[Confirmed] Ben Barba signs with Cronulla

[Ari Gold]

[RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

There's no way Barba ever had a chance to become our fullback next year.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Let's leave the Boyd discussion there.

This thread is purely about discussing Barba, if you want to respond to any points made, reserve them for the Barba v Boyd thread.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Biggest ****ing mistake the Broncos have ever made IMO. What they've done to Barba is disgraceful.

I tend to agree. They've chased him last year and now they are just kicking him to the curb to fit Bennett's boy in.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

It's not the release of Barba and the signing of Boyd, or even the comparison of their playing abilities.

It's the first sign of Bennett's say is Bronco Law and the fact that we've well and truly put all our eggs into this basket with Bennett's return.

You mean the head coach is acting like the head coach and making decisions that he will live or die by? oh no, it's like we are actual professional sporting club.

We never needed another fullback (let alone one as vanilla as Boyd) and we've cut Hoffman and Barba because Bennett said so. That worries me greatly for the long term success of the club.

Definitely not. I mean one of those guys can't pass, at all, and the other only showed anything that can be acceptable first grade form once he was moved to 6... so we definitely didn't need another fullback

Bennett clearly has a conflict of interest when it comes to Boyd, and that seriously undermines his integrity.

Very odd that that a coach would want to work with a player he rates and knows his structures etc.

Or it actually seriously undermines the chances of Kodi/Jayden Nikorima (or any other promising fullback) staying at the club, because Bennett doesn't run a meritocracy.

The jury is well and truly out on whether Kikorima will make it in the NRL. As for Jikorima, the kid is 18 and seems to be a half more than anything

 

[Financeguy]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

We never needed another fullback (let alone one as vanilla as Boyd) and we've cut Hoffman and Barba because Bennett said so. That worries me greatly for the long term success of the club.
.

Come on, Hoffman had to go, he is a bog average fullback, a worse 5/8th, just a bloody good winger who just won't wear the 2 or 5 jersey.

Again, i feel for Barba and wanted him to be a 7 or 8 year player for us killing it each season but Bennett would have watched him this year and he didn't earn a lot of merit badges. He didn't even finish the season for us at fullback. He thinks Boyd is a better option.

We needed a coach that made some tough decisions, this club needed a minor shakeup and its getting it. I may not agree with all of them but Bennett would probably be doing something wrong if i did.

The realisation that players can and will be moved on if they are not performing or meeting the needs of the club imo is a good thing for the long term success of the club.

 

[subsbligh]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

"We need to drop the players who aren't performing"
"wait, Bennett wants to drop Barba?! **** Bennett! Conspiracy"

it it seems more like Barba was offered a chance to take the fullback spot but doesn't want to try. It isn't Bennett having coffee with people in cronulla. It was Barba. It wasn't Bennett trying to get released last year. That was Hoffman. You guys are just being ridiculous, but that's come to be expected.

No, Barba has been pushed.

 

[Broncoman]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

I will be truly disappointed and sorry for Ben if he leaves. We chased and hunted him like a dingo hunting his prey last year and now after showing glimpses of turning it around we are telling him to **** off to accommodate Bennett's love child. I truly felt that Bennett could've been the man that would turn Barba around and get everything in his life and footy life working but flicking him off is disappointing.

 

[Renegade]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Or it actually seriously undermines the chances of Kodi/Jayden Nikorima (or any other promising fullback) staying at the club, because Bennett doesn't run a meritocracy.

How so? The release of Hoffman and Barba would mean if Boyd is ever injured or on origin duty, one of the 20's would probably be in line to step up (or at least have a greater chance to).

Let's not pretend Bennett doesn't give chances to youth or reserve players if the opportunity is available.

In any case, it's sorta harsh if we get rid of him but on the same token, there's no point keeping him if we don't feel there's a place for him. It wastes both his and our time, and our money, which we could use on another player that we will get use out of.

It hasn't worked out as well we wanted it to (even though giving him only a year is harsh), life moves on. If he plays well for another side, great, good for him.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

No, Barba has been pushed.

Has he? by being told that he won't be getting the fullback spot?

 

[Ari Gold]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Barba leaving is great for Jikorima as he now has a shot to be our bench utility that Barba was Rumoured to be. Might not and probably won't be given it but it's more likely now at least.

Kodi IMO is u20s only and basically Corey Norman all over. I don't see him making it.

The real loser from u20s is Ashley Taylor. As a result of Milford being five eight and Boyd being fullback he now has no future with us.

 

[noisetheory]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

dumb. people joke about broncos signing every fullback but realistically with hoffman going theres only boyd and barba, given milfords going to play 6.

if boyd breaks a leg in rnd 1 we are left with no full backs if barbas gone.

dumb.

 

[Socnorb]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

I too will be sorry to see BB go if it comes to that. I had so much hope when in round 1, he put that grubber through for Copely to score against the Bulldogs. But frankly he has not met expectations, and if he has been told he can look at other clubs for an opportunity more in keeping with his expectations, well that sound fair to me. Who know may be just the tonic he needs.

 

[Socnorb]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

dumb. people joke about broncos signing every fullback but realistically with hoffman going theres only boyd and barba, given milfords going to play 6.

if boyd breaks a leg in rnd 1 we are left with no full backs if barbas gone.

dumb.

Could go with Maranta or Kahu if needed

 

[broncos4life]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

I will be truly disappointed and sorry for Ben if he leaves. We chased and hunted him like a dingo hunting his prey last year and now after showing glimpses of turning it around we are telling him to **** off to accommodate Bennett's love child. I truly felt that Bennett could've been the man that would turn Barba around and get everything in his life and footy life working but flicking him off is disappointing.

I'm jumping off this merry-go-round, but I will ask you this. If Barba can be turned around why is it that the only club that will sign him is the cronulla fucking sharks? Surely if the improvement is there every other club would have jumped on him for what I assume will end up being not a lot out of the salary cap?

Maybe it's time to wonder if all the people in the media etc. were right when they said Barba won't come close to 2012 again.

 

[subsbligh]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Has he? by being told that he won't be getting the fullback spot?

Bennett: "We will honour your contractual obligations, and you're free to trial for the fullback position against Darius Boyd. May the best man win! And I'll totally not be biased when making selection choices!"

 

[Renegade]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Barba leaving is great for Jikorima as he now has a shot to be our bench utility that Barba was Rumoured to be. Might not and probably won't be given it but it's more likely now at least.

Kodi IMO is u20s only and basically Corey Norman all over. I don't see him making it.

The real loser from u20s is Ashley Taylor. As a result of Milford being five eight and Boyd being fullback he now has no future with us.

taylor still has time on his side. if he really wants to make it there is nothing stopping him from hanging around like Hunt did and using the time to play against grown men in the ISC, etc.

we all know u20's proves nothing as far as when it comes to the big time. in any case, there is no guarantee taylor would be an NRL superstar.

the plaudits for him are bordering on delusional. yes he looks a good prospect but he has a fair way to go before he certifies himself as one. Like DCE did, he needs to prove himself at a state cup level before we think about how we can fit him into first grade.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

dumb. people joke about broncos signing every fullback but realistically with hoffman going theres only boyd and barba, given milfords going to play 6.

if boyd breaks a leg in rnd 1 we are left with no full backs if barbas gone.

dumb.

What about the Nikorima's? we keep getting told that they should be there over Boyd anyway, so surely this is a win for those posters at the very least

 

[broncos4life]

Re: [RUMOUR] Ben Barba to Cronulla

Bennett: "We will honour your contractual obligations, and you're free to trial for the fullback position against Darius Boyd. May the best man win! And I'll totally not be biased when making selection choices!"

ok bud