Josh Hoffman

[Buzz Killington]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Fullbacks usually run off 5/8's especially on the sweeping 2nd man play and ours doesn't pass. Sure Barba is out of sorts but our halves especially our 6 are making it alot harder for him.

 

[Socnorb]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Barba has lost speed. He was never a tackle breaker. He's just not burning defenders off with speed ATM. Hope that changes, he's not the same player without it.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

The way he's going, I wonder if he'll even play for us in 2015...

 

[nopatience101]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

He isn't getting involved much and looks like he doesn't want to put his body on the line atm, not good signs.

 

[austin71]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

The way he's going, I wonder if he'll even play for us in 2015...

Yeah true. Maybe one of the Nikorima Brothers might be a better option in 2015. Milford to fullback. Although Milfords defence isn't crash hot. Think it would be better in the front line with thaiday or Gillett protecting him somewhat. Barba does save tries at fullback but that can only keep you in the team for so long?

 

[Broncoman]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Barba is in terrible form and I think a stint in the ISC to get his confidence back will do him and us a world of good. He is a confidence player and needs confidence and the ability to back himself to succeed. During his time in reserves Hoffman would go to fullback for a temporary stint.

His confidence, backing himself, support play, his speed and the coaching is what made his 2012 season so good though he ended up being exposed in the grandfinal.

 

[rnabokov]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Hook is to Barba as a pair of scissors is to Samson

 

[subsbligh]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Hoffman to 1. He is embarrassing.

Nikorima, Strasser, Kahu, or whichever half is deserving of a shot into the 6.

Barba to QCup to earn his spot and some form. He is singlehandedly losing us games with his timidness.

 

[rnabokov]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Hoffman to 1. He is embarrassing.

Nikorima, Strasser, Kahu, or whichever half is deserving of a shot into the 6.

Barba to QCup to earn his spot and some form. He is singlehandedly losing us games with his timidness.

I think Barba is more lost than timid. If he was fattened up to play 5/8, play him there.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

If you remove Barba from our team for next season and put Milford at Fullback, it actually improves, imagine if we had bought a Five-Eighth with the Barba money instead, like Widdop.

1. Milford
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
9. McCullough

Dat spine

 

[Morkel]

Barba has lost speed. He was never a tackle breaker. He's just not burning defenders off with speed ATM. Hope that changes, he's not the same player without it.

Exactly this. The only possible reason for fattening him up would be because Hook knows our forwards can't give him the same room as the Bulldogs forwards. So he needs to break through half gaps instead of go through untouched. But everyone else would know it's arse backwards. His greatest strength was always his acceleration over the first 5 strides.

From here I can see three options:
1) loses weight so he gets his speed back.
2) he plays in the halves
3) we sign a forward that can offload during the struggle.

On the offload, even when, say, Parker offloads late, the defence is in the process of going back and setting. So even if he pops one out, the defence is somewhat organised and easily shuts down the second phase. The type if prop we need is like a Kasiano, Klemmer, Fifita, even Cuthbertson. They seem to be able to offload right at the point where the defence is neither set, nor still sniffing around the ruck. Whether that has something to do with other players holding the attention of the stray defenders I'm not sure. But even when we offload there are always defenders ready to cut down that second phase. If we get a player who is more proficient at that offload, or work out a tactic that gives the receiver more room in the instance of an offload, it will go a long way to attracting Barba in to the ruck and make him a lot more lethal.

 

[broncos4life]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

If you remove Barba from our team for next season and put Milford at Fullback, it actually improves, imagine if we had bought a Five-Eighth with the Barba money instead, like Widdop.

1. Milford
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
9. McCullough

Dat spine

No way to widdop. That guy us so over rated

 

[jd87]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

while i agree barba has been pretty poor i still hold out hope for him coming good. while i dont normally like bashing griffin. lets just see how he performs next year when we have a new coach before we completly write him off

 

[animal eater]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Home truths:

1. Barba is not right in either body or mind if not both.
2. Hoffman as much as I don't like him at 5/8 is improving.... slowly but improving none the less.
3. Coach Sloth thinks, acts and speaks slow so there will be little change coming.
.

 

[Aldo]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

I'm happy to stick with Barba but someone needs to get in his ear and tell him to have a fucking go! As I said earlier, regardless of his role in the team and how Griffin is playing him, there is no excuse for not putting in and not having a go.

 

[noisetheory]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

if barba hadnt been fattened up by this genius of a coach those half breaks he's made this season where the defender has grabbed his jersey would of been full breaks and we wouldnt be having this discussion. fattening him up does nothing for him as he's never going to "bust" tackles and thats not what his great season in 2012 was built around.

u take away from his speed, agility and elusiveness then you're kiling his best assets and that is solely on the coach.

im sorry but fattening him up to 'play as a 5/8' is just plain stupid UNLESS you are going to play him AT FIVE EIGHTH. but no, we put a winger with no ball skills at 6 so in effect we have weakened two positions.

rocket science.

 

[winslow_wong]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

I'm happy to stick with Barba but someone needs to get in his ear and tell him to have a fucking go! As I said earlier, regardless of his role in the team and how Griffin is playing him, there is no excuse for not putting in and not having a go.

that someone needs to get in griffins ears and say get fucked as well because this sloth we call coach is ruining careers

 

[Broncoman]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

What our fullback and halves pairing would be for next game if I was in charge

1: Hoffman
6: Kahu
7: Hunt