Round 1 - Bulldogs vrs Broncos; Pre-Match Discussion

[Mr Fourex]

What I can't and won't ever do, is death-ride my team to achieve the purpose of getting rid of Hook (or anyone else), or even just to be able to brag about being right!

:takdir:

 

[rnabokov]

I am one of Matt Gillett's greatest fans, along with an equally perspicacious person from Portugal. On his day, he can be devastating in attack and defence, one of the best back rowers in the game.

At the same time, when he is slow laterally, runs out of the line too early, and grabs in defence, he is a PIA.

I really hope 2014 is his year. He can be a serious game breaker

 

[Huge]

Let me state for the record I am a life long supporter of the Broncos and hope for a great season in 2014. With that said I looked at the Roosters side again and sadly became aware of the massive gulf between ourselves and them. With the exception of Parker and the injured Hodges I couldn't see anyone in our team who you would swap for the Roosters first string side.

In days gone by we were generally superior or at least a match for any side. Our slide since WBs departure has been catastrophic and saddens me deeply. The thing that stands out is the lack of aggression. We have a mediocre frontrow and average forwards generally. Untried halves and a slack back line. Maybe we have potential but nothing can hide our inadequacies .

Sadly Parramatta look better on paper than us. I hope I'm totally wrong and if I wasn't an atheist, I'd pray for them.

 

[Kimlo]

Let me state for the record I am a life long supporter of the Broncos and hope for a great season in 2014. With that said I looked at the Roosters side again and sadly became aware of the massive gulf between ourselves and them. With the exception of Parker and the injured Hodges I couldn't see anyone in our team who you would swap for the Roosters first string side.

In days gone by we were generally superior or at least a match for any side. Our slide since WBs departure has been catastrophic and saddens me deeply. The thing that stands out is the lack of aggression. We have a mediocre frontrow and average forwards generally. Untried halves and a slack back line. Maybe we have potential but nothing can hide our inadequacies .

Sadly Parramatta look better on paper than us. I hope I'm totally wrong and if I wasn't an atheist, I'd pray for them.

You wouldn't swap Mini for Barba?

 

[broncos4life]

You wouldn't swap Mini for Barba?

Exactly. If you say Mini is a better fullback than barba, then credibility lost

 

[Renegade]

Aside from splitting hairs, do you see his point?

 

[Financeguy]

Sadly Parramatta look better on paper than us. I hope I'm totally wrong and if I wasn't an atheist, I'd pray for them.

While i think there is some merit to your general sentiments about our squad compared to the better teams in the comp, the comment about Parramatta being better than us on paper is simply not true.

Their back row is Ben Smith, Manu M'au and Kenny Edwards ffs. they have a player at 5/8th that most on here were jumping for joy when he left and praying for round 13 to come and go so he couldnt change his mind!!

On paper our team is ok, its on the field we suck.

 

[Donald]

Broncos by 13+. Mark my words

 

[noisetheory]

i am actually happy to see this. i hate hte idea of swapping positions and what not mid game. whether it ends up a good decision or a terrible one i am glad hook has the confidence to at least say "hoffman is the 6 and thats that".

No Cookies | thetelegraph.com.au

“Josh will play five-eighth and Ben will play fullback,” he said.


“I think Josh will handle it just fine, he’s a great runner of the ball and we’ve seen numerous times over the last few years, fullbacks can handle five-eighth.


“Defensively, he is not scared of the defensive workload, the big thing will be getting used to being in the frontline. But he has done a lot of work on that in our pre-season camp. I have confidence he can do the job for us.


“Whether you are there for the first time or the 100th time, you are in the halves, the opposition will run a lot of traffic at you.


“We had a look at our list and that (Hoffman at five-eighth) suits us best.


“I have total confidence in everyone in the team but particularly Josh to be able to handle that.”


Barba looked sharp and focused at the Broncos’ final training run on Thursday morning.


“Ben has been great,” he said.


“He has fitted in really well, he is a real team man, he is a good kid that’s done a lot of hard work since he’s been here. He’s been great in the way he’s conducted himself and his attitude.


“In the end, it will come down to how he plays his footy. Obviously when anyone comes to a new club, he was a bit nervous, but as the months have gone on and he’s played a little bit of footy, he’s relaxed.


“We have been over last year,” he said.


“We have never shied away from the disappointment of where we finished but we have moved on from that and the only way we can do that is from this game forward.


“We haven’t been sitting there every week saying we have to do it for this reason or that reason.


“It is a new year, we are disappointed with how we finished last year, but tomorrow is the first game for 2014.”

 

[broncos4life]

i am actually happy to see this. i hate hte idea of swapping positions and what not mid game. whether it ends up a good decision or a terrible one i am glad hook has the confidence to at least say "hoffman is the 6 and thats that".

No Cookies | thetelegraph.com.au

“Josh will play five-eighth and Ben will play fullback,” he said.


“I think Josh will handle it just fine, he’s a great runner of the ball and we’ve seen numerous times over the last few years, fullbacks can handle five-eighth.


“Defensively, he is not scared of the defensive workload, the big thing will be getting used to being in the frontline. But he has done a lot of work on that in our pre-season camp. I have confidence he can do the job for us.


“Whether you are there for the first time or the 100th time, you are in the halves, the opposition will run a lot of traffic at you.


“We had a look at our list and that (Hoffman at five-eighth) suits us best.


“I have total confidence in everyone in the team but particularly Josh to be able to handle that.”


Barba looked sharp and focused at the Broncos’ final training run on Thursday morning.


“Ben has been great,” he said.


“He has fitted in really well, he is a real team man, he is a good kid that’s done a lot of hard work since he’s been here. He’s been great in the way he’s conducted himself and his attitude.


“In the end, it will come down to how he plays his footy. Obviously when anyone comes to a new club, he was a bit nervous, but as the months have gone on and he’s played a little bit of footy, he’s relaxed.


“We have been over last year,” he said.


“We have never shied away from the disappointment of where we finished but we have moved on from that and the only way we can do that is from this game forward.


“We haven’t been sitting there every week saying we have to do it for this reason or that reason.


“It is a new year, we are disappointed with how we finished last year, but tomorrow is the first game for 2014.”

Ok, so I'm pretty bloody excited now. Win or lose. Go Broncos!

 

[Bucking Beads]

“I think Josh will handle it just fine, he’s a great runner of the ball and we’ve seen numerous times over the last few years, fullbacks can handle five-eighth.


“

My favourite part of the article. Awkward how Hoffman wasn't even up to fullback last year as Hook preferred a bloke who could pass the ball in Norman who was a useless fullback.

 

[Big Pete]

It wasn't so much he wasn't up to fullback, more he was versatile enough to cover an area the Broncos were weak in.

At least from his perspective.

 

[Ari Gold]

“I think Josh will handle it just fine, he’s a great runner of the ball and we’ve seen numerous times over the last few years, fullbacks can handle five-eighth.

I really hope there was more to it than this. Any fullback that succeeded at five eight did not succeed because they had previous worn #1 on their back, they succeeded because of the obvious playmaking abilities they had (and used to success from the fullback position). If you drew a venn diagram of fullbacks and five-eights, the overlap would only be guys who can ball play.

 

[Huge]

Ok ,Barba for Mini. The difference in the pair is hardly daylight though. Sure Barba is potentially better but Minichello is rock solid and proven. My point is how little of our team is top shelf, three players definitely but the rest ? When contrasted with the Roosters,the premiers ,the differences are stark.

 

[Ari Gold]

Definitely agree with CF's intention with the comparison. Very few of our players would make the side, and those that did, 2-3 of that would be on the bench in places of young guys like Napa etc.

I have to whole heartedly disagree about Minichello being rock solid. He used to be, but last year I thought he was very error prone and sloppy. If the Roosters punted him and put RTS at fullback I reckon they'd become an even better side.

 

[noisetheory]

he said he's a good ball runner. been plenty of five eighths who arent massive ball players fit the position. i know, its not the greatest thing ever, but im giving it a chance. if we play the right game plan, and use barba to his best abilities, its not going to matter too much re hoffmans ball playing ability.

the pressure is more on hunt to guide the team around. but yeah, unfortunately he's still pretty raw to the full time half role.

 

[Porthoz]

I really hope there was more to it than this. Any fullback that succeeded at five eight did not succeed because they had previous worn #1 on their back, they succeeded because of the obvious playmaking abilities they had (and used to success from the fullback position). If you drew a venn diagram of fullbacks and five-eights, the overlap would only be guys who can ball play.

Tend to agree, but if they're gonna use Josh as a runner primarily, like Josh Reynolds for example, he may do a job.

I have strong doubts however, because he has a dreadful sense of timing and always runs into the defender before being able to do anything with the ball... hopefully he will give himself some space to do more than just smashing into the opposition ball in hand.

 

[Brett]

Ball running 5/8ths: Laurie Daley? Brad Fittler? Those guys were okay.