute mark before halftime in a 10-6, 12-6 Qld lead situation.

I'd only have him on the bench for Qld if Mal was prepared to do a Tim Sheens and not actually use him in a really tight, defensive game. And the forward battle is too intense to waste a bench spot on a trick shot.

 

[OXY-351]

I see this as similar to the the times they tried to fit Bowen in the team just because he was an excpetionally good player yet had someone better in front of him. How well did that ever work (yes, I know he won a game once, but still)?

Sometimes picking too many players for roles they don't normally do just to fit all the best players in the team can upset the balance of the team and actualyl have a negative effect on it.

imo he may just have to wait for his time to come, like many others have before him, although I suspect he'll probably get picked on the bench this year for SOO.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

I want him in the team, but even if Slater is injured, Inglis is the next best fullback we have (hell, i reckon inglis could even take the spot off billy, but i know they wont do that). I dont hate the idea of bringing him on in the backrow, especially if we need the points.

 

[Broncoman]

If Barba was in the front row he would obviously add a lot of speed and agility to the forwards but the big NSW forwards like Tamou, Gallen, Watmough etc would walk over the top of him like he wasn't there.

 

[Coxy]

I don't think Barba has the strength to play in the back row. Berrigan was able to because he was a bloody tough little bugger. Barba doesn't strike me as "tough".

Putting him on the bench is a waste of a spot IMO. He either starts at fullback or he doesn't play.

 

[Porthoz]

He would have to be "hidden" on the wing in defense, and it would need to be in relatively short stints, but think about the potential in attack...

 

[Viti]

I think on talent he should be there, but I wouldn't be dropping anyone for him now. The only place I would think about putting him was in at hooker but he's really not needed there.