Josh Hoffman

[noisetheory]

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

the problem is kahu has been playing either on the wing or at centre for wynnum and training in centres for broncos. so he hasnt even been practising in the 6.

if we are going to change the 6 at least put in someone who's been playing in the halves.

 

[Foordy]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

how about we just let Griffin continue to dig his own grave

 

[FaceOfMutiny]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Does anyone know his playing weight in 2012 compared to 2014?

 

[jarro65]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

He doesn't appear to look any bigger than last year ??

 

[rnabokov]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

He plays like his head and heart are somewhere else

 

[MaroubraBroncos]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

I had a good think today on why Barba isn't playing up to his best. I put it down to a "all of the above". It's almost like he has been told to not play his natural game. Before he arrived i thought to myself, Parker and him will work wonders together. I haven't seen every game from start to finish but i'm sure i haven't seen Parker offload to Barba once??? Griffin ball?

 

[rnabokov]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

I used to think it was largely Griffin Ball, part of which was Hoffman choking the left hand side. I'm not so sure anymore.

I watched Barba's 2012 highlights again. Barba looked like he was really enjoying himself. He was having fun. He did everything at a 1000 miles an hour. He was everywhere, looking for the ball, looking for opportunities and taking them with perfect timing. He kicked, passed, offloaded.

At the same time, the Dog's game plan was all about everyone in motion, keeping the ball alive, support plays. Perfect for Barba's style of play. He was another play maker, and reminded me a lot of Bowen and Slater with his level of involvement.

This year, it looks like he is out there because he has to be, not because he wants to be. He has little passion. I think it's 99% a question that his head and heart are just not in it at the moment. Don't know why.

If he is carrying an injury, playing is utter madness. His confidence will be shot. He shouldn't play. However, it doesn't look like he is carrying an injury when I watch him run.

At least this year, on a few occasions, he has turned on some magic and we looked like a different side when that happened, so I haven't given up hope he flips the "on" switch and starts to have some fun out there, and go looking for the ball a whole lot more.

With Hunt and Barba firing, this side can be very very good.

 

[Alec]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Comparing Haslerball to Griffinball is pretty much comparing hanging out with friends to doing something like customer service or accounting.

 

[subsbligh]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

I had a good think today on why Barba isn't playing up to his best. I put it down to a "all of the above". It's almost like he has been told to not play his natural game. Before he arrived i thought to myself, Parker and him will work wonders together. I haven't seen every game from start to finish but i'm sure i haven't seen Parker offload to Barba once??? Griffin ball?

His biggest natural asset of speed and acceleration is hindered by his injured ankle.

And things with more mass move more slowly.

And he's gone from getting ball in space from Josh Reynolds, to no ball at all from Josh Hoffman.

 

[rnabokov]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

His biggest natural asset of speed and acceleration is hindered by his injured ankle.

And things with more mass move more slowly.

And he's gone from getting ball in space from Josh Reynolds, to no ball at all from Josh Hoffman.

If he is playing with an injured ankle that is just plain DUMB, and all criticism of Barba is therefore unwarranted - end of story.

 

[jarro65]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

If he is playing with an injured ankle that is just plain DUMB, and all criticism of Barba is therefore unwarranted - end of story.

Agreed.

if he is playing busted, after this many rounds, then serious questions need to be asked of our player management group.

... and the coach !!

 

[noisetheory]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

his speed and acceleration is also hampered by the coach choosing to bulk him up.

 

[jarro65]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

his speed and acceleration is also hampered by the coach choosing to bulk him up.

He doesn't really appear (to me anyway) to be any bigger than last year ???

 

[noisetheory]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

looks bigger in the legs if you ask me.

chris garry said in his webcaht that he was speaking to marmin a few weeks back who told him the broncs chose to bulk him up and he'd lost pace because of it.

 

[Brett]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

Look on Broncos TV at the newest interview Barba does of Hoffman for his 100th game. Ben is clearly fatter in the face than previous seasons.

 

[noisetheory]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

2012 - http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/09/21/1226479/108545-ben-barba.jpg
2014 - http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Ben+Barba+Bulldogs+v+Broncos+yaACjoO9jFSl.jpg

bulkier in the legs for sure

 

[Morkel]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

2012 - http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/09/21/1226479/108545-ben-barba.jpg
2014 - http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Ben+Barba+Bulldogs+v+Broncos+yaACjoO9jFSl.jpg

bulkier in the legs for sure

Definitely. Hook has done it so that he has better leg drive, which is where the "tackle-breaking" idea comes in. But your legs are like the wheels of a car. You want to accelerate, decelerate, and most importantly, change direction as sharply as possible, you reduce unsprung weight. Packing on in the legs might have advantages if he was 100+kgs, but as he's a relative lightweight it's just like running with weight straps attached to your thighs & ankles. Stupid.

 

[noisetheory]

Re: ben barba/josh hoffman

yeah he's still a small bloke so busting tackles is never going to be his go. his advantage was speed/acceleration/agility/elusiveness which is reduced by adding size.