Lachlan Maranta

[KingWebcke]

When I joined BHQ it was relieving to see that Broncos fans everywhere were as frustrated with Maranta as I've been. He has been an utter waste of space this year. Apart from looking good under the high ball he has been slow, timid in attack and made some terrible decisions close to the try line . based on all that it is quite tempting to bury him in the depth chart and put a line through his name forever as punishment.

but, what I'd like to hear is what other people actually want to see happen to Maranta after they have calmed down and stopped burning effegies or raging at his last bombed try. Particularly people who might get the opportunity to watch him a bit more in the Q-cup.

It was only a year ago that he was a really promising player. He looked really good as a fullback in the 2012 u20 Origin and from everything I've heard, he was really dynamic playing at five-eight, centre and fullback for Norths. Which is no easy feat as a 20 yo. playing against grown men.

he evidently has talent but perhaps he is probably best suited to a position where overall skill, like passing, is a bit more important and flat out pace is less critical. Personally, I'd like to see him getting more practise at fullback or centre because looking forward to 2014, we have good depth in our backs but with the exception of Barba at fullback and Hoffman on the wing, we don't have any clear cut starters yet.

How would people like to see him managed from now on and how should the club view him?

Winger? Centre? Tell him to **** off to England ...

 

[Mr Fourex]

I think he's an honest average footballer, who will never amount to that much. We have plenty of these types of players already

......he's not part of my future plans.

and I don't think a positional change will fix the problem.

very limited potential........got a big heart.

 

[Porthoz]

Put him in Qcup and let him show if he has the goods somewhere other than the wing, where he clearly hasn't got a clue...

 

[Nashy]

.... is a ballbag.

 

[KingWebcke]

and I don't think a positional change will fix the problem.

very limited potential........got a big heart.

That is what I'm wondering about though. He played most of his football at fullback, centre or five-eight and was then thrown into the NRL as a winger. I think that is a reasonably difficult transition (although it can be done as Oates has shown). I think you could say it is much like Ben Hunt playing halfback and then being asked to play as a hooker in the NRL and we saw how adversely that affected his game.

he might end up as nothing more than an average footballer shuffling between Norths and Brisbane but I hope Brisbane don't get up on him prematurely. Prior to this year I think he was viewed as having as much potential as Kahu or Copley had and I wouldn't want that to get forgotten just because he had a nightmare debut while being asked to play in a somehwat unfamiliar position.

 

[Porthoz]

Maranta has played heaps of wing in the U20's mate, don't be fooled.

 

[KingWebcke]

Maranta has played heaps of wing in the U20's mate, don't be fooled.

Fair enough, what little motivation I had for defending him is slipping away

 

[Mr Fourex]

Prior to this year I think he was viewed as having as much potential as Kahu or Copley had and I wouldn't want that to get forgotten just because he had a nightmare debut while being asked to play in a somehwat unfamiliar position.

Within a few games of watching Kahu and to a lesser extent Copley, you could see talent. A move ...a swerve, great hands........something.

IMO, Maranta hasn't shown anything yet. He seems to be a dour....run it up and take the hit footballer

and appallingly slow.

and speaking of slow and Kahu

FMD, a 2nd rower running him down. Geezus....!

Is he ever going to fully recover and reach his true potential...doesn't look good right now.

 

[KingWebcke]

and appallingly slow.

and speaking of slow and Kahu

FMD, a 2nd rower running him down. Geezus....!

Is he ever going to fully recover and reach his true potential...doesn't look good right now.

You'd hope he does but I'm a bit worried that he might not. leg injuries are always a real worry and do have lasting effects. I had a really nasty compound fracture in my leg as a teenager and had a limp for a long time and never recovered to top speed (which was also partially due to a deteriorating diet and increased beer consumption). Kahu's injury is different but most leg injuries take ages to get over and there is the physical damage and the psychological concern over re-injuring that you have to move past.

I think Yow Yeh must be going through the same thing right now. sadly I don't think either of them will ever be viewed as speedy players in the NRL again.

 

[Bucking Beads]

At least he tries hard. If he could just find his way to the try line he would be a handy depth player.

 

[lockyer]

He makes it as difficult as can be to find the tryline, all the focus on halves should be directed at a player that can create from nothing eg hodges, maranta couldnt finish a try if the whole opposition were still sucking oranges at halftime

 

[Kimlo]

How would people like to see him managed from now on and how should the club view him?

In reserve grade.

 

[winslow_wong]

I hope he has some sort of back up plan outside of football

 

[vertigo]

Played more games than he should have this year, had has chance in open space to show us his 'pace' and blew it.

I'd take a hungover Kemp over him anyday.

 

[CaptainHook]

IMO, Maranta hasn't shown anything yet. He seems to be a dour....run it up and take the hit footballer

His kick returns and his hit ups are actually quite good. Specifically, the newcastle game I remember noticing it took 2-3 defenders to put him down. More than I can say for Norman and Hoffman.

Can't disagree with your point about lack of speed. A good example was the Melbourne game. If he could've scored from the Hodges intercept who knows what would've happened.

 

[Dexter]

IMO, Maranta hasn't shown anything yet. He seems to be a dour....run it up and take the hit footballer

That is Hooks prototype player right there.

I think Maranta can compete at NRL level but that is it, he'll never win you a game because he did something on his IMO. I haven't seen any outstanding quality you would like to see in a good winger like speed or aggression off the line in attack or a good dummy half run with a quick play the ball.

 

[KingWebcke]

That is Hooks prototype player right there.

I think Maranta can compete at NRL level but that is it, he'll never win you a game because he did something on his IMO. I haven't seen any outstanding quality you would like to see in a good winger like speed or aggression off the line in attack or a good dummy half run with a quick play the ball.

This is partly why I was hoping a few posters around here had seen a bit more of him playing for Norths because I've only seen a couple of his games. As a winger he seems to have no outstanding attributes but I've heard he has been quite successful at centre and fullback and obviously those positions require a more diverse skill set (generally better footwork, vision and passing) rather than just running into the line and working hard.

I hold onto a faint hope that there is more to his game that he didn't get to show off while on the wing. it would be nice if he took the opportunity to hone those skills and come back to the Broncos in 2014/2015 in another position like centre.

 

[Unbreakable]

He seems like a decent guy and tries his heart out, but to be quite blunt, he just isn't good enough for first grade.