I love Ben Hunt, think he's got potential to be a Test half. But he's developing too slowly (not all his fault). Johnson showed last year what he's capable of behind a pack that's going forward. Broncos can provide that.
Make it happen.
Yeah.....not so sure about test half but I'm sure he has potential. That's why it's so absolutely criminal that Peter Wallace is being allowed to stand in his way. Hunts potential growth is being stunted by an aging player who's been on the down hill slide ever since he busted his nut in '08. We've all realised the number of quality halves out there coming through isn't great. I'm sure other clubs will come knocking on Hunt's door.
Will Ben Hunt be yet another case of the one that got away.......simply because Griffin & Co are too blind to see?
Re: Shaun Johnson (who by the way I nominated probably about a month ago as someone to chase and was roundly laughed at) .....I think he's been pretty hard done by this year with some of the comments against him. Last year the kid virtually was thrown into the back half of the NRL season straight out of touch football ....he had a lot to learn in a very short space of time. This year I was pleased to see that he'd bulked up a little and I actually thought that his defence had improved dramatically. Must admit I don't watch every Warriors game but obviously he is bearing the brunt of playing behind the pea hearted attitude of his forward pack who are only "hard men" (as I've heard them so often called) when the opposition lays down and allows them to be the cheap shot stand over merchants that they seem to pride themselves on being.
That said and because of the potential that I think Ben Hunt has......I don't think chasing a halfback is the way to go now. I'd like to see us go after a genuine 5/8
IF
.......Corey Norman proves that he simply isn't up to it and continues to show no improvement even with having a creative half inside him like Hunt, instead of a nuffy like Peter Wallace.
I'd be happy enough to try at least the first half of 2013 with a Hunt/Norman combo and see how it goes and if it's a failure, starting looking at the likes of
Keiron Foran........Gareth Widdop ......Curtis Sironen......Pita Godinet?..... for 2014 and beyond.
No body has mentioned Jamie Soward (probably for good reason...but) he's out of sorts with St Merge at the moment. Rumours are that he isn't too happy. Bennett seemed to be able to bring out the best in him. Griffin seems to have the same demeanour as WB. I don't like Soward as a Dragons player, but he does have a good kicking game (goal kicking too) and when he runs the ball he can be dangerous.
Would he and Hunt be a good fit for the Broncs halves...?