Round 7 - Knights vs Broncos - Pre-Match Discussion

[Morkel]

I love Hodges, he's one of my favourite players of all time, but I would feel extremely un-confident about him under the high ball / in defense at Fullback

Most of the battle is positioning & confidence. You don't forget how to read the play and get in the right position at the right time. Since most of the kicks are bombs, there is ample time for Hoffman or Vidot to get under them. Hodges will do what he does best - run the block. My biggest issue with Hodges there is that he'll have to constantly stop & change direction, which will murder his legs. But it's a gamble I'm willing to take, seeing as the alternative is losing the game anyway.

 

[levikaden]

Just win FFS

 

[Bucking Beads]

You'll notice how our attack has looked much worse since Hodges has returned. The biggest issue right now is just how much Barba is struggling. His ankle seems to be getting worse at the moment.

 

[Porthoz]

I totally agree with this, and as beads has said below, persist with it the whole season. To me it makes too much sense not to do it. Barba has lost a lot of his speed but his playmaking is really looking quite good, so why not put him at 6 so that his speed isn't in such a demand and he doesn't have to diffuse bombs. **** I would even have Hoffman back at 1 if it meant barba was at six. It would instantly take the pressure off hunt too.

Added bonus, give barba the 6 for the year so he can grow into the role, and then milf just slots into the 1 when he arrives, no need to have to wait for him to get used to 6

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Brett]

Right. The change has to be made. Barba needs to move into 5/8. Josh Hoffman, bless him, is not a 5/8. He had reasonable early success, but the time has come.

Barba has to go to #6. Yes, he's going to do a shit load of defensive work and oppositions will likely attack him constantly, HOWEVER, Hoffman has missed 10 tackles in his last 2 games, so it's not like we're getting a defensive stall wart out of him or anything. Barba to 5/8, Hoffman to the Wing. He HAS to go to the Wing. It's where we've got the most out of him, it's where he's played his best footy.

Parker cannot be Prop anymore. Just stop it. Hook ruined Thaiday last year with this shit. Parker was our best forward by a mile last year - this year he's a shadow of his former self.

Regardless of all of that, changes must be made. I've been on Hook's side before and said he needs time - well, we're 6 weeks into the comp now. That's enough. IMO, he has this week to make changes and hope it sparks something, or he has to go. I'm done.

1. Maranta
2. Hoffman
3. Copley
4. Hodges
5. Vidot
6. Barba
7. Hunt

8. McGuire
9. Macca
10. Kennedy
11. Thaiday
12. Gillett
13. Parker

14. Hannant
15. Hala
16. Glenn
17. Oates

 

[jarro65]

I'm not even going to bother listing my preferred squad as i know Hook will just play the same 17 again and again and again ..........

I do believe however that this group can play a lot better brand of football if they are allowed to.

I'd even go so far as to say that we could carry Hoffman at 5/8 IF we played a more uptempo forwards oriented gameplan ..... two runners at once, tip on plays. quci play the balls ..... this side did play like that in the opening rounds, but has now regressed back to the standard Griffinball.

Hook HAS to change his tactics !!!!

 

[rnabokov]

I'm not even going to bother listing my preferred squad as i know Hook will just play the same 17 again and again and again ..........

I do believe however that this group can play a lot better brand of football if they are allowed to.

I'd even go so far as to say that we could carry Hoffman at 5/8 IF we played a more uptempo forwards oriented gameplan ..... two runners at once, tip on plays. quci play the balls ..... this side did play like that in the opening rounds, but has now regressed back to the standard Griffinball.

Hook HAS to change his tactics !!!!

Hook's arrogance is unbelievable.

 

[Broncoman]

My team

1: Hodges
2: Vidot
3: Reed
4: Copley
5: Maranta
6: Hoffman
7: Hunt
8: McGuire
9: McCullogh
10: Parker
11: Glenn
12: Thiaday
13: Gillett

14: Hala
15: Oates
16: Kennedy
17: Hannant

Barba is obviously struggling for form and confidence and a brief rest away from the pressures of the NRL will help him tremendously. Hodges back to fullback.

Our 5/8th is a joke but unfortunately I feel that Hoffman is the best we've got. Kahu deserves a shot when he returns.

 

[jarro65]

Hook's arrogance is unbelievable.

Agreed.

To state that we are playing ok, and are just unlucky, is ridiculous !!!!

I'd love to know the players thoughts on the current gameplan ??

 

[jarro65]

My team

1: Hodges
2: Vidot
3: Reed
4: Copley
5: Maranta
6: Hoffman
7: Hunt
8: McGuire
9: McCullogh
10: Parker
11: Glenn
12: Thiaday
13: Gillett

14: Hala
15: Oates
16: Kennedy
17: Hannant

Barba is obviously struggling for form and confidence and a brief rest away from the pressures of the NRL will help him tremendously. Hodges back to fullback.

Our 5/8th is a joke but unfortunately I feel that Hoffman is the best we've got. Kahu deserves a shot when he returns.

The only problem i have with dropping Barba is that it might further destroy his confidence.

 

[Cult]

My team

1: Hodges
2: Vidot
3: Reed
4: Copley
5: Maranta
6: Hoffman
7: Hunt
8: McGuire
9: McCullogh
10: Parker
11: Glenn
12: Thiaday
13: Gillett

14: Hala
15: Oates
16: Kennedy
17: Hannant

Barba is obviously struggling for form and confidence and a brief rest away from the pressures of the NRL will help him tremendously. Hodges back to fullback.

Our 5/8th is a joke but unfortunately I feel that Hoffman is the best we've got. Kahu deserves a shot when he returns.

Hodges was dropping balls left, right and center last night. Playing him at fullback is not the right option.

 

[noisetheory]

dropping barba won't help his confidence and its not the answer.

theres too much pressure on him simply because we don't have a 6 or a forward pack that runs hard lines/angles on the edges. you cant just hand him the ball with nothing doing and expect miracles. the game plan (or lack thereof) simply does not suit barba. go and watch some doggies games from 2012 and see the way they attacked the edges with pritchard and co running hard and combining for short passes and offloads feeding barba ball in broken defense.

our attack gives the defense nothing to think about and its easy for them to rush up on hunt and barba.

 

[austin71]

1.Barba (Will come good)
2.Hoffman
3.Copley
4.Hodges
5.Vidot
6 Strasser or Nikorima
7. Hunt
8 .Maguire
9.Macca
10.Hannant
11.Gillett
12.Thaiday
13.Parker

14.Hala
15.Glenn
16.Dodds or Kennedy
17.Oates

 

[jarro65]

dropping barba won't help his confidence and its not the answer.

theres too much pressure on him simply because we don't have a 6 or a forward pack that runs hard lines/angles on the edges. you cant just hand him the ball with nothing doing and expect miracles. the game plan (or lack thereof) simply does not suit barba. go and watch some doggies games from 2012 and see the way they attacked the edges with pritchard and co running hard and combining for short passes and offloads feeding barba ball in broken defense.

our attack gives the defense nothing to think about and its easy for them to rush up on hunt and barba.

Exactly.

Barba will go fine once we change our gameplan to take pressure of him and Hunt.

Oh wait ..........

 

[Porthoz]

1. Barba (Will come good)
2. Hoffman
3. Copley
4. Hodges
5. Vidot
6. Strasser, Paia'aua or Nikorima or my grandma
7. Hunt
8. Maguire
9. Macca
10. Hannant
11. Gillett
12. Thaiday
13. Parker

14.Hala
15.Glenn
16.Dodds or Kennedy
17.Oates

Fixed it for ya! :takdir:

Seriously though, how hard can this be?

 

[austin71]

Haha Cheers

 

[noisetheory]

does anyone have anything official on kahu's recovery? not of the opinion he's the answer to all our problems but he's probably the best option for 6 at this stage, unless you just throw an u20's kid there (which i would absolutely prefer over hoffman).

 

[Mr Fourex]

Barba has always been sketchy under the high ball......but I had thought it was behind him. Doesn't look so now. Watching him last night, "letting" high balls bounce

"yours!!"

...reminded me of some his attempts in 2012, even when everyone else was piling on the praise for his attack. They were constantly overlooking this serious flaw in his game

Scary shit, having a fullback like that.

Maybe it is time that him and Hoffman swapped. I wasn't for it in the beginning, but

both are playing like arse where they are now.