Hoffman in the halves

[Ari Gold]

If Milford backflips then the situation changes significantly, to the point where our 5/8 is no longer just a "stop gap". and in that situation we should definitely risk it.

Assuming Milford backs out of the deal with us, then i'm hoping that by round 13 someone like Duncan Paia'Aua will have had more experience in the ISC and thus be better placed development wise to succeed in the NRL.

but while the Broncos 5/8 position remain a "stop gap" until Milford arrives in 2015, then i don't want to rush the young talent. if later in the season one of them demands selection, by all means give them a go, but until then let them develop at their own pace, they are just going to lose the place to Milford next season anyway

If such a situation occurs I would like to think that Hunt shifts to five eight and Ash Taylor becomes our half (form and fitness pending of course). In terms of potential that's the best scenario (though obviously if Milford does back out we should all just kill ourselves)

 

[broncos4life]

I honestly doubt any other club would put their winger, who was a really good finisher, into the five-eight spot. You think if James Maloney got injured the Roosters would say "Hey, Daniel Tupou! Want to play five-eight?" Nope..

No, they would put daniel Mortimer in there who is 25 with over 6 years of first grade experience under his belt

 

[Cult]

No, they would put daniel Mortimer in there who is 25 with over 6 years of first grade experience under his belt

Sorry, maybe I should have used a different example but surely you understand my point?

 

[broncos4life]

Milford

So we just forget about the u20s and sg ball he played?

 

[broncos4life]

And also, I definitely think Strasser or Nikorima deserved it. Maybe Nikorima isn't playing his best now because he was told the better option would get the job, he was the better option and they chose a winger.

So nikorima current form in your opinion is due to the fact that another player got a position over him and he cracked the sads. Sounds like the kind of attitude you need to play first grade...

 

[Foordy]

So nikorima current form in your opinion is due to the fact that another player got a position over him and he cracked the sads. Sounds like the kind of attitude you need to play first grade...

and the same attitude everyone was bagging Hoffman for. and they are right it is a terrible attitude to have

 

[Cult]

So nikorima current form in your opinion is due to the fact that another player got a position over him and he cracked the sads. Sounds like the kind of attitude you need to play first grade...

No it more than likely isn't the reason but it would definitely get to you.

 

[Art Vandelay]

If Milford backflips then the situation changes significantly, to the point where our 5/8 is no longer just a "stop gap". and in that situation we should definitely risk it.

Assuming Milford backs out of the deal with us, then i'm hoping that by round 13 someone like Duncan Paia'Aua will have had more experience in the ISC and thus be better placed development wise to succeed in the NRL.

but while the Broncos 5/8 position remain a "stop gap" until Milford arrives in 2015, then i don't want to rush the young talent. if later in the season one of them demands selection, by all means give them a go, but until then let them develop at their own pace, they are just going to lose the place to Milford next season anyway

If Milford backflips our already inflated cap space will balloon even further. If that happens do you think there's any chance we don't start throwing serious money at DCE/Foran/Maloney/Sezer/Kelly(the good one)/Reynolds when they hit the market in November? I just can't see us running with a Paia'Aua/Taylor-Hunt combination with that kind of money burning a hole in our pockets.

Edit: Obviously we would still need a five-eighth for 2015 in this hypothetical, but they would be no less a stop-gap solution than they would be this year.

 

[Ari Gold]

If Milford backflips our already inflated cap space will balloon even further. If that happens do you think there's any chance we don't start throwing serious money at DCE/Foran/Maloney/Sezer/Kelly(the good one)/Reynolds when they hit the market in November? I just can't see us running with a Paia'Aua/Taylor-Hunt combination with that kind of money burning a hole in our pockets.

Edit: Obviously we would still need a five-eighth for 2015 in this hypothetical, but they would be no less a stop-gap solution than they would be this year.

We'd be just as likely to blow it on someone over-rated like K Hunt.

 

[broncos4life]

Yeah we get it, 1910 watches every QCup game every week everybody! I haven't seen a lot of them this year dude. But as I said, they were told the best performer will get the spot. Both of them were replaced by someone who was not a better performer in the slightest. That could have something to do with their form.

So you haven't watched these guys yet you demand their selection. In fact you have no idea how these guys play and just ignore the opinion of a poster (1910) that would know because as you said he watched every ISC game.

You talk as if strasser, nikorima etc. played the house down in the trials and were ignored, they didn't, they were very average

 

[Super Freak]

If Milford backflips our already inflated cap space will balloon even further. If that happens do you think there's any chance we don't start throwing serious money at DCE/Foran/Maloney/Sezer/Kelly(the good one)/Reynolds when they hit the market in November? I just can't see us running with a Paia'Aua/Taylor-Hunt combination with that kind of money burning a hole in our pockets.

Edit: Obviously we would still need a five-eighth for 2015 in this hypothetical, but they would be no less a stop-gap solution than they would be this year.

If Broncos go for Maloney then I will flip out.

If they're going to throw serious money at a half, at least make it one that can get repeat sets from kicks on a regular basis.

Edit: And a half that doesn't play Origin would be ideal. Foran would be my choice.

 

[rnabokov]

You've named a hooker, fullback, half, and two injured guys as possible replacements.

1910 - I don't pretend to have anywhere near your experience in assessing the 5 players I mentioned, nor their current positions in the junior grades. And yes, I do know that some are injured or close to recovery, However I based my post on the Broncos NRL Team Profiles (please enlighten me - do these Profiles have any meaning, irrespective of where they might now be playing?)

Ash Taylor: Halfback, Five-eighth, Fullback

Kodi Nikorima : Halves, Fullback

Duncan Paia'Aua : Five-eighth

Cameron Cullen : Hooker, Halfback

Zac Strasser : Halves.


I make these points.

First, is it a true reflection of what any of these guys can do, or are capable of, playing in juniors compared to what they might be capable of, after the appropriate "induction" in NRL, playing with our NRL guys alongside them? To me, that is a telling question.

If you are ordinary in ordinary company, but you are assessed as having more than ordinary, then why keep them ordinary in an ordinary competition? Doesn't sound like much motivation to me when an opportunity to step a level presents itself.

Second, Ben Hunt and Macca were ... halves in juniors? And look what the Broncos did to them, especially Hunt. Maybe Macca might make a terrific 5/8?

What about trying Barba at 5/8?

Third, the 5 players I named look to me that they have the skills to be ball players and play makers with a kicking game, and where they are playing now, with players around them who aren't exactly top notch, means nothing.

What about some intensive coaching by Hook and his staff? Is that a pipe dream too?

So hypothetically, lets assume Strasser misses a few tackles but kicks across field, or grubbers, and Vidot or whoever score a try or 3? It mightn't happen, but then, Hoffman isn't doing it either.

Finally, I am saying that any of them (I really like what I have seen of Taylor and Cullen) ought to be given a shot if, and only if, Hoffman fails to make our left hand side anything other than mediocre as it looks to me it now is becoming.

If Hoffman fails to make that break he constantly strives to do without even looking to pass or offload, if he doesn't kick to Vidot who for mine could be a trying scoring machine in the air, if Hoffman continues to fail to organize any decent play down the left, and, because of that, causes us to lose a game because we can't score points consistently down the left hand side, then, what do we do?

Do we shrug our shoulders and say "Oh well, we'll just write off this season 'cos 2015 with Milford is our wet dream and that is what really matters? So we are prepared to concede 2014 as just a season where we don't care? We are happy to tread water and bitch about the refs?

Sorry. I can't stomach that. I can't stomach that particularly because on the form I have seen this year, I rate the Broncos as top 4 contenders, if only our left hand side and 5/8 in general WAS a real 5/8, which he bloody well isn't, and belongs on the wing, which is really, his ONLY position of worth in NRL.

 

[Sproj]

I can see both sides of the argument in this thread but I also have a feeling Duncan P is the goal probably around origin time and if so, I actually think there is a lot of wisdom in that. He comes in as part of the baby Broncos with Hoffman to centre to cover Hodges and if he plays well, he's got the gig even for when the origin boys return and we may just have found our 2014 premiership winning 5/8th.

Remember, it's good to dream and this dream makes a lot of sense.

 

[Cult]

So you haven't watched these guys yet you demand their selection. In fact you have no idea how these guys play and just ignore the opinion of a poster (1910) that would know because as you said he watched every ISC game.

You talk as if strasser, nikorima etc. played the house down in the trials and were ignored, they didn't, they were very average

I haven't demanded shit. I am saying they deserved the spot over a winger who can't play the position properly. I haven't seen a lot of them this year, but I have seen them both and know what they are capable of. Also seen a lot of Hoffman and it's pretty obvious what he is capable of. I don't ignore the opinion. And again, I don't talk as if they played the house down, I'm simply implying they're better options than our current winger at 6 option..

 

[rnabokov]

I can see both sides of the argument in this thread but I also have a feeling Duncan P is the goal probably around origin time and if so, I actually think there is a lot of wisdom in that. He comes in as part of the baby Broncos with Hoffman to centre to cover Hodges and if he plays well, he's got the gig even for when the origin boys return and we may just have found our 2014 premiership winning 5/8th.

Remember, it's good to dream and this dream makes a lot of sense.

I like what you say a lot except, I would play Hoffman on the wing and, shock horror, keep Reed in the centres with Copley. In some ways, I wonder if Reed's lack of form has at least something to do with our 5/8 and what opportunities he gets.

 

[Ghibli]

What is everyone's thoughts on this? Bombed try or not?



In my view, Vidot may not have scored. However, he had a very good chance of scoring. I would have given him a 85% chance of scoring a try.

Hoffman should have looked at the hole that was opening up and passed it to Vidot.

Barba's run out the back committed Hopoate which opened up the hole. Edwards committed to Hoffman which would have left Vidot 1-on-1 with Sandow. Vidot still would have needed to beat Sandow and Hayne and possibly Paulo (if he would have been quick enough to get across), but considering the sheer strength of the guy he would have been very hard to stop.

A simple draw and pass could have resulted in a try. But instead he holds it, runs it and drops it.

Or maybe I have just completely misread the whole thing.

I shall keep reviewing the footage of the 5 games so far and update this as I go.

I will try to keep it balanced as I think Hoffman has done some good things also.

I would have hit Glenn as the lead runner, however Glenn was running a poor angle, he was cutting in towards Hoffman (which crowded Hoffman), Glenn should have run a straight line. Barba created the gap for Glenn, so Barba is doing a good job off the ball.

I do think the original play was for Barba to receive the ball, however Hopa came in and snuffed the play, that then forced Hoffman to look at Glenn (who was running a poor angle and not adjusting his line), as a result he throws a dummy because both options weren't viable.

 

[Super Freak]

 

[Mitch06]

Duncan Paia'Aua played pretty well for the Capras on the weekend, out played Strasser when they played the Dolphins. Two try assists and a try. I am pretty sure he goal-kicked as well (16-16). Him and Corey Oates made a big difference :)