Who will be our 2015 Fullback?

[UmoGus]

 

[Wolfmother]

I calculated that by this Thursday there would have been ample time for either Hoffman or Locke to have recovered from jetlag , been offered a deal to negotiate and sign.
I know hoff is on contract so maybe give him another week but if Locke is not announced by Thursday / Friday then he's definitely not coming over . I'll be disappointed should this be the case as I was assured by my source that 'it was a done deal'

 

[Moedogg]

I calculated that by this Thursday there would have been ample time for either Hoffman or Locke to have recovered from jetlag , been offered a deal to negotiate and sign.
I know hoff is on contract so maybe give him another week but if Locke is not announced by Thursday / Friday then he's definitely not coming over . I'll be disappointed should this be the case as I was assured by my source that 'it was a done deal'

does your calculation look like this

HOFFMAN + LOCKE
-------------------- + bulldogs x contract = TOMORROW ?
JETLAG

 

[Bulldogs09]

I calculated that by this Thursday there would have been ample time for either Hoffman or Locke to have recovered from jetlag , been offered a deal to negotiate and sign.
I know hoff is on contract so maybe give him another week but if Locke is not announced by Thursday / Friday then he's definitely not coming over . I'll be disappointed should this be the case as I was assured by my source that 'it was a done deal'

Kevin Locke has spent a lot of time thinking and talking about Sam Tomkins this year but, now he has the chance to finally square up to the player who will take his coveted No1 jersey at the Warriors next season, he wants to put the England fullback out of his mind.

Fortunately Locke realises there's a bigger picture at stake, like progressing to a World Cup final, than personal point-scoring. It would presumably give the 24-year-old great satisfaction if he played a leading role in helping the Kiwis beat England in their World Cup semifinal on Sunday morning (NZT), especially if he also overshadowed the player who could keep him out of the Warriors altogether next season.

Tomkins has caused Locke considerable angst this year. More specifically, speculation about Tomkins' impending arrival at Mt Smart Stadium caused him grief.

It didn't help that it was played out over the course of months, not weeks or days as is more customary in transfer situations, as Wigan asked the Warriors to delay any official announcement until they had found a suitable replacement.

It left Locke wondering where he might fit in at the Warriors, where he still has one more year left on his contract. In fact, he's still wondering and it's one of the first things he wants to establish when he returns to New Zealand after this World Cup.

"It's been really tough," he said of 2013. "Throughout the year, it played on my mind. I never really had it explained to me and I don't know what's going on back home and what [coach] Matty Elliott and the coaching staff have in mind for me next year.

"You don't bring someone over just to challenge for a spot and not play them. I'm not that stupid. If I do everything I can to be part of that squad week in, week out, then I'm doing the right things. If I do that and I'm still not being picked, then I know where I stand and I know where it's leading to. I'm 24 now and this is the time when you need to make decisions that are best for you. I have a family now and I need to take that into account."

It's why Locke was tempted when the Warriors asked him at the end of the season if he wanted to see if he could secure something for next year but the window closed and he will return to the club in 2014.

"I have to be honest, I had a look," he said. "But it was all up in the air. When my manager told me I could get a release, I didn't know what to do. Matty Elliott didn't even know about it. That was the hard thing. When Matty found out about it, he called it all off and I had to accept it and move on.

"It upset me but it's done now and I'm there. I just want to focus on next year. The Warriors have been there for me from day one and I can't let this get in my way. Just as long as I can do everything I can next year to impress the coaches that I want to be there."

It's what he's been trying to do from the moment he walked into Kiwis camp at the start of the World Cup campaign. It actually started earlier than that, after a phone call from coach Stephen Kearney who asked him how much he wanted to be in the New Zealand World Cup squad.

Locke's answer came when he checked himself out of a Warriors end-of-season holiday early and returned to Auckland to train. He had a series of solo fitness sessions with Warriors and Kiwis trainer Dane Norton before the rest of the Auckland-based train-on squad joined him and it helped him earn a spot in the 24-man World Cup squad.

He was something of a surprise selection but the Kiwis wanted to take a second specialist fullback on top of Josh Hoffman. Locke has now usurped Hoffman and will play against England at Wembley.

Locke offers genuine excitment and is a matchwinner on his day but he can also be inconsistent. It's why the Warriors went hunting for Tomkins, even though he still had three years left on his deal with Wigan and they had to stump up a world record 700,000 ($1.3 million) transfer fee.

Tomkins is regarded as England's best player and has talked about his desire to be the best fullback in the world. He is different from a number of fullbacks, plays in the line a lot more than most and backs himself to beat defenders. He's also a winner - this year he won the Challenge Cup and UK Super League title with Wigan - and doesn't appear en***bered by pressure and expectation.

"People mention the transfer but I didn't pay it and I don't get any of it," he told Britain's Telegraph recently. "To me it's not a massive burden. I'm going there and will earn good money but so do a lot of NRL players. It doesn't alter the fact that I'm going there to make a success of it."

Incredibly for someone so prolific (he scored a hat-trick on his international debut and had 16 tries in 15 internationals coming into the tournament), Tomkins is yet to score at this World Cup but is second for try assists with seven.

"I need to stop putting it on a plate for other people, don't I?" he joked with reporters. "I'm killing myself."

Tomkins is relaxed in the limelight and has been one of the faces of the World Cup. Locke has taken a more serious approach and knows he can't afford to be sidetracked on Sunday.

"I promised myself that if I got chosen for this tour I would do everything I possibly could to play and if I came up against Tomkins he wasn't going to be my focus," he said. "He's already signed on the dotted line [with the Warriors] so there's not a lot you can do to change anyone's decision.

"I just want to do well, so he's not going to be a target for me. He's only one player on the park and I have another 12 to worry about. I'm going to worry about my teammates and my job."

You get the sense Locke has done enough worrying this year.

 

[Bulldogs09]

I think you can forget Locke. Makes it sound like Hoffman was the target over Locke all along. Hopefully we got him.

 

[Wolfmother]

does your calculation look like this

HOFFMAN + LOCKE
-------------------- + bulldogs x contract = TOMORROW ?
JETLAG

That's pretty good. hahaha

 

[Wolfmother]

Damn good write up. Lots of quoting I am now satisfied that Locke is not coming over and must now eat humble pie. Oh well you live and learn.

 

[Mr Beast]

Strong jaw line to be honest.

 

[bcmf]

Both Locke and Hoffman, suffer from 'battered-wife' syndrome. Their clubs haven't really treated them that well.. but there is a part of them that thinks they can still find a place in the squad.

In the case of Locke, he still hasn't learnt and I suspect it'll take a couple of years in NZ reserve grades for him to realise that. There simply isn't any room for him in the squad, unless he wants to move to the halves.

Hoffman has realised this and is trying to high-tail out of there.. but bronx are gonna bronx.

 

[Wolfmother]

Anthony Griffen in a pritchards beard perhaps?

 

[cntrbry bnkstwn]

Both Locke and Hoffman, suffer from 'battered-wife' syndrome. Their clubs haven't really treated them that well.. but there is a part of them that thinks they can still find a place in the squad.

In the case of Locke, he still hasn't learnt and I suspect it'll take a couple of years in NZ reserve grades for him to realise that. There simply isn't any room for him in the squad, unless he wants to move to the halves.

Hoffman has realised this and is trying to high-tail out of there.. but bronx are gonna bronx.

how could he not realise - dugan, barba and milford

 

[likeadoggy]

Damn good write up. Lots of quoting I am now satisfied that Locke is not coming over and must now eat humble pie. Oh well you live and learn.

seems weird that someone would lie to you :violin:

 

[Slippery]

strong jaw line to be honest.

hgh

 

[Moedogg]

Broncos need Hoffman says Thaiday




Captain Sam Thaiday says Josh Hoffman remains an important part of the Brisbane side despite Ben Barba's move to the Broncos and has urged the disgruntled fullback to stay at Red Hill.


Hoffman has reportedly been put offside by the recruitment of Barba who is likely to fill his favoured No.1 jersey at the Broncos.


The Kiwi international has been linked to a move to Barba's former club Canterbury but Thaiday says Hoffman, who remains contracted to Brisbane for 2014, is still very much a part of coach Anthony Griffin's plans next year.


"Josh is a player that not just myself but all the Broncos players want in our side. We want him to hang around and hopefully he will," Thaiday told AAP on Tuesday.


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"Him and Benny Barba have been great mates for many, many years ... they both grew up together in Mackay.


"I think what Josh learnt this year is he can play a great role for us on the wing and he can play a great role for us at fullback.


"And when he was playing wing for us, he was our best winger and, when he was playing fullback for us, he was our best fullback."


World Cup-winning forward Thaiday, who will make his boxing debut on Saturday against giant Chiefs Super Rugby forward Ben Tameifuna in the Fight for Life charity event in Auckland, said Barba would bring a vital attacking edge to the Broncos next year.


"What Benny does is that he brings that X-factor to whatever team he plays with," Thaiday said.


"We can't always rely on players like Hodgo (Justin Hodges) and Josh Hoffman to continually show up every week. We have to share that lot around and show we are a great team with a lot of great talent.


"Benny will bring that extra bit of dynamic to our attack.


"And hopefully he will bring that great form he showed last year when he won the Dally M award because we have set ourselves some big goals this year.


"Last year was a really tough year for us. It was a really disappointing year. It just wasn't good enough. We have changed things around with some new players, some new coaching staff and we are looking forward to a big year next year at the Broncos."

How can Josh Hoffman not feel that he is being used? The only reason they're saying that is because they don't have milford. If i were Hoffman id say "F**k you",secure a release and go to a place where I'm wanted.

 

[jimmy_the_greek]

Reading that article, seems something along the lines of sucking up...Thaiday doesn't seem confident he will stay...." all the Broncos players want in our side."...I think Hodges had a different opinion, and publicly came out and said he has no passing game.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos promise Hoffman the fullback position now so he stays, and before our match in round 1 they put Barba there...

 

[Ecca]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos promise Hoffman the fullback position now so he stays, and before our match in round 1 they put Barba there...

Sounds like a Broncos thing to do

 

[melbournian dog]

I would rather be told that he's not coming instead of having to wait for a decision. What's wrong with Inu......this guy can do amazing things especially at fullback.

 

[Moedogg]

"Josh is a player that not just myself but all the Broncos players want in our side (right..) We want him to hang around and hopefully he will (until milford arrives)," Thaiday told AAP on Tuesday.

"And when he was playing wing for us, he was our best winger and, when he was playing fullback for us, he was our best fullback."

sucking up at its best..

Dogs should give him an ultimatum to come next year or never, Im confident Des can pickup a better fullback in the space of 12 months should Hoffman not come in 2014. This is a perfect window of opportunity for Hoffman, I doubt Broncos will offer him another contract to play on the wing for 400k once his current deal expires. They should just release him so he can secure his future and play in the position he wants to play. Broncs are the stingiest club in the comp...

 

[justdogs]

Reading that article, seems something along the lines of sucking up...Thaiday doesn't seem confident he will stay...." all the Broncos players want in our side."...I think Hodges had a different opinion, and publicly came out and said he has no passing game.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos promise Hoffman the fullback position now so he stays, and before our match in round 1 they put Barba there...

what about Anna or Maria for FB?

 

[Sauce Head]

"Benny will bring that extra bit of dynamic to our attack.
[/B]

Fken lol