In what looms as a make or break year, Broncos coach Anthony Griffin has heaped more pressure on rookie pivot Josh Hoffman – and it seems himself – by abandoning plans to share the playmaker role with star recruit Ben Barba.
Desperate to bounce back from Brisbane’s worst season finish, Griffin has backed his bold decision to name New Zealand fullback Hoffman as his new five-eighth despite question marks over his game.
Statistics have revealed the most tackles Hoffman has made in an NRL game in his eight-year career is six.
But Hoffman has been asked to line up in the defensive front line against a monster Bulldogs pack in their NRL season opener at ANZ Stadium on Friday night in a position he has not played since his junior playing days in Mackay.
Broncos backrower Alex Glenn has put his hand up as Kiwi teammate Hoffman’s defensive “bodyguard”.
But there is also pressure on Hoffman as a playmaker after teammate Justin Hodges questioned the Kiwi’s passing game.
However, Griffin dismissed a suggestion he would provide Hoffman some relief by sharing No.6 duties with the man who replaced him at fullback – prize recruit Barba.
“I think Josh will handle it just fine,” Griffin said of Hoffman, who will line up against NSW Origin rep Josh Reynolds.
“He’s a great runner of the ball and we’ve seen numerous times over the last few years, fullbacks can handle five-eighth.
“He is not scared of the defensive workload.
“The big thing will be getting used to being in the front line. But he has done a lot of work on that in our pre-season camp.”
Brisbane have not settled on a long term pivot since Darren Lockyer’s 2011 retirement.
Hoffman had appeared an unlikely five-eighth option during a three-month contract wrangle that only ended with recent peace talks.
But Griffin said he had not agonised over his five-eighth call.
“We had a look at our list and that (Hoffman at five-eighth) suits us best,” he said.
Griffin’s stance will only intensify the close scrutiny the Broncos coach finds himself under in 2014.
The once mighty Broncos slumped to 12th in 2013 – the worst finish in the club’s 25-year history.
And they have not won a premiership since 2006 – the six-time champion’s longest drought.
Griffin also made a stunning off-season overhaul.
Captain Sam Thaiday, head conditioner Tony Guilfoyle and football manager James Hinchey were all dumped.
But Griffin wanted to dwell on the future, not the past.
“We have never shied away from the disappointment of where we finished but we have moved on from that and the only way we can do that is from this game forward,” he said.
“We haven’t been sitting here saying we have to do it for this reason or that reason.”
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