Official Ben Barba

[Gards]

That Robson suggests he is capable of learning and adapting to a new playmaker next to him is the bit that got me. Robson plays the same regardless of the scoreline, time on the clock or players around him. It sorta worked with Carney for a few seasons but Barba is a different player

 

[deano the p]

No i agree there. His grubbers are alright but down field or attacking he is really below par. If Gordon can help makes those long metre kicks that will help us out.

Even his grubbers are just on par for mine if not slightly worse, he does get a few repeat sets but for every one he gets he seems to kick a lot dead.

 

[hamsy44]

If you want a glimpse of how we will use Barba watch his under 20's highlights - there was a big running prop, Sione (John) Kite I think was his name, in that dogs side and barba was his shadow - he scored many many tries off the space made. Fifita and Barba will be best buddies.

 

[Thresher]

If you want a glimpse of how we will use Barba watch his under 20's highlights - there was a big running prop, Sione (John) Kite I think was his name, in that dogs side and barba was his shadow - he scored many many tries off the space made. Fifita and Barba will be best buddies.

He might get some 'meat pies' from the Toup Kitchen as well.

 

[hamsy44]

He might get some 'meat pies' from the Toup Kitchen as well.

hahaha he just might

 

[SharkShocked]

As long as it doesn't end up the same way with the inside ball play to gardner sniffing through the middle.

Think they are still scraping him up off various fields.

 

[Sutty]

As long as it doesn't end up the same way with the inside ball play to gardner sniffing through the middle.

Think they are still scraping him up off various fields.

Nah, Gal is saving that for Holmes.

 

[vicsharkfan]

As long as it doesn't end up the same way with the inside ball play to gardner sniffing through the middle.

Think they are still scraping him up off various fields.

Poor Gards jeez he got monsters with that slide of hand play, rekon when he heard out the back that this pet play was on... He'd just sigh and mumble something about groundhog day...

 

[Boundos]

That Robson suggests he is capable of learning and adapting to a new playmaker next to him is the bit that got me. Robson plays the same regardless of the scoreline, time on the clock or players around him. It sorta worked with Carney for a few seasons but Barba is a different player

The issue I fear we are gunna have is that with carney and Robbo, we could and did use Carneys kicking game to drag us out of shyte set from our end. Barba's kicking game isn't anywhere near Carneys as he is more of a running 5/8. This is where I reckon we will struggle this season.

We need our big men running straight and hard coming off our own end to create some space for Barba and the backs. None of this crabbing across the ground crap otherwise we will be pinned on our line for the majority of most matches.

 

[HaroldBishop]

The issue I fear we are gunna have is that with carney and Robbo, we could and did use Carneys kicking game to drag us out of shyte set from our end. Barba's kicking game isn't anywhere near Carneys as he is more of a running 5/8. This is where I reckon we will struggle this season.

We need our big men running straight and hard coming off our own end to create some space for Barba and the backs. None of this crabbing across the ground crap otherwise we will be pinned on our line for the majority of most matches.

Didn't Barba sign with Manly?

 

[Cesare6t9]

If Barba does not put in and give us another kicking dynamic I will be dissapointed

Ennis will give us a solid kicking game out of dummy half and Micky Gordon getting involved deep in our own half would be nice

 

[Greg86]

Has Gordon been kicking long at training or are these just "hopes" that Gordon will pitch in with some open play kicks.

 

[slide rule]

Has Gordon been kicking long at training or are these just "hopes" that Gordon will pitch in with some open play kicks.

It was mentioned in an interview that Gordon was doing some work on his kicking in play, but I don't remember which interview it actually was.

 

[Greg86]

Oh thanks mate, if he can kick up field like his Goal kicking should be in safe hands!

 

[Capital_Shark]

Has Gordon been kicking long at training or are these just "hopes" that Gordon will pitch in with some open play kicks.

I think it might of been before xmas there was an article that quoted Gordon saying that while he'd always been a good kicker he's never done much in-play kicking and he was working on that.

 

[endevour shark]

brown and murphy perhaps?

I would like to see that happen in the 9s

 

[endevour shark]

I do. It's the one thing that's holding me back from tipping us to make the 8. I really hope Murphy can be everything we want him to be.

Agree

 

[Gards]

The issue I fear we are gunna have is that with carney and Robbo, we could and did use Carneys kicking game to drag us out of shyte set from our end. Barba's kicking game isn't anywhere near Carneys as he is more of a running 5/8. This is where I reckon we will struggle this season.

We need our big men running straight and hard coming off our own end to create some space for Barba and the backs. None of this crabbing across the ground crap otherwise we will be pinned on our line for the majority of most matches.

It's ok, we will just need a Barba line break every set on the 4th tackle to make up for the 10m 'clearing' kick Robson will put in on the 5th

I think it might of been before xmas there was an article that quoted Gordon saying that while he'd always been a good kicker he's never done much in-play kicking and he was working on that.

Gordon could be working on it in his local park for all we know. Whether Flanno has him working on it and plans to utilise it in games is another thing. I reckon we see it happen once before it is shelved and back to safety first , cough

 

[Sutty]

Gordon could be working on it in his local park for all we know. Whether Flanno has him working on it and plans to utilise it in games is another thing. I reckon we see it happen once before it is shelved and back to safety first , cough

“I’m always trying to improve every area of my game,” he said.
“Working with certain players and timing this better, my ball-playing, general play kicking. It is never staying still. I’ve always been a pretty good kicker; I’ve just never really brought it in the game. I’ve started doing it more at training and working with the dummy half and size and seven, so I’m a genuine option and might be the first option.”

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It sounds like it's an actual thing that's happening. Hopefully it does, because he might be a POD for my NRL fantasy this year.

 

[slide rule]

Flanno must have been reading my posts about it last year....