Ben Turbo

[Snake]

Yep this is exactly how I see it as well. It was the worst game defensively by our middle forwards this season. It also didn't help that Newcastle were constantly offside, and never penalised for this. However, the Newcastle forwards clearly won that battle yesterday.

Klem and Saifiti were very good.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Congrats to Burbo on his debut. No doubt it wasn't how he had hoped it would be.
He actually played well until he got knocked out (after 1 minute)

 

[Eagles4Life]

It was great to have the three brothers play in first grade together. It wasn't great that Burbo was only used at the end. In hindsight (and hindsight is a wonderful thing) he should have been brought on when Keppie was binned. That was the time to hook Funa, move Croker to five eight and Lawton to nine. Our bench rotation yesterday was pretty ordinary, and even potentially starting Burbo could have been better then carrying Funa. Not ideal I know to debut Burbo in the starting pack but why pick him in the seventeen if he couldn't handle 40 minutes on field as part of an effective bench rotation?

 

[Jerry1]

Congrats to Burbo on his debut. No doubt it wasn't how he had hoped it would be.
He actually played well until he got knocked out (after 1 minute)

Hello goodbye…..

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It was great to have the three brothers play in first grade together. It wasn't great that Burbo was only used at the end. In hindsight (and hindsight is a wonderful thing) he should have been brought on when Keppie was binned. That was the time to hook Funa, move Croker to five eight and Lawton to nine. Our bench rotation yesterday was pretty ordinary, and even potentially starting Burbo could have been better then carrying Funa. Not ideal I know to debut Burbo in the starting pack but why pick him in the seventeen if he couldn't handle 40 minutes on field as part of an effective bench rotation.

Ben is still a big gangly kid. He got knocked out making his first hit up. But Dessie erred in not throwing him in sooner??
This theory that Des doesn't understand our young players capabilities should have been killed off for good last year when we eventually got to see Hoppa Jnr debut. And yet it lives ... a zombie theory, can't be killed, refuses to die!

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I wonder if Adolf has paired up Jurbo with that Saifiti flog in a hotel room? Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall?

Jake, if that’s the case do the righty, tell F-ckler to bite his bum and storm out of camp.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Ben is still a big gangly kid. He got knocked out making his first hit up. But Dessie erred in not throwing him in sooner??
This theory that Des doesn't understand our young players capabilities should have been killed off for good last year when we eventually got to see Hoppa Jnr debut. And yet it lives ... a zombie theory, can't be killed, refuses to die!

If that's the case, and clearly he wasn't ready for first grade, as you say. Why name him at all? Yes you can use the last man standing argument, and please feel free to do so. However, if you are named in the seventeen, the implication is that you are ready for first grade. Suali is also a "big gangly kid", whilst Walker and Walsh could potentially be described as "small and not particularly well built kids", but they have all been given some real first grade minutes, and done well. You could also argue that all the above players are backs, and Burbo would have been debuting in the forwards. Perhaps so but he could also have defended on an outside edge, and have been used as a backrower in attack. Burbo is shorter then Turbo but weighs more, so if Burbo is a "big gangly kid", how do you define Turbo?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I don't know! But those around here who follow the lower grades have been saying he's not ready.
Just seemed a bit odd to say he should have been put on sooner after we all saw that he only lasted a minute!

 

[Waz13]

Tom couldn't get into the game because the forwards were beaten in the middle. Same goes for Cherry who busted his arse.

Which might have helped with a couple others having a spell. I would have liked to have seen Ben out there earlier. Perhaps to give Lawton or Croker a spell. That would have been very manageable in That second half I thought. Oh well he’ll get his shot another time.

 

[Scorpio]

If that's the case, and clearly he wasn't ready for first grade, as you say. Why name him at all? Yes you can use the last man standing argument, and please feel free to do so. However, if you are named in the seventeen, the implication is that you are ready for first grade. Suali is also a "big gangly kid", whilst Walker and Walsh could potentially be described as "small and not particularly well built kids", but they have all been given some real first grade minutes, and done well. You could also argue that all the above players are backs, and Burbo would have been debuting in the forwards. Perhaps so but he could also have defended on an outside edge, and have been used as a backrower in attack. Burbo is shorter then Turbo but weighs more, so if Burbo is a "big gangly kid", how do you define Turbo?

We are out of fit forwards, and Ben is in the top 30 and is either a second rower or centre. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason he was named on the bench.

The question is... why is he in the Top 30? I am guessing he'd be fine at centre but not too many forwards debut at age 19 and immediately look comfortable at NRL level.

 

[Eagles4Life]

I don't know! But those around here who follow the lower grades have been saying he's not ready.
Just seemed a bit odd to say he should have been put on sooner after we all saw that he only lasted a minute!

If he wasn't ready, he shouldn't have been named in the seventeen. We don't have the luxury of naming players in the seventeen who aren't ready for first grade. It seems to me that we potentially had two passengers in our seventeen yesterday. Funa who should never have been named as five eight, and possibly Burbo (who you argue wasn't ready to be there). Yes we are well down on troops but apart from that I don't see much logic in those decisions.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Which might have helped with a couple others having a spell. I would have liked to have seen Ben out there earlier. Perhaps to give Lawton or Croker a spell. That would have been very manageable in That second half I thought. Oh well he’ll get his shot another time.

In my original post on this I suggested that Burbo should have come on when Keppie was binned. Funa hooked, Croker moved to six and Lawton to nine. Again with the benefit of hindsight of course. .

 

[Sheikheagle]

We are out of fit forwards, and Ben is in the top 30 and is either a second rower or centre. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason he was named on the bench.

The question is... why is he in the Top 30? I am guessing he'd be fine at centre but not too many forwards debut at age 19 and immediately look comfortable at NRL level.

I think he and a couple of others are in the 30 as they are on relatively low dollars. It’s all about managing the salary cap. It’s risky if you get an injury toll like we have now,

 

[frank stokes]

Just seemed a bit odd to say he should have been put on sooner after we all saw that he only lasted a minute!

Bit rough SER8... it was a dog shot that probs would have sent any player off for a HIA and if he came on earlier he may have had time to get back on after copping a shot like that...

Not convinced it reflects on Burbo's readiness for FG...

And I will see your Hoppa Jr and raise you an Olakatau and a Schuster...

 

[Waz13]

Bit rough SER8... it was a dog shot that probs would have sent any player off for a HIA and if he came on earlier he may have had time to get back on after copping a shot like that...

Not convinced it reflects on Burbo's readiness for FG...

And I will see your Hoppa Jr and raise you an Olakatau and a Schuster...

Thought the same. Klemmer would have knocked AFB over with that dog shot to the head.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

For the minute he was out there, he certainly didn't go into his shell - threw himself into a couple of tackles and was taking a strong hit-up when Klemmer's shoulder connected with his head.

Really, what did we have to lose by giving him more minutes? The game? We'd already lost that by the time he came on.

Reminded my of poor old Jamie Buhrer's repeated "debuts" on the bench.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Thought the same. Klemmer would have knocked AFB over with that dog shot to the head.

Yes Klemmer is a dog. Yesterday was yet another in a long list of dog acts that he picked up in the Bulldogs kennel, with all the other low life dogs.

 

[Chip and Chase]

I wonder if Adolf has paired up Jurbo with that Saifiti flog in a hotel room? Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall?

Jake, if that’s the case do the righty, tell F-ckler to bite his bum and storm out of camp.

I doubt they share rooms these days mate. This generation would be too precious for that wouldn't they ? Plus I suspect there would be some workplace OHS policy that would prevent it. What if one of them wants a standard bun and the other wants something a bit fruitier ?

 

[Eagles4Life]

I doubt they share rooms these days mate. This generation would be too precious for that wouldn't they ? Plus I suspect there would be some workplace OHS policy that would prevent it. What if one of them wants a standard bun and the other wants something a bit fruitier ?

Is De Belin 18th man for NSW then? Is it too soon for De Belin jokes?

 

[Bearfax]

Look I'm just pleased Burbo got onto the field. All the training and playing with kids wont make one ready for the big time. That takes being there, getting the experience. Being taught, shown, trained etc are all important, but nothing beats experience.

Its like when we were at school or university. All good stuff, but being out there and experiencing is what its all about. Its the great teacher. That's why I keep pushing for the young to get their chance.

We never lose by the experience, even if we fail the first couple of times, and yes some wont be ready or not good enough. That's life. The sooner we get the experience, when we've reached a stage of preparedness, the quicker we learn. Kings lead armies into battle during their late teens. Joan of Arc was 17 when she led French forces to victory at Orleans inspiring eventual French victory over England This first experience for Burbo, even though so short, will be worth 100 hours of training.

Perhaps I'm over pushing this, but greatness never waits to be asked.