Matt Ballin

[Guest]

Ballin's started the year in pretty ordinary form, he improved for a few games but now seems to have gone back to his previous poor form.

IMO he goes one out too much now and lacks the creativity of Le Strange.

It is not hard to work out we score so many more points when Le Strange is on the field compared to when ballin is hooker. 

If the Broncos have let Ennis go to sign Ballin then they have made a huge mistake because Ballin will never be anywhere near as good as Ennis.

 

[Ryan]

Disagree mate. I think he adds heaps to our attack and defense. He's mobile, quick, and accurate. Did you see the pass he fired out of a cannon to Orford to create that 1st try?

You also have to look at the "combination" he has with Le'Strange. They compliment each other, because they are so different. It's like teams have to counter two completely different teams in one match.

I would be gutted to see him go. I think if C Smith is injured in the future, Ballin will come into contention for SOO.

Anyways - my 2 cents.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

LeStrange threw a few ordinary passes when he came on

 

[Ryan]

LoL - he does have the occasional out there pass, doesn't he mate.....but at the same time he makes right up for it.
My thought's last night were, I'll take Le'Stranges spasmodic poor passes instead of Dunley's 3 penalties a game, Monaghan's slow passes out of Dummy and Randall's lack of creativity.

Hehehehe.

Le'Strange is a gun, and in regards to what Tooks says - I reckon he'd be a great 80 minute Hooker, not to dissimilar, maybe better than Monaghan.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Based on all the hype on this site about him, Ballin has had a very average season. 1-2 quite good games, majority of the rest have been average

Even though i don't know who all the contenders are for Qld, Ballin would be nowhere near 2nd in the queue

 

[willstyles]

Behind Cam Smith you'd think Aaron Payne would certainly be ahead of Ballin.

 

[deadlyeagle]

Yes i agree Ballins has had a poor year but in his defense you will find he is very underrated in the fact that he has a nack of catching markers ff guard and getting penalties for us. This an the fact that he acts more of an anchor in the first half to wear and tear the opposition down before Des releases the full impact of Le'Strange.

 

[Matabele]

They work well in tandem and we are certainly better off this year in our dummy half stocks.

Ballin soaks up a lot of punishment and gets us playing direct.  No mistake that we are gaining a reputation for steamrolling because Ballin gets our forwards over the advantage line.

Then LeStrange comes on against a tiring defence and snipes well. 

My issue last night was Hasler left Ballin on too long and he became tired.  Perhaps it was the injuries that fouled up the interchange plans.

 

[Fro]

Yeah Id say losing Dally Messenger reincarnated with the cheek injury early stuffed up the whole rotation

 

[Matabele]

Yeah Id say losing Dally Messenger reincarnated with the cheek injury early stuffed up the whole rotation

Willow normall plays 13 minutes before soaking up an interchange and that's what he did last night.  I'm talking about the concern they might have needed to replace Blue Arsed and Rushupouttatheline. 

 

[Ryan]

Watmough is a great player overall Mata. He busts the line...gets over the ad line...tackles like a beast. He's one step ahead of all the worker players...
I reckon he drops the ball because of his leg speed (kind of puts him off). I also think Ballin / Le'Strange could cater to this with soft passes...and something that should be coached.

 

[Matabele]

He still has 2-3 brain snaps a game too.

 

[Ryan]

That's true, but so does Michael Crocker - yet is still consistently selected for SOO and Australia. Good vs. bad - and Choc offers a crap load to our team.

 

[clontaago]

His hands are appalling. Surely he just needs a 1 hour session at training running at 2 blokes who are standing close together with pads and as he gets close to them Orford stands there and fires rockets at him. 

 

[Jethro]

That's true, but so does Michael Crocker - yet is still consistently selected for SOO and Australia. Good vs. bad - and Choc offers a crap load to our team.

Different State Different Selectors. I know that is no excuse for Australian Representation but I think he must have upset someone at one stage (Ricky Stuart).

 

[Matabele]

Queensland has less depth.  Crocker wouldn't play if he was from NSW.

 

[willstyles]

That's pretty true. If Chris Heighington was born in Toowoomba, he'd have played 30 Origins before the end of his career.

Although, Crocker still would've played plenty of Origin if he was a Blue - unless you've forgotten that he broke into rep footy while he was at the Roosters. He would've got a look-in there for sure!