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Ben Barba of the Bulldogs looks to pass the ball. Source: Matt Roberts / Getty Images
JOSH Hoffman will this week finally don the Broncos No.1 jersey he has craved all year but coach Anthony Griffin admits he still wants Ben Barba and Karmichael Hunt.
Griffin on Tuesday unveiled the biggest shake up of his starting team since he began coaching the club in 2011, axing Corey Norman and demoting Peter Wallace to the bench for Friday's must-win battle against North Queensland in Townsville.
Broncos players admitted to being shocked when Griffin read the team list out to them at training, with Norman relegated to Intrust Super Cup duty for Wynnum Manly Seagulls' clash with Tweed Heads.
Instead of taking the field in front of more than 20,000 for a crunch NRL game in Townsville, Norman will be the Wynnum lynchpin in front of a rowdy chookpen on Sunday at Kougari Oval.
The other major winner in Griffin's gamble is Ben Hunt, who has been preferred at halfback to Wallace, who is now an interchange hooker.
Hoffman wants to be the Broncos' full-time custodian but Griffin said on record for the first time Tuesday that they would chase Canterbury star Barba if he becomes available.
"If a player of his quality came on to the market we would be interested,'' Griffin said.
"Ben Barba is under contract to the Bulldogs and that is something you have to ask him about.
"On form, Josh Hoffman can do a better job for us at fullback (than Norman). Putting Josh back there gives us a little more out of that position both in attack and defence.
"He doesn't have the skill set of Corey as a ball player but he's a lot more direct as a runner and defensively he's proven back there.''
Barba, contracted until 2015, is considering asking for a release to move to Queensland so he can be near his two children, who are travelling north with his ex-partner.
The Bulldogs were thought to be happy to release Barba on compassionate grounds if they secured Israel Folau's signature.
It is near certain Folau will stay with the NSW Waratahs now, further complicating the Barba issue.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler said he would not stand in the way of Barba leaving.
Hasler said Barba's welfare was his only concern as the reigning Dally M medallist continued to deal with several off-field issues.
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"It's not my call,'' Hasler said of Barba's complex circumstance.
"I imagine that would be (a decision for) the board and the administration.
"I'm quite sure Ben wants to stay at the club, it's just the circumstances that are involved and that are personal and I would ask you to appreciate that.''
Questioned by Broncos members via an online blog last night, Griffin was asked if Gold Coast Suns player Hunt, a 2006 NRL grand final winner, could be a recruiting target.
Hunt is signed for one more year by the Gold Coast AFL club, but has had hamstring tendonitis in recent weeks and and was not selected for their breakthrough win over Collingwood.
"If Karmichael Hunt made a decision that he wanted to come back to rugby league we would obviously show some interest in his future," Griffin said.
Griffin rightly pointed out he had been loyal to this Broncos playing group who have managed six wins from 17 games this season.
This team shake up is a role reversal of last August's, when Hoffman was axed and Norman moved to fullback.
Brisbane must win six of their last seven matches to make the finals but have lost six of their past seven games.
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