The Dilemma

[Porthoz]

Of the available choices, Norman's kicking sh!ts from great height over the others. That is definitely his best attribute, but his passing game and even his running game is certainly up to par...

I have a feeling most people haven't seen much of the Toyota Cup this year, because he, Copley and Dane Gagai were the regular stand outs.
And Coxy, more than half of our current first grade team came from the 2008/2009 Toyota Cup crop. DCE and Reed are actually the exceptions as far as gun rookies go this year, in the sense that both came from Qcup (well, DCE is a Toyota Cup product, but played 1 year in Qcup).

Norman is imo by far the most talented, but the question is whether Hook can get him mentally prepared for the NRL, where one mistake, a lapse of concentration or a lazy moment often results in a try against your team. As a halve, he will need to maintain focus and intensity for the full 80 minutes in every game!

As for Jordan Kahu, I haven't seen much of him tbh. The Toyota Cup FB is Gagai and the halves are normally Frisby and Norman. Has he been playing in the Qcup?

 

[Coxy]

Of the available choices, Norman's kicking sh!ts from great height over the others. That is definitely his best attribute, but his passing game and even his running game is certainly up to par...

I have a feeling most people haven't seen much of the Toyota Cup this year, because he, Copley and Dane Gagai were the regular stand outs.
And Coxy, more than half of our current first grade team came from the 2008/2009 Toyota Cup crop. DCE and Reed are actually the exceptions as far as gun rookies go this year, in the sense that both came from Qcup (well, DCE is a Toyota Cup product, but played 1 year in Qcup).

Norman is imo by far the most talented, but the question is whether Hook can get him mentally prepared for the NRL, where one mistake, a lapse of concentration or a lazy moment often results in a try against your team. As a halve, he will need to maintain focus and intensity for the full 80 minutes in every game!

As for Jordan Kahu, I haven't seen much of him tbh. The Toyota Cup FB is Gagai and the halves are normally Frisby and Norman. Has he been playing in the Qcup?

Kahu had a knee reconstruction earlier this year.

 

[Porthoz]

Why can't he? If Hunt can do it coming from the halves, then why couldn't Norman?

Hunt has been groomed into the hooker position, while Norman merely plays in the halves.
Although he was very good in his first NRL game at FB, it's not his position either and eventually it showed.

Barba got a bench spot due to the crappy halves they had at the bulldogs and eventually got the FB spot because there wasn't a Hoffman or even Beale knocking on the door after the general retired...
Does anyone seriously think Barba would get a spot in the Broncos 17, and if so ahead of whom?

 

[Porthoz]

Kahu had a knee reconstruction earlier this year.

Ah right, forgot about that... :shake:

 

[Coxy]

Ah right, forgot about that... :shake:

For that reason I wouldn't see him as a contender next year at all. Coming back from that operation is a big enough mental battle without having to cope with being a first grade half replacing Lockyer.

Looking at the quality of the Q Cup grand final yesterday, it really disappoints me we waste our youth in the NYC. They would learn so much more at Q Cup level.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I agree coxy QLD cup is of a good quality. Norman, Copley and Gagai would have got a lot more out of QLD cup rather than under 20's

 

[Porthoz]

For that reason I wouldn't see him as a contender next year at all. Coming back from that operation is a big enough mental battle without having to cope with being a first grade half replacing Lockyer.

Looking at the quality of the Q Cup grand final yesterday, it really disappoints me we waste our youth in the NYC. They would learn so much more at Q Cup level.

Maybe, but look where most of the new talent in the NRL came from in the last few years...

 

[Coxy]

I realise that, but can you say it's making the NRL better? With a few exceptions, NRL defences have gone backwards badly.

 

[Porthoz]

I realise that, but can you say it's making the NRL better? With a few exceptions, NRL defences have gone backwards badly.

I think relating that to the Toyota Cup is a big leap!
I don't think you can acuse Broncos, Manly, Storm, Warriors, Dragons or Cowboys to be that bad defensively, and yet, those are the teams responsible for bringing most of the Toyota Cup talent to the NRL...

 

[Jeba]

Maybe, but look where most of the new talent in the NRL came from in the last few years...

Most of our former U20's have had QCup experience as well. Yow Yeh, Gillett, Hala, Hunt, McGuire to name some examples.

 

[Porthoz]

Most of our former U20's have had QCup experience as well. Yow Yeh, Gillett, Hala, Hunt, McGuire to name some examples.

Gillett and Reed are the only rookie players I can think of that didn't originate from the Toyota Cup in the last few years.
As you mention, some did rotate a bit in Qcup, mostly forwards though. Neither Yow Yeh, Copley, Beale, Gagai, Norman or Hunt spent much time in Qcup...

 

[Big Pete]

Gillett played Under 20's too.

With that said, going back to an earlier point, Norman's got a great long distance kicking game, but Hunts got a better short distance kicking game.

 

[Porthoz]

Gillett played Under 20's too.

With that said, going back to an earlier point, Norman's got a great long distance kicking game, but Hunts got a better short distance kicking game.

He did? For whom?
Can't recall ever seeing him play Toyota Cup for the Broncos...

 

[Bucking Beads]

It was for the Broncos..

 

[Coxy]

He did? For whom?
Can't recall ever seeing him play Toyota Cup for the Broncos...

2008. Broncos cut him at the end of that season.

 

[Big Pete]

Bit more complicated than that.

Gillett wanted to play for West Panthers during their finals run, Brisbane cut him because of that.

Don't blame you for not knowing AuDragon, he only played like 5 games off the bench towards the end of the season.

 

[Coxy]

Then he wouldn't turn up to training for Norths.

 

[vertigo]

It has to be Norman, if he's not there from day 1 there's something wrong because hes been talked about as a certainty to get it.