Round 1 - Bulldogs vrs Broncos; Pre-Match Discussion

[noisetheory]

Chris Garry @chrisgarry1 5m
Ben Barba and Josh Hoffman will play 5/8 for the Broncos, interchanging during games this season

 

[Art Vandelay]

Hahaaa, its also quite concerning how many people want Barba at five-eighth

It's not really surprising (and it's still lower than 50%). If we signed *Billy Slater for 2014 effective immediately Barba would probably get 90% of the vote in the same poll. I don't blame people for not wanting to move Barba from his best position, but conversely can you really blame 37% of people for wanting to play their best five-eighth option at five-eighth?

 

[noisetheory]

but conversely can you really blame 37% of people for wanting to play their best five-eighth option at five-eighth?

but barbas best position is fullback, not five-eighth.

if we signed cameron smith he would be our best option at five-eighth - but you wouldnt go putting him there.

 

[Super Freak]

This is what I expect the team to be.

1. Hoffman
2. Mills
3. Reed
4. Copley
5. Maranta
6. Barba
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Parker
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Thaiday

14. Granville
15. Hannant
16. Kennedy
17. Lowrie

$20 that's the side for Round 1.

 

[Brett]

This is what I expect the team to be.

1. Hoffman
2. Mills
3. Reed
4. Copley
5. Maranta
6. Barba
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Parker
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Thaiday

14. Granville
15. Hannant
16. Kennedy
17. Lowrie

$20 that's the side for Round 1.

Mate, I reckon you're pretty close. I certainly wouldn't take that bet.

 

[Porthoz]

Super Freak, you're mean! You're making me cry...

 

[Alec]

That side looks just retarded enough to actually be it. I won't throw away my money.

 

[noisetheory]

he speaks so much truth : (

 

[Art Vandelay]

but barbas best position is fullback, not five-eighth.

if we signed cameron smith he would be our best option at five-eighth - but you wouldnt go putting him there.

I said Barba's best position is fullback. I also think Barba is our best five-eighth. My point was basically that I don't think it's right to act as if playing Barba at five-eighth is totally ludicrous, when with the options we have right now he is probably the best five-eighth we have on our books, arguably by some margin.

 

[Brett]

Without being rude or going over the top, I would literally rather we just play an egg, with a face and a beard painted onto it as our #5 instead of Maranta.

 

[Alec]

I think Barba's ball playing is pretty limited, it's just that he can use his speed and agility to get on the outside of defenders and create 3 on 2s or 2 on 1s. That's kinda going to disappear if he plays in the halves, unless he just plays as a second fullback.

 

[Russell Coight]

Fucking hell if maranta gets a run ill be fuming. We were all so confident we had seen the last of him with these new signings. fucking griffin.

 

[noisetheory]

****ing hell if maranta gets a run ill be fuming. We were all so confident we had seen the last of him with these new signings. ****ing griffin.

mate its a certainty. absolutely gaurentee that maranta will be on our wing in rnd 1

 

[Bucking Beads]

The issue longterm is both Milford and Barba are probably better at fullback. One of them has to be in the halves so why not get Barba in there now and let him be the guy. He is bigger than Milford after all. It's not ideal but it's probably our best option long term.

 

[noisetheory]

in all honestly im coming around to the idea (as the only real option we have), as long as barba stays at the back defensively.

hoffmans going to defend in the line better than nikorima.

the sticking point is that hoffman cant do a sweep play or similar to save his life. but i guess barba is probably the most talented player on the park so his hands on the ball are going to be key. and as beads, said, barba or milford are going to have to do it next year.

what they will need to focus on is getting parker and thaiday on the edges popping balls out the back to create a bit of space for him to work in

but if they go naming parker at prop then ffs....

 

[noisetheory]

Edit: woops

 

[bazza]

I feel for Maranta. He's not even a winger! He's just forced to play there. No wonder his down on confidence. It's reflected by his poor performances.

He has never looked comfortable on the wing. I'll even go as far as to say that at the end of last year when he played fullback, he looked better in his brief stint at the back, than he did his whole year on the wing.

I reckon he feels the same way we do every time Hook picks him on the wing. He probably even reacts the same way. :laugh:

 

[Broncoman]

Chris Garry @chrisgarry1 5m
Ben Barba and Josh Hoffman will play 5/8 for the Broncos, interchanging during games this season

Bloody hell I can't stand players playing out of position it didn't work for us last year and under Griffin I've got little confidence with it working.