Round 1 2014

[Brett]

How do we feel about...

1. Barba
2. Kahu
3. Reed
4. Copley
5. Yow Yeh
6. Hoffman
7. Hunt
8. Hannant
9. Macca
10. McGuire
11. Thaiday (c)
12. Gillett
13. Parker (c)

14. Glenn
15. Kennedy
16. Oates
17. Stagg/Dodds/Tasi

 

[broncos4life]

How do we feel about...

1. Barba
2. Kahu
3. Reed
4. Copley
5. Yow Yeh
6. Hoffman
7. Hunt
8. Hannant
9. Macca
10. McGuire
11. Thaiday (c)
12. Gillett
13. Parker (c)

14. Glenn
15. Kennedy
16. Oates
17. Stagg/Dodds/Tasi

Personally I would swap barba and hoffman cos I can see barba doing a better job of 6 than Hoffman. All in all though that team looks a lot better than I thought it would

 

[pagey]

Really don't understand why you would start the smaller Maguire instead of Kennedy and have Stagg in front of hala

 

[Financeguy]

How do we feel about...

1. Barba
2. Kahu
3. Reed
4. Copley
5. Yow Yeh
6. Hoffman
7. Hunt
8. Hannant
9. Macca
10. McGuire
11. Thaiday (c)
12. Gillett
13. Parker (c)

14. Glenn
15. Kennedy
16. Oates
17. Stagg/Dodds/Tasi

Its not bad but i don't like the idea of Hoffman at 6, i havent seen anything to suggest he would be better there than Kahu for eg and i wouldnt have him in the 6 either. After getting rid of 2 halves from 2013 the club will need to fall on its sword and blood a youngster or a Qld cup player to partner Hunt.

Your bench also suggests McCullough will play 80mins? Don't see that happening just yet.

Edited to add i am doubtful on JYY, put hoffman on the wing for mine.

 

[Manifesto]

Really don't understand why you would start the smaller Maguire instead of Kennedy and have Stagg in front of hala

I'd start Kennedy as well, he could take on the initial exchanges then bring McGuire mid-way though the first half to keep the momentum going. McGuire could conceivably play the rest of the game, he easily plays 50-60+ min a game.

 

[hidethesuspect]

What they are trying to say is that they think your team pick is shit Brett ;) Personally I don't have a problem with it, but a lot of the possible teams mentioned on here might work. The problem is we have no half to help Hunt and still some unknowns that might be signing. I think it's one of the most sensible teams picked on here and it could be close to the true team that walks out onto the field game one next year. Maybe if they play Hoffman in the halves he surprises us. Maybe Locky works with him in the entire off season and something just clicks in his head. Doubtful, but he surprised us on the wing.

 

[pagey]

I'd start Kennedy as well, he could take on the initial exchanges then bring McGuire mid-way though the first half to keep the momentum going. McGuire could conceivably play the rest of the game, he easily plays 50-60+ min a game.

Yeah exactly, Hannant and Maguire can play the bigger minutes and rotate the big boys.

 

[Financeguy]

What they are trying to say is that they think your team pick is shit Brett ;) Personally I don't have a problem with it, but a lot of the possible teams mentioned on here might work. The problem is we have no half to help Hunt and still some unknowns that might be signing. I think it's one of the most sensible teams picked on here and it could be close to the true team that walks out onto the field game one next year. Maybe if they play Hoffman in the halves he surprises us. Maybe Locky works with him in the entire off season and something just clicks in his head. Doubtful, but he surprised us on the wing.

I think his team is 90% the same as most members, the contentious spots are the no. 6 and the forward rotation.

I'm not sure i agree with the logic that because Hoffman surprised us on the wing he could do the same at 5/8th. Should we try him at hooker as well? He went well on the wing as he is a hard runner and excellent finisher. If Jarrod Mullen goes down at Knights training i don't think Wayne will throw the no.6 onto Uate.

 

[Brett]

The reason I started McGuire was, I think he is defensively superior to Kennedy. I watched Kennedy play on the weekend, and honestly, he didn't really impress me. I'm not saying that's how he might play all the time, I just think McGuire has more solid defence and could keep us tight from the get-go. The other thing to consider there is the fact that McGuire has been starting for us lately and it might be a bit much to push him to the bench for the new guy. I can see the advantage of bringing McGuire in after 25 minutes also. He could be dangerous around that time and run a bit wider of the ruck even like he did against Newcastle in our first game against them.

I think Macca can play 80 next season. If he can't, what's wrong with using Glenn as a backup Hooker? He could come on and just run hard from dummy half. Or, drop Stagg/Dodda/Hala off the bench and replace them with Granville or similar.

14. Granville
15. Glenn
16. Oates
17. McGuire/Kennedy

The Stagg/Dodds/Tasi thing simply means, whoever is showing the better form. There's no order there, just whoever is fitter and has better form at the time. I was personally starting to like Hala.

If Yow Yeh is no good, you could promote someone like Drew onto the wing.

Personally, I don't see the problem with Hoffman at 5/8. If you look around the league, a lot of the good 5/8's are primarily running players, which is by far the best part of Hoffman's game. Maloney, Foran, Reynolds, Sutton... All running 5/8's. I would argue that Hoffman has at least an equal running game to all of those players.

Thoughts?

I've just read this back and realised my revised bench rotation only consists of 1 prop. This could be a problem...

 

[pagey]

I don't have a problem giving Hoffman a go at 5/8th if milford or dce don't come on board . For me Oates should be in the centers or to the q cup. My bench would be 14 granville 15 Glenn / Gillett 16 Maguire 17 tasi / hala

 

[broncos4life]

I don't have a problem giving Hoffman a go at 5/8th if milford or dce don't come on board . For me Oates should be in the centers or to the q cup. My bench would be 14 granville 15 Glenn / Gillett 16 Maguire 17 tasi / hala

Just out of interest, why would you have Oates down as 'centre or bust' when clearly his best position and future is in the backrow?

 

[pagey]

Just out of interest, why would you have Oates down as 'centre or bust' when clearly his best position and future is in the backrow?

Cause we are stacked with back rowers and I think he would do good in the centers but he could also use a stint in q cup in his usual position . I know his future is back row but I don't see using him of the bench is in the best interest for the team

 

[Broncoman]

I've seen some people in other threads questioning about where to play Ben Barba. Seriously folks you are thinking about playing the 2012 Dally M medalist and 2012 fullback of the year and the 2011 and 2012 leading try scorer (joint leader in 2011) out of position!.

 

[coreyh88]

I've seen some people in other threads questioning about where to play Ben Barba. Seriously folks you are thinking about playing the 2012 Dally M medalist and 2012 fullback of the year and the 2011 and 2012 leading try scorer (joint leader in 2011) out of position!.

Because barba 6 and Hoffman 1 is better than the other way around. I would prefer Hoffman on the wing and barba at 1 but then we don't have anyone for the 6. We'd have to blood a youngster. That's be detrimental to the team, hunt and the youngster. We need some experience in the halves

 

[coreyh88]

Personally, I don't see the problem with Hoffman at 5/8. If you look around the league, a lot of the good 5/8's are primarily running players, which is by far the best part of Hoffman's game. Maloney, Foran, Reynolds, Sutton... All running 5/8's. I would argue that Hoffman has at least an equal running game to all of those players.

Thoughts?

I've just read this back and realised my revised bench rotation only consists of 1 prop. This could be a problem...

I think Kennedy hannant and moose could do a whole game. Thaiday or Stagg could spend a little time up front. But not an ideal situation. Each of those running five eights is an excellent ball player. This assisted by their running which puts doubts in the defenders mind, ala Ben hunt. Their main flaw apart from Maloney is kicking and sometimes organising. They each have their Peter Wallace type to act as a foil though. Eg Reynolds, Pearce, dce, Hodskinson (not comparing Peter Wallace' ability to these players just style). Ball playing is Hoffman's fundamental flaw, additionally have you ever seen him kick? I haven't. Ben hunt's long kicking game is poor enough as is, he couldn't counter this (Mecca has really stepped up here recently).

 

[vertigo]

Personally, I don't see the problem with Hoffman at 5/8. If you look around the league, a lot of the good 5/8's are primarily running players, which is by far the best part of Hoffman's game. Maloney, Foran, Reynolds, Sutton... All running 5/8's. I would argue that Hoffman has at least an equal running game to all of those players.

Thoughts?

I was toying with the idea when I remembered how often Hoffman gets smashed and struggles to get back up.

Foran pretty much puts himself in a position to get poleaxed in order to suck in defenders and gets straight back up and does it again. He loves it.

 

[Sproj]

Kahu has always been seen as a six. If we don't get DCE or Milford, look for him to start the season there and probably be replaced by Strasser or Taylor as the season progresses if he doesn't fire.

 

[rnabokov]

For mine, the best teams have, and should have, their FB as a 4th play maker, in addition to their 2 play making halves and hooker, all 4 possessing a strong passing game on both sides, and a good kicking game short and long, with a dash of flair and enterprise grounded in vision, or, an ability to read the play, to think ahead. Good speed off the mark would be a bonus as well.

To me, that puts Hoffman squarely and ONLY on the wing, Barba at FB, Hunt at half and I also would start Strasser or Taylor in the halves.

Hoffman at this stage has shown me nothing to suggest he is a play maker nor can he kick. He is not the FB we need.

I base this on what I know now, and now, I know we don't have Milford or DCE.

Strasser or Taylor ought to be blooded ASAP in the halves. Other clubs aren't frightened to do it and we shouldn't either. I mean, how old is Milford?

Of course if we get Milford (which I strongly doubt) or DCE (also doubt for 2014) then things would change.