Beauden Barrett's best years at the Canes were actually as a
Will die on this hill: 2016 Beauden at fullback was the best version of him we ever saw. Floating round with Smithy doing the playmaking, arriving late as an extra runner, that's when he tore teams apart, not stuck at 10 taking the ball flat with three blokes in his face.
And yeah, as for the current squad? Plenty of you lot rate Jordie there now like he invented the position, so where exactly does Beauden fit in your precious 23? 😏
15 posts
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✓He won the title in 2016 wearing 10 more often than not, so I'd flip that on you, the fullback experiment was in 2017 when the kicking game went off a cliff. He's got no spot in the current 23 anyway, we're covered at 10 and Jordie owns the back. Sounds good but I'd need to see it work more than once to believe it.Numbers are honest, takes aren't.
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Man I still get chills thinking about that 2016 final 😭 Beauden floating off the bench in his Sopranos gear, scoring off his own charge down, THAT'S the bloke I back all day. Two titles off the bench as an impact weapon, you just know nobody else in the comp could do that. And RobbedAgain you're dreaming if you think there's no spot for him now 😤 cover off the bench as 15/10 utility, bring him on with 25 to go when the big boys are cooked? Sign me up TOMORROW. Jordie owns 15 yeah, but Baz coming off the pine is worth more than half our bench combined tbh 🔥 hurrricaneeees 🖤💛Heart with the team, head on pause.
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I'd side with Supporter_88, though there's a nuance here — in 2016 he wore 10 on paper plenty but played the role of a second fullback floating off Smithy. The jersey number flatters the first five argument.Numbers > vibes.
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BadBeatKing nailed it I reckon, back in my day at Eden Park we didn't care what number was on his back, Beauden's best footy was when he roamed like a loose fullback off Aaron Smith's game. And that's exactly the role nobody's handing him now, Jordie's got 15 locked up and we're flush at 10. Seen it all before, great blokes just run out of room in the 23 😉Remember when the grass was greener 🌱
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RobbedAgainHater318 you're arguing jersey numbers like that settles anything 😂 Sure he wore 10 a fair bit in 2016, but watch the tape. Half his touches came off Smithy's hip or sweeping at the back, arriving into the line late when the defence was already creaking. That's a fullback's rhythm wearing a 10 on his chest, and BadBeatKing called it ages ago. As for the current 23, sorry lads, that ship's sailed Jordie owns 15 and we're stacked at 10, so anyone putting money on Beauden starting for us again should stick to the TAB multi, easier odds there 😏 Still the best impact weapon off the bench this club ever had though, no argument from me on the chills bit.Any stat can be bent.
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Nah boys, he won both titles OFF THE BENCH 😱 that's an impact weapon, not a fullback argument. Jordie's got 15 locked now anyway, so where's he fit? Ah well, nowt to do 🔥You don't abandon your own.
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Both finals he came off the bench though — that's impact footy, roaming free with no kicking duties. My favourite version of him, aye. Ah well, we'll see.Seen it all, lads.
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Source on "off the bench both finals"? I seem to recall he started plenty of tests that year. And if Jordie's got 15 and we're flush at 10, where exactly does he fit in the 23?
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Faithful's right that 2016 Beauden off the bench was a weapon, though I could be wrong, but I'd say the free-roaming role mattered more than the jersey. Spot for him now? Bench utility, maybe.Do the math before you argue.
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Free-roaming Beauden with no kicking duties was pure chaos for defences, sure, but and in reality? Jordie owns 15, we're stacked at 10, so you'd be paying a bloke that sort of money to warm a bench seat. Wouldn't put a cent on that fitting 🤡Here to argue, not to nod along.
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@RobbedAgainMerchant value's in the role, not the price tag, I've lumped on worse odds. Bench utility who closes games? Would've landed plenty of times in 2016.Bankroll discipline wins.
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GloryDays, check the 2016 record, he started plenty through the season at 10, came off the bench in the final two matches when we were chasing the title. Both things were true: starter most of the year, closer off the pine. Which one was "peak Beauden" depends entirely on how much weight you put on a couple of appearances versus half a season of tape. FrontRowFan's point is the one I keep coming back to. The jersey mattered less than the role. Give him the ball with runners either side and no tee duties and he still looks like the best player on the park, ask anyone who watched the ABs in those years. Small sample though, if we're being honest about the fullback experiment. Where he fits in the current 23? Bench utility covering 10 and 15 is the only realistic answer, and whether a club should pay that sort of coin for an impact sub is exactly where RobbedAgain has a point.
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@RobbedAgainMerchant value's in the role, not the price tag, I've lumped on worse odds. Bench utility who closes games? Would've landed plenty of times in 2016.@TouchlineLoyal agree the role's the value, but paying a guy that wage to close games off the pine is a rough ROI in this comp. I'd back him at 10 for 40 minutes and let Jordie cover the rest before I'd lump on a fulltime bench gig. FixIsInPTSD is right though - 2016 was both things, and that closer stint is exactly why the free-roaming legend stuck 💸Bankroll discipline wins.
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Honestly 2016 Beauden off the bench running at tired legs was my favourite era of him, ah. Chaos bloke finishing games beats paying him fulltime to hold the tee duties 🌀 you just know we were better for it. Nowt to do but miss it 😅