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Ben Barba

BunniesMan

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,700
Cost them the game.

I thought he'd be back to his best when he got closer to home but it's looking like 2013 is his usual form and 2012 was the freak occurrence, not the other way around.

The Broncos have got themselves an expensive lemon.
 
N

Nightward

Juniors
Messages
874
I think it's a confidence thing. When he's on song, he's world class. At that point, he's not worried about getting things right and just plays what's in front of him. At the moment, nothing he's doing is working and he's too worried about getting things wrong to just let go and play.

A change to five-eighth (Copley out, Maranta fullback, Hoffman wing) could be good for him, since he is all right at running the ball and that may build his confidence back up. At the moment he's too stressed out to be secure under the high ball and isn't doing much with kick returns.
 
BunniesMan

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,700
Copley out, Maranta in? Are you having a laugh? Maranta is quite possibly the worst player currently in the league to have played 10+ games.
 
POPEYE

POPEYE

Coach
Messages
11,397
His inability to defend as a fullback, something previously hidden behind a wall of Dogs, is badly affecting his confidence. Being a confidence player in attack he'll undoubtedly suffer a nervous breakdown if Griffin doesn't afford the protection he needs
 
E

ek999

First Grade
Messages
6,977
The Bulldogs have actually ended up with a better fullback then the Broncos. Perhaps Brisbane could try swapping him and the Hoff
 
Jason Maher

Jason Maher

Immortal
Messages
35,982
Swap Barba and Hoffman. You can use the Tonie Carroll/Beau Scott defensive trick if he's at 5/8. And he wouldn't have to be very good at 5/8 to be better than Hoffman, who at least has shown form at times in the past at the back.
 
Ladmate

Ladmate

Bench
Messages
3,004
He's going to be useless if Milford comes over. I don't see Barba being a good 5/8, and his fullback play is deplorable.
 
R

Radical Rat

Juniors
Messages
1,111
Nightward said:
I think it's a confidence thing. When he's on song, he's world class. At that point, he's not worried about getting things right and just plays what's in front of him. At the moment, nothing he's doing is working and he's too worried about getting things wrong to just let go and play.

A change to five-eighth (Copley out, Maranta fullback, Hoffman wing) could be good for him, since he is all right at running the ball and that may build his confidence back up. At the moment he's too stressed out to be secure under the high ball and isn't doing much with kick returns.
Click to expand...

He had 1 great season on the back of the Dogs questionable (IMO illegal) block plays. Any fullback would have looked great getting that kind of time and space out the back.
 
P

Perce

Juniors
Messages
340
Yes, he's struggling - but why death ride the bloke? He's still pretty young, and can still be a valuable player. Just down on confidence. Good defensive instincts to get underneath the ball when it was over the line (was it Minichiello?) and there was zero he could do about the flukey bounce that led to the Cesar try - he had to jump to grab it, allowing Cesar to wrestle it out before he had a proper grasp on it.
IF he gets his head right, and IF Griffin does the right thing by him, no reason he can't become an excellent long-term fullback like Matty Bowen - another small bloke who was criticised at different times for inconsistency, probs under the high ball, defensive deficiencies etc.
 
Vic Mackey

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
25,117
Radical Rat said:
He had 1 great season on the back of the Dogs questionable (IMO illegal) block plays. Any fullback would have looked great getting that kind of time and space out the back.
Click to expand...

Pretty much

It wasn't a hayne 2009 where he was creating something out of nothing. Yes he did well but he was constantly given a 3 on 2 by his inside men. Easy to look good in that situation.
 
Dazzat

Dazzat

First Grade
Messages
5,919
Two things need to happen for Barba to find some form. First, he actually needs some time in the Queensland Cup. Second, Griffin needs to get rid of Hoffman out of the No. 6 role and get a real playmaker in there - someone who will make room for Barba.

Griffin is using Barba as a No. 6 in attack - and it looks like Barba isn't sure HOW to get involved. Fix up the No. 6 and I think Barba will improve (after his time in Queensland Cup).

But knowing Griffin's stubbornness in his selection policy - and his inability to make hard decisions - neither of these things will happen.
 
MrAnonymous

MrAnonymous

Bench
Messages
4,070
Very similar player to Tomkins, Soft, horrible under the high ball, limited play making abilities and overpaid.

Unlucky Broncos you got a dud.
 
I

insert.pause

First Grade
Messages
6,446
Fortunately, thanks to the Bulldogs insistence he be paid the value of his remaining bulldogs contract, he is not on much for the first two years of his Broncos contract.
 
N

Nightward

Juniors
Messages
874
BunniesMan said:
Copley out, Maranta in? Are you having a laugh? Maranta is quite possibly the worst player currently in the league to have played 10+ games.
Click to expand...

Copley is worse. Maranta plays better defensively, is faster, and plays with full commitment. Last night Copley gave up the chase on Meade after taking a few steps, while McGuire and Thaiday showed more pace and effort trying to run him down.

Copley is probably a decent second-rower, maybe with the potential to be a decent centre. We need a strike winger.

Also, Maranta was on some diet plan last year to bulk him up (probably due to Griffin's mentality of every player being a back rower regardless of actual position) but made his case over the off season to be let off it because it was making him too slow. He was a lot sharper and faster this season. Based on form and effort, if one of Copley or Maranta was to be dropped, it should have been Copley.
 
Bretto

Bretto

Bench
Messages
2,792
Give up. Copley was one of our best players when he was playing in the Centres. He's made way for that plodder Reed. Reed needs to go, Copley to Left Centre, Barba to 5/8, Hoffman to the Left Wing and Maranta to Fullback, his natural position.
 
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