Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius Boyd

[Porthoz]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

So we play with one there in defense and one in attack fairly often anyway, so why not Maranta defends there and Kahu attacks there?

What makes you think Kahu isn't a capable defender?

 

[Charmamba]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

What makes you think Kahu isn't a capable defender?

Nothing at all, bloke hasn't played enough to be judged in that aspect. I do however have faith in Maranta defending there.

 

[Porthoz]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Nothing at all, bloke hasn't played enough to be judged in that aspect. I do however have faith in Maranta defending there.

Fair enough.

I think honestly think Maranta will never be more than a stop gap, while Kahu has the talent and potential to take ownership of the position, and be a top fullback.

Kodi isn't suited for the fullback position imo, but with some work can definitely become a very good halve. I'm convinced we will eventually lose him though, as I can't see him usurp Hunt, Milford, Taylor or his brother Jayden...

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Fair enough.

I think honestly think Maranta will never be more than a stop gap, while Kahu has the talent and potential to take ownership of the position, and be a top fullback.

Kodi isn't suited for the fullback position imo, but with some work can definitely become a very good halve. I'm convinced we will eventually lose him though, as I can't see him usurp Hunt, Milford, Taylor or his brother Jayden...

This particular point is a good one, Porthoz. Sometimes though I wish we would just select a team based on what players actually deliver rather than what they could potentially deliver.

imo, too many players in our team are getting a free pass based on potential rather than what they are actually serving up. I think Maranta has had a much better year last season than some of the more highly rated competition for his spot.

 

[Porthoz]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

This particular point is a good one, Porthoz. Sometimes though I wish we would just select a team based on what players actually deliver rather than what they could potentially deliver.

imo, too many players in our team are getting a free pass based on potential rather than what they are actually serving up. I think Maranta has had a much better year last season than some of the more highly rated competition for his spot.

Kahu hasn't had much of a chance to deliver anything due to his extremely unlucky run with injuries, but I do get where you're coming from.
The issue here is that we don't really know how well other guys were performing at training and whether we would have been better served dropping players who weren't delivering to their potential.

That's one thing I'm sure will be much improved under Bennett, even if he has been known to stick with some "plodders" as well...

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Kahu hasn't had much of a chance to deliver anything due to his extremely unlucky run with injuries, but I do get where you're coming from.
The issue here is that we don't really know how well other guys were performing at training and whether we would have been better served dropping players who weren't delivering to their potential.

That's one thing I'm sure will be much improved under Bennett, even if he has been known to stick with some "plodders" as well...

Yeah true. I do think Kahu should be our fullback but I hope we find a spot for Maranta somewhere. I admire Kahu's toughness to come back from the injuries he's had. This guy really wants to play first grade.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Boyd's injury is a major blow - I would put Kahu at fullback. Maranta played well and doesn't deserve to lose out I reckon, so he keeps a wing spot and Oates is the other winger. Vidot shouldn't necessarily be a guarantee, imo. He has was a mixed bag alternating with some real good games and out and out shockers.

I know Oates is a second rower but he was outstanding at the back end of 2013 when not a lot was going our way. Injuries hampered his start to 2014 but why change something if it's working? Another year or two on the wing would do him good as he matures. Copley and Hodges in the centres and Hunt and Milford are the halves.

In no way is this going to be our back line. .

1. Maranta / kahu
2. Vidot
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Copley

 

[Foordy]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

In no way is this going to be our back line. .

1. Maranta / kahu
2. Vidot
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Copley

There's a good chance that will be our backline

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

In no way is this going to be our back line. .

1. Maranta / kahu
2. Vidot
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Copley

That is probably $1.01 going to be our line-up to start the season, with Kahu a nose in front of Maranta for the first crack at Fullback.

 

[Tallis1]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

As much as i would love to see Nikorima get a chance i don't think it's worth the risk when we have other more experienced options to choose from.

Trials will be interesting though. i think 3 or 4 players will be trialed at the back.

My backline

1. Kahu
2. Vidot
3. Copley
4. Hodges
5. Maranta

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

In no way is this going to be our back line. .

Agreed, Marty. I thought it was obvious though that @symbolsoup was asking me who I would pick.

1. Maranta / kahu
2. Vidot
3. Reed
4. Hodges
5. Copley

There's a good chance that will be our backline

That is probably $1.01 going to be our line-up to start the season, with Kahu a nose in front of Maranta for the first crack at Fullback.

You guys are probably right but if that's the case I hope Bennett is the miracle worker we hope he is. That's a back line we went with last year - I, for one, am a bit over scraping into the bottom half of the top 8 while winning just as many games as we lose.

 

[Socnorb]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Agreed, Marty. I thought it was obvious though that @symbolsoup was asking me who I would pick.







You guys are probably right but if that's the case I hope Bennett is the miracle worker we hope he is. That's a back line we went with last year - I, for one, am a bit over scraping into the bottom half of the top 8 while winning just as many games as we lose.

Backline was not so much the problem last year.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

I've said it soooo many times. . I'm a reed supporter. He is unfairly used as a scape goat. . Glenn too.

How could you be expected to properly attack with a drongo like hoffman as the guy responsible for setting you up.. Go back and check out how much better reed was with barba on his inside and he wasn't even really a proper 5/8th!

Vidot will have shred kilos... faster and will no doubt be working on his hands. Copley too. Hodges in a Centre. .

That's our backline for sure. . You just need someone to closely play a similar role to what boyd would have in the structure to properly ease the transition. . Qurstion is, who is that? My bet is on kahu.. But maranta will no doubt impress bennett. He works really hard. He's similar to great players bennett has loved before. . Softly spoken, just gets in there and grinds it out. Plus his experience. . He played most of the year (compared to kahu) and has played under20s full back in origin.

 

[CaptainHook]

Re: Kodi Nikorima emerges as shock contender for Broncos fullback role after Darius B

Backline was not so much the problem last year.

I'm not so convinced, Socnorb. I admit I'm probably being somewhat harsh on some players but in my opinion Vidot, Hodges, Hoffman, Barba, Reed etc were very inconsistent. Copley, Kahu and Maranta I was ok with but only Hunt was a real revelation.