Ben Hunt - Appreciation Thread

[K-Style]

After 4 rounds of NRL Ben hunt is currently on top of the Dally M Points in front of inglis. What a machine!

Have I fallen for an Apr 1?

 

[Ari Gold]

Hunt was on 4pts prior to the weekend so if he got the 3 then he would lead on 7. Which would mean he's also one ahead of Matulino who led going into the round.

 

[Super Freak]

BEN Hunt’s show and go is becoming as infamous as Johnathan Thurston’s, as Gavin Cooper admits he never should have fallen for the halfback’s dummy.

Cooper admonished himself for the miss on Hunt, who dummied and stepped past him and Lachlan Coote to score in the 27th minute and set up Brisbane’s finals victory.

It was one of just two legitimate defensive misses by the Cowboys in the physical and absorbing contest.

Hunt has come a long way from the halfback who was outmatched in last year’s week one finals clash with North Queensland.

The Cowboys won that game convincingly and Hunt struggled to make an impact.

Last weekend he out-kicked Johnathan Thurston, making 300 more metres with the boot that included a series of clutch kicks late in the game.

Cooper gave advice for teams who will play the Broncos this finals series.

“He’s very sharp. He has that show and go and that dummy has worked for him since he came into grade,” Cooper said.

“That’s a big focus of his game and teams need to be wary of that.

“I thought I had him. I slipped over trying to get him with my right shoulder.

“I was pretty disappointed with the two lapses in defence that led to tries and one of those was mine.

“Both teams went up a notch. The intensity went up.”

While the Cowboys allowed their opposition to score first for the seventh consecutive game, Cooper said he felt the team started well and had their best first half in several weeks.

“It was really good at the start I thought,” Cooper said. “They opted for the two which we were happy with.

“We backed our defence. We gave them a leg up a couple of times.

“Eight points is eight points, that’s not much in this game.

“We were happy to back our defence on our try line.”

While the Broncos have the week off, the Cowboys play the Sharks in Townsville on Saturday night.

Gavin Cooper regrets missed tackle on Broncos halfback Ben Hunt

 

[Super Freak]

I think Cooper is a bit hard on himself..

Granville's bad read opened up that gap and made it near impossible for Cooper.

But, I'm glad it happened. Great try.

 

[jarro65]

I think Cooper is a bit hard on himself..

Granville's bad read opened up that gap and made it near impossible for Cooper.

But, I'm glad it happened. Great try.

I agree..... Granville created that gap for Hunt.

It's a thing of beauty to watch him run the ball though isn't it

 

[Morkel]

Granville failed to move over, but doesn't the pass go two wide of the ruck? Granville is one off. Hunt was Cooper's.

This is off memory though.

 

[jarro65]

Granville jammed in on the decoy runner one off the ruck, which left a big hole for Hunt...... you could see it just open up beautifully.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Exactly. That was graville's miss. You know why? Inexperience.

So many people are pissed for losing Granville to keep macca but you think macca would have missed that tackle?

No.

Defensive hookers are just as game winning as flashy ones. (Why we have an impact player to come in when defence is tired)

 

[Morkel]

Not going to make a fuss about it, and I'm not defending Granville out of bias, but decoy or not, you have to number up. Again, going off memory - was the decoy covered by another defender and Granville didn't hold his nerve?

 

[jarro65]

The decoy (Wallace) was covered by Hannant coming out from marker, but Granville still got suckered in.

 

[Morkel]

The decoy (Wallace) was covered by Hannant coming out from marker, but Granville still got suckered in.

Yep, I was just looking at it myself. Hannant had the decoy but didn't look like he was in much of a hurry, which spooked Granville. Brilliant play.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Again. . Speaks for the well played decoy of wallace :P another who gets bagged as a throw away at times.

 

[Alec]

Hunt has one of the best dummies in the comp. A lot of the players, you can tell they are dummying, but with Hunt even I fall for it watching it on the screen. This was one example, and also one against the Dragons when Widdop fell for it. Hard to blame anyone, just stand and applaud.

 

[broncos4life]

Exactly. That was graville's miss. You know why? Inexperience.

So many people are pissed for losing Granville to keep macca but you think macca would have missed that tackle?

No.

Defensive hookers are just as game winning as flashy ones. (Why we have an impact player to come in when defence is tired)

This is so accurate. People won't listen though because most people's official position is Granville, parcell, baptiste, [insert random hookers name here] > McCullough

 

[Alec]

Would be better to have someone who can defend AND attack.

And it's not like we haven't been carved through the middle before this year.

 

[mitch222]

Cameron Smith is the best hooker in the world but I would hardly call him an attacking lynchpin. He moulds his game around defence and getting his forwards moving up the middle. You don't see him trying to pull off the flashy plays continuously. He leaves that to his halves which is what they are paid for.
Of the current hookers left, beside Granville, most are really defensive orientated players.
McCullough is doing his job this year. All we need him to do is defend well up the middle, distribute the ball out of dummy half quickly and efficient (which is what he has been doing this year) & put the occasional long kick in. Bennett doesn't expect him to run out of dummy half 30 times a game, put chip kicks in and do wrap around plays. Hunt & Milford are in charge of the attack.

 

[BroncO(SM)]

Cameron Smith is the best hooker in the world but I would hardly call him an attacking lynchpin. He moulds his game around defence and getting his forwards moving up the middle. You don't see him trying to pull off the flashy plays continuously. He leaves that to his halves which is what they are paid for.
Of the current hookers left, beside Granville, most are really defensive orientated players.
McCullough is doing his job this year. All we need him to do is defend well up the middle, distribute the ball out of dummy half quickly and efficient (which is what he has been doing this year) & put the occasional long kick in. Bennett doesn't expect him to run out of dummy half 30 times a game, put chip kicks in and do wrap around plays. Hunt & Milford are in charge of the attack.

I think you are significantly discounting Smiths influence in attack.
In my mind it is an aspect of his game that is as equally important as his defence.

Jake Friend and Mick Ennis are in the same department IMO and Damian Cook is probably more attack orientated if anything,

All that aside, I think Macca's attack isn't too far off in terms of when he has a dart or chimes in to the attacking line.
If he could develop his short kicking game, particularly his last tackle options close to the line (similar to Smith and Friend) it would really be beneficial.

But regardless, I am more than happy with Macca being our long term hooker as opposed to a bloke like Granville who still needs to do what he's done this year over a longer period of time before I am completely convinced.

 

[Cult]

One thing that pisses me off is McCullough catches the defense offside at least twice a game and nothing comes from it. Whereas Farah, Ennis and Smith catch someone onside and the ref couldn't blow a penalty any faster.