Ben Hunt is overrated

[Huge]

Griffin didn't listen to anyone. Not just fans although you could argue everyone is a fan whether they support one club or another. He didn't listen when he was told Hoggman wasn't working and it was almost universal knowledge. He didn't listen when he was told the very young Oates shouldn't be in the forwards getting bashed and should have been returned to the wing. Sometimes the fans are right, sometimes they see the blatantly obvious yet the one person who could change things are blinded by their own limitations.

That said the evidence is that Hunt is in very average form and his shortcomings are highlighted by that.

Bennett only repeated Kuharich's near half century old saying. That happened back in 1967.

 

[talanoa]

How long do we need to wait? He will get better, eventually he will be 30 and will people be still saying that? Thats what will happen too. Ben Hunt will be the same then. Mean while Ash Taylor is leading his state and country around with Milford.

seriously!!!!
ash is a good kid but he is a million miles away from origin and australian selection.

 

[broncos4life]

seriously!!!!
ash is a good kid but he is a million miles away from origin and australian selection.

Thank you for bringing some sense to the discussion.

 

[Wolfie]

I do think a half back with better game management would serve us better considering we have Milf who does a lot of what Hunt does anyway.

As i said before though, i dont think Hunt is overrated, he just isnt playing as well as we know he can. Its not like he had a great season then suddenly turned into Tim Smith!

 

[Brett]

Locky didn't always know how to control a game.

He had to learn it and it took him some time to really master it.

Hunt still has another 6-7 years in the NRL. A lot can change in that time.

Have a little faith.

Besides, if it wasn't for Hunt, we don't even make the Grand Final.

It took Lockyer a couple years to develop the kicking game and team control. Hunt is in his second real year in the position now under Bennett. Give him time. So many plastic fans in here.

 

[Brett]

seriously!!!!
ash is a good kid but he is a million miles away from origin and australian selection.

It's a fickle thing. Kid has played like 10 games, has 3-4 good ones, makes 1-2 good runs and is all of a sudden good enough to play Origin.

 

[talanoa]

It's a fickle thing. Kid has played like 10 games, has 3-4 good ones, makes 1-2 good runs and is all of a sudden good enough to play Origin.

couldnt agree more.

dont forget, LEADING his state and country not just playing for them.

 

[Morkel]

It's a fickle thing. Kid has played like 10 games, has 3-4 good ones, makes 1-2 good runs and is all of a sudden good enough to play Origin.

And in a team that has been seriously under-estimated by many teams this year, and is a complete unknown. Once the opposition has a decent sample size to review and realise his frailties in defence we'll see if he can evolve and continue to impress.

 

[Brett]

And in a team that has been seriously under-estimated by many teams this year, and is a complete unknown. Once the opposition has a decent sample size to review and realise his frailties in defence we'll see if he can evolve and continue to impress.

This will be the big test. Don't get me wrong, I think Taylor is a good player and I hope he does well, but I'm sure we all remember Ben Hunt in his first season at Halfback under Griffin with no help from a Five-Eight - he was mostly spectacular when left to do everything. Fast forward a season or 2 and opposition teams concentrate on shutting him down and running big forwards at him all game. It's up to Hunt now to respond.

 

[rogerwilco]

This will be the big test. Don't get me wrong, I think Taylor is a good player and I hope he does well, but I'm sure we all remember Ben Hunt in his first season at Halfback under Griffin with no help from a Five-Eight - he was mostly spectacular when left to do everything. Fast forward a season or 2 and opposition teams concentrate on shutting him down and running big forwards at him all game. It's up to Hunt now to respond.

This is the exact problem with Ben Hunt at the moment, but they are working on it. Ultimately it's up to Ben Hunt to fix however.

 

[Alec]

Hunt's best play has by far been the blindside attack after moving the halfback in FG.

But I can't remember the last time he did it.

 

[Culhwch]

This whole discussion reminds me of the old saying in American football that the back-up quarterback is always the most popular guy on a losing team. Poor Hunt - he's not even on a losing team, and it seems it's not just the backup but the backup's former backup that's more popular...

 

[Reidy87]

People have short memories. Would anyone want Wallace, Prince, Norman, Hoffman (!!), Gillett, Seymour, Tony Carroll, Shane Perry et al... back in our halves.

There was a time when an untested Kahu was training all preseason to be our 5/8 (before doing his knee or achilles from memory).

Since the Alf / Kev partnership Broncos have always had one dominant, superstar half (i.e.Locky) and one honest toiler to do a job. Hunt / Milf is the first time since when both of our halves are capable of doing something extraordinary.

Their drawbacks are that Milf is young and needs experience; while Ben needs to work on his game management and clutch play. However, remember that this is only the second year where he's been a starting halfback with a decent halves partner. Prior to that (i.e. 2014) he had to do it all himself and had the advantage of being an unknown quantity.

 

[Old Mate]

Yeah talk of Hunt going to hooker or being moved on is batshit retarded. He was Brisbanes golden boy till the GF. Cut him some slack. He still isn't playing badly.

 

[lynx000]

Who is?

Each one of his multiple personalities for a start

 

[lynx000]

That doesn't make him any more of a halfback than he is now.

This isn't a popularity contest, although being a fan forum, it probably is at BHQ.
But the point is that even when he was in career form, his game management and kicking were still crap, and those are primary tools a halfback needs to have. People tend to ignore that when he and/or Milford are pulling rabbits out of their hats and making magnificent plays like we saw last season.
Of course, his running skills dissimulate his flaws when the Broncos are dominating a game, but every time, every single time we are on the back foot, he becomes a liability, because he doesn't have the tools necessary to turn the tide.

I am not hating on Hunt, because I think really highly of him and probably only have Milford ahead of him in terms of a running half. But we need a half capable of managing a game and with an above average kicking game. That's supposed to be his job, and unfortunately, he just isn't and will imo never be up to it.

I don't disagree with you, but I am interested in your view as to whether those type of game management skills are capable of being learnt, and therefore there is still some potential for Hunt to gain those. Case in point is Cooper Cronk, when he was first put into the halves I don't believe that he had good game management skills but through dedication, discipline and a lot of hard work he is where is now. Hunt does not have the luxury of the same amount of time and does he have the same dedication and commitment?

 

[Porthoz]

I don't disagree with you, but I am interested in your view as to whether those type of game management skills are capable of being learnt, and therefore there is still some potential for Hunt to gain those. Case in point is Cooper Cronk, when he was first put into the halves I don't believe that he had good game management skills but through dedication, discipline and a lot of hard work he is where is now. Hunt does not have the luxury of the same amount of time and does he have the same dedication and commitment?

I think some players are more capable of learning those skills than others. It requires a certain set of tools, which Hunt doesn't possess imo.
Cooper Cronk is of course the ultimate example, but there are very few people like him, and I don't think Hunt is in that group. While Hunt is a talented, instinctive type of player, Cronk is a mercurial, methodical and intelligent player. Qualities, which allied to his dedication and commitment, got him where he is, even without Hunt's talent.

I know Hunt's development as a half was delayed in a way by Hook, but the truth is he never put his hand up when it counted during training camps and trials, nor has he shown progress in those skills, which I consider fundamental in a halfback, in his 75 odd games since he got the starting spot as a FG halfback. In fact, I believe his young partner in the halves has shown more progress in a year than Ben in his whole career, and is probably already ahead of him in those skills, despite the youth and inexperience.

 

[rnabokov]

I don't disagree with you, but I am interested in your view as to whether those type of game management skills are capable of being learnt, and therefore there is still some potential for Hunt to gain those. Case in point is Cooper Cronk, when he was first put into the halves I don't believe that he had good game management skills but through dedication, discipline and a lot of hard work he is where is now. Hunt does not have the luxury of the same amount of time and does he have the same dedication and commitment?

Hunt did not, and has not, the luxury of what Cronk had, and has - a game manager called Cam Smith, to teach, show and help.

Who is the Broncos' true and real "game manager"? I can't really think of one, and that I feel is going to surface this year as a big problem towards the back end of the season.

The only player I can possibly think of who might be that player is Darius Boyd. I hope so