Immediate changes from Bennett

[Dazzat]

Gee discussing the person with whom the buck stops. I thought about writing on matters relating to the boy who brings out the kicking tee, but thought I'd let him off.

 

[Kiwi]

Gee discussing the person with whom the buck stops. I thought about writing on matters relating to the boy who brings out the kicking tee, but thought I'd let him off.

Dammit I picked cheerleader in the change rooms with gaterade bottle... I suck at cluedo

 

[Big Pete]

I like Hoffman and I'm genuinely sad to see him leave the club. I believe he's a quality club man and would love to see him used as a backline utility similar to Boyd in 2008 but I don't begrudge him looking elsewhere or Bennett showing him the door.

I've been calling for the club to make the tough calls that helped us win premierships in 92/93 and 97/98/00 for awhile now. Hopefully letting Hoff go works out for both parties.

 

[Dazzat]

Interesting that Hoffman is now rumoured to be signing with the Titans. The Titans as well have a winger who wants to be a fullback - David Mead. Add Williams Zillman - who I would prefer at fullback from the three - Hoffy may find himself on the wing again.

 

[isaiah]

Fai is one of the prospects I'm excited about, as is Collins and Hipgrave.

I'd like to see how Ofahengaue and Arrow go after a full pre-season. I'm a big fan of Lisone but worth pointing out he has a whole year on Ofahengaue - that's huge at NYC level.

its all george fai, been his biggest fan for 2 years plus.

 

[isaiah]

Couldn't believe the comments by Josh Hoffman in a story today - throwing tantrums to Griffin insisting he plays fullback. It explained a lot about the season just gone. Hoffman basically held Griffin to ransom and Griffin let him, and we saw the disaster that was Hoffman at No. 6.

Hoffman will find out the hard way that he is a winger when he moves to greener pastures.

another who was played out of position the last few years before 2014 was ben hunt. was it henjak or bennett who first tried to make him into a dummy half off the bench?

 

[Snappy]

I believe he's a quality club man.

Seriously ?

A good club man does what he's told for the good of the team.

Josh wants whats best for Josh. He caused a drama by asking for release to go to the Dogs so he could play fullback, when he could have made a wing position his own.

Right now the coach told him he cant be guaranteed the fullback position, so he can stay if he wants, or can look elsewhere. A good club man would want to stay and prove his worth to the team, but no, Josh is looking elsewhere.

 

[Big Pete]

Yes, seriously.

A good club man also sucks it up and gets on with business and represents the club as well as he can. Watch any of the club videos or his interactions on social media and you'll see he's one of the better personalities at the club.

That's why it's a shame he wants to leave and apart of the reason why fans are pissed. They'd love to have him on board, just not at fullback.

 

[Packy]

Seriously ?

A good club man does what he's told for the good of the team.

Josh wants whats best for Josh. He caused a drama by asking for release to go to the Dogs so he could play fullback, when he could have made a wing position his own.

Right now the coach told him he cant be guaranteed the fullback position, so he can stay if he wants, or can look elsewhere. A good club man would want to stay and prove his worth to the team, but no, Josh is looking elsewhere.

Bennett's comment to Josh was as much as a GTFO as you will get from a coach.

 

[Bronco18]

Yeah, Hoffman has his limitations but far out, he's showed more spirit playing for us than so many others have. Those try savers he made when playing fullback against the Warriors and Bulldogs were classics, and it's something that few people were willing to give him praise for (probably because he's one of the pinups for our failures, along with Maranta). Hodges wouldn't have saved those tries, Milford won't be able to and Barba showed he can't.
I'd have liked to have seen him make a fist of the centre position earlier on, but Copley and Hodges have it sewn up now.

Having him leave is kind of sad for me, as he was one of my favourite players coming through for a while. He didn't have his creativity, but he had Hunt's toughness when he burst onto the scene and developed that kind of reliability. I think his form nose dived (as with the rest of the team's) in 2012 after getting concussed two weeks in a row, first by Greg Inglis and then Wade Graham's shoulder. His lack of creativity started to show too without Lockyer controlling the team.
I think him leaving is in the best interests of both parties now though. Best of luck to him.

 

[Snappy]

Bennett's comment to Josh was as much as a GTFO as you will get from a coach.

meh, he's still contracted and can stay if he wants. He'd get a spot on the wing where he excelled in 2013, to prove his worth.

Look how things worked out for Gerard Beale changing clubs to play a certain position. Grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[Dazzat]

Yes Hoffman plays hard on the field. Yes Hoffman gives it his all. Yes Hoffman is a good ball runner. Yes Hoffman saved some tries at fullback.

But at the end of the day, rugby league is a team game. You can have a team full of talented players, but if they don't play for each other, then you don't have a team.

Hoffman's individual skill and brilliance were often overshadowed by his reluctance to pass, and reluctance to play where he was suited.

There aren't too many players that come out and make public statements about where they think they should play on the field - that's because it shows disrespect for the coach and your team mates.

What do you think Ben Barba thought when Hoffman comes out and says he think he should play fullback? These things shouldn't be talked about in the public arena, and just as happened with Gerard Beale, in the end, it often counts against you.

 

[Bronco18]

There aren't too many players that come out and make public statements about where they think they should play on the field - that's because it shows disrespect for the coach and your team mates.

What do you think Ben Barba thought when Hoffman comes out and says he think he should play fullback? These things shouldn't be talked about in the public arena, and just as happened with Gerard Beale, in the end, it often counts against you.

You should probably have a go at Hodges then for saying Hoffman can't play somewhere. Which is, you know, way more disruptive to team morale.

I've got no problems with players being honest with the media, we need more of them who don't stick behind cliche's like "I'll just do what's best for the team" and "at the end of the day, it's what the coach wants". I've had enough of that, let players be honest. Barba is a Dally M medalist, he can deal with some competition for the fullback spot.

 

[Dazzat]

You should probably have a go at Hodges then for saying Hoffman can't play somewhere. Which is, you know, way more disruptive to team morale.

I've got no problems with players being honest with the media, we need more of them who don't stick behind cliche's like "I'll just do what's best for the team" and "at the end of the day, it's what the coach wants". I've had enough of that, let players be honest. Barba is a Dally M medalist, he can deal with some competition for the fullback spot.

I agree, but that shouldn't include using the media to tell the coach what to do - which is effectively what Hoffman was doing. He was attempting to manipulate the coach through the media - and he succeeded with Griffin.

On the other hand, Bennett will not be manipulated by the media, and I would imagine that Hoffman's antics didn't go unnoticed (which is why Bennett is showing him he door).

On another note, it seems that Ben Barba's family are no longer important ... or maybe we were just spun a line by the media ...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lacement-for-todd-carney-20141021-119dg8.html

 

[Big Pete]

If Hoffman succeeded, why didn't Hook play Barba at five eighth and Hoffman at fullback?

Just another example of silly fan fiction. Usually that's reserved for Star Trek or Lord of the Rings - sad to see it take over Rugby League.

 

[Dazzat]

If Hoffman succeeded, why didn't Hook play Barba at five eighth and Hoffman at fullback?

Just another example of silly fan fiction. Usually that's reserved for Star Trek or Lord of the Rings - sad to see it take over Rugby League.

Bless you Pete. Love Lord of the Rings and Star Trek.

One man's truth is another's fiction. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Hoffman did play fullback during the year and never once played wing - a position that almost everyone on this forum agrees is his best position. I would imagine if he couldn't play fullback, No. 6 would be his next preferred position (despite the fact he has virtually no skills to suggest he should play there).

I would say that's mission accomplished for Hoffman. No wing - good year for Hoffy.

 

[Big Pete]

I would imagine

And that's where it all comes undone.

There is nothing to indicate this, the only thing to go on is his admission that he considers himself a fullback and wants the security of playing in one position. Having to learn another is the opposite.

 

[Dazzat]

OK Pete. From now on we should ban anyone who writes anything unsourced from club officials. Problem solved. No surmising. No guessing.

Maybe jokes (unless sourced by the original creator) should be banned as well.

 

[Big Pete]

World's smallest violin, Daz.

 

[Dazzat]

On another note (get the pun - violin ... note ... music) ... Barba's rumoured move to the Sharks makes me think that the "family reasons" given for his moving to Brisbane were a pile of hooey.