- Jan 25, 2014
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Can we stop talking about the Grand Final?
Ben Hunt vs Ash Taylor
- Thread starter Big Pete
- Start date
Maroon4life
QCup Player
- May 28, 2016
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The people that matter have us sitting in a slump. Much like you they are not immune too making mistakes :)
- Mar 5, 2008
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I just can't come at this logic. I think Hunt has a lot to offer us: last year showed that beyond any doubt, and this year's stats point strongly to that. In my view, it is the club which is is failing Ben, not the other way around.
As much as I like Taylor, we don't need him.
For mine it is coaching that's a large part of our problem: and not just halves ... it's a lack of rehearsed moves, creative set plays, over structured rigid formulae. Compare the way we play to the organisation and discipline instilled in the Storm's way of doing things. The moves are set practised, and rehearsed until their in your bones and when the call comes everyone is there waiting for it. They can do it with their eyes closed... same for a few other of the top 4 sides.
There seems to be a set piece for every occasion in their repertoire lol.
Organising? Let Darius come up and do some, and even Macca. experiment, improvise ...
Whatever structures we have aren't working although I will say last week showed me a glimpse of hope, and a lot of that was having Glenn, Gillett and Thaiday (gulp) back in the back row and running ede plays which seems to be what Hunt and Milford really need.
And does anyone remember that Matthew Elliott piece on nrl.com on Milford and Hunt taking apart a defence? Well? Let's do it boys. You have shown you can. What's the problem?
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Maroon4life
QCup Player
- May 28, 2016
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The analogy itself is unfair, storms pack is far better which inevitably allows for ally of what they do.
I understand the rest but you can't expect a storm or cowboy like game plan off this team, the pack is made of small props and 80 minute tacklers.
I'm only focusing on Hunt because I believe along with the forward pack it is an area that the Broncos need changes to create a different type of team that will yield consistent results over a long period. A pack of international back rowers and a halfback who lacks conventional halfback skills are my biggest gripe.
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- Mar 5, 2008
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How many tries has he setup off kicks, and how many repeat sets has he forced off the boot?
- Jan 25, 2014
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9 by my count. It should be a lot more, but the problem is, most of the time the players don't contest the kicks.
He puts up quite a few good bombs on the line, but all our players do is just stand there and wait for the opposition to get it so they can tackle him.
He put up a good bomb against the Dragons which came close to leading to a try, but Maranta forgot he was supposed to come back in.
As for repeat sets, not as many as it should be. That's something he will need to work on. His short kicking game is better than what people say it is, it's not spectacular but it's not shit, but he has to learn to get it through the legs.
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- Dec 12, 2014
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Our biggest problem here is that we have literally nobody who can catch an attacking bomb. The only one who goes close is Kahu, but it's hard to score tries from the grandstand.
Can we convince Wayne to take his christmas holidays in Fiji this year?
- Jul 23, 2016
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Hunt is still the first choice halfback for Broncos.. his current playing form is average and occasionally poor compared to last season. this is something we are comparing with inform Taylor now.. if Hunt was playing as good as last season would you all say Taylor is better then he is right now? If he exploreds back to his best within the last few games remaining this season i just wonder how far we will go.... Hunt is still my first choice halfback.
- Mar 5, 2008
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I notice [MENTION=1769]Foordy[/MENTION] liked this without commenting. This proves that stats don't make a player, and that when people are blowing the wind up a players ass, they have this bad habbit of overlooking the really important stats where the player in question is lacking. And try assists? Come on guys, stop using that stat. It could be the most boring, mundane, no pressure pass that leads to him getting a mark against that stat. Like the times he has passed to Roberts, only for Roberts to do all the work in running around and fending players to get the try, Hunt still gets the stat.
It doesn't matter which way you sugar coat it, or who you try to deflect the blame on. Ben Hunt might put up a bomb or 50 a match, but lets not forget, it's pretty much the only kick he knows he won't **** up time after time. Tries off bombs are nice, but tries of a kick in goal are even nicer.
I also note "came close". When Hook was coach, being good enough, or showing effort was the most hated excuse in the book, because Hook used it all the time. Yet fast forward to now, a lot of people are more than happy with "good enough" "Nearly got this" etc.
Hunt is done. If the club isn't looking for a replacement, I'd be extremely surprised. I hope he proves me wrong, because I fuckin love the kid.
mitch222
State of Origin Captain
- Apr 4, 2014
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So you want to wait three years for a premiership shot?
broncos4life
International Captain
- Oct 5, 2011
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Why would it be 3 years? We would get to 2018 and there would be another immortal in waiting that we will have to move someone out of the spine for... Can you guess what will happen in 2020?
Maroon4life
QCup Player
- May 28, 2016
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This is why this topic is getting so much attention.
Some people think that he will get his kicking & game management up to an appropriate level to compliment his strong running / ad lib playstyle.
Others think that at his age and the amount of improvement he has shown in those areas since cementing his role as the incumbent #7 it's probably not going to eventuate.
There was a presser a few weeks back which Bennett broached the subject (presumably after Hunt had a bad night with kicking) and he didn't fill fans with a lot of confidence, said something along the lines that Ben Hunt was all we had in that department and he's working on it so there's not much else we can do.
Cooper Cronk analogy isn't right either, Cronk's game was established alot earlier in his career than Hunt's. A game sense like Smith/Lockyer/Thurston & Cronk takes an entire career to develop, were asking Hunt to do it when his career is already in it's chronological decline, hence the requests to get Taylor back, the kid has shown he has the fundamental baseline abilities that just need some development. We can't punnish ourselves because Ben Hunt was held back during Griffin's time at the helm.
- Mar 14, 2008
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If Hunt can learn to kick properly, great, keep him. I have nothing against the guy personally, he just can't kick which is a core component of a halfback.
I am not saying Ash taylor is the solution, I'm saying "X who has a good kicking game" is. If X is Hunt, great, but time's running out for him to be X and they're gonna bin him before they bin Milford, so ... proof is in the pudding, and despite his stats this year, he hasn't played well and he doesn't look to be anything close to what he was last year.
I am not saying Ash taylor is the solution, I'm saying "X who has a good kicking game" is. If X is Hunt, great, but time's running out for him to be X and they're gonna bin him before they bin Milford, so ... proof is in the pudding, and despite his stats this year, he hasn't played well and he doesn't look to be anything close to what he was last year.
- Mar 4, 2008
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FTR, i believe Hunt has a decent kicking game ... we have seen him put in a good varied kicking display on occassion (sometimes it even lasts an entire match)
I believe his problem is more related to kick selection than ability.
I believe his problem is more related to kick selection than ability.
- Mar 5, 2008
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So he has a good kicking game, but can't pick the right kick, meaning he doesn't actually have a good kicking game? I think he's capable of kicking, just not very well.
