Ben Hunt vs Ash Taylor

[Old Mate]

Hopefully not, because Taylor has already proven himself in a context Ben Hunt never has.

Not bad for a player in his rookie season and it's a shame others feel the need to knock him.

In Ben Hunts first season as an NRL half he had shown a lot more attacking ability than Taylor has.

 

[Super Freak]

The issue is that in those wins against Sydney and Penrith, the Broncos had to survive a few plays that could have cost them the game. It wasn't like Hunt showed nerves of steel, he just had enough chances to come good.

But he still did it.

He saw the field goals weren't working so he adapted and ran the ball and won the game for the Broncos, against the benchmark of the competition.

Taylor had that opportunity against the Sharks, he failed. It's not like he only had one chance. He had several chances to get the win for the Titans.

Taylor may very well go on to be the better player, but at the moment, he has failed to deliver in the clutch moments against top teams. He had chances against the Sharks earlier in the year to guide the Titans to victory when they took the lead. He had chances against the Broncos to get the Titans back in the game and cause an upset, he failed. Because of inexperience. Which is very costly in the finals.

This is why we need to stick with Hunt while we still have the chance to win the premiership.

 

[Porthoz]

Try assists used to be about the player that was most influential in the play leading to a try (other than the try scorer himself of course), now it seems it's just given to the person that last touched the ball before the try scorer.
Hunt's assists are generally a result of a great dummy and run, which fall in the first category, but a lot of them also fall in the second, and almost none are a consequence of a brilliant 5th tackle play.

I know Hunt apologists like to infer that Hunt critics just bag him for no reason, while they're the first to show up as soon as Taylor fails once, and Hunt happens to feed their ego.
What they never address, because either they fail to see and understand, or simply don't want to, is that Taylor consistently provides that which Hunt does not: a good attacking kicking game, a good game control, and good 5th tackle options.

Unlike Hunt, Taylor is still a rookie and on a steep learning curve, so there is no doubt he will get better, provided his body doesn't fail him of course, because he does seem to be a little fragile. But then again, so was Locky... (and no, I'm not comparing the players, just the body types)

P.S. I don't dislike Hunt at all, on the contrary. Otherwise, I wouldn't be thinking of ways of keeping him in the team for his qualities as a half, including having Milford ply his trade from fullback, but essentially becoming a third 5/8 in possession of the ball... but he makes it hard for me to justify that with displays like last Friday's.

 

[Cult]

Try assists used to be about the player that was most influential in the play leading to a try (other than the try scorer himself of course), now it seems it's just given to the person that last touched the ball before the try scorer.
Hunt's assists are generally a result of a great dummy and run, which fall in the first category, but a lot of them also fall in the second, and almost none are a consequence of a brilliant 5th tackle play.

I know Hunt apologists like to infer that Hunt critics just bag him for no reason, while they're the first to show up as soon as Taylor fails once, and Hunt happens to feed their ego.
What they never address, because either they fail to see and understand, or simply don't want to, is that Taylor consistently provides that which Hunt does not: a good attacking kicking game, a good game control, and good 5th tackle options.

Unlike Hunt, Taylor is still a rookie and on a steep learning curve, so there is no doubt he will get better, provided his body doesn't fail him of course, because he does seem to be a little fragile. But then again, so was Locky... (and no, I'm not comparing the players, just the body types)

P.S. I don't dislike Hunt at all, on the contrary. Otherwise, I wouldn't be thinking of ways of keeping him in the team for his qualities as a half, including having Milford ply his trade from fullback, but essentially becoming a third 5/8 in possession of the ball... but he makes it hard for me to justify that with displays like last Friday's.

That's crap, why are we going to point out his negatives when it's already done constantly? Nobody is denying that Hunt has his flaws, but where are those talking about Taylor's flaws?

 

[Super Freak]

His kicking..

You mean the exact same high bombs that Hunt puts up that he gets slammed for?

 

[Porthoz]

That's crap, why are we going to point out his negatives when it's already done constantly? Nobody is denying that Hunt has his flaws, but where are those talking about Taylor's flaws?

I don't think anyone denies Taylor's flaws, which he has. I also think Hunt is overal a better player than Taylor at this stage, and can understand why Bennett went with him ahead of Taylor.
I don't want Taylor because I think he's flawless... I want him because he is a pure halfback, and can provide something we lack at the Broncos and will not get from Hunt.

His kicking..

You mean the exact same high bombs that Hunt puts up that he gets slammed for?

Please don't embarrass yourself. Bombs are the only attacking kick Hunt is consistently capable of, Taylor is capable of delivering a plethora of 5th tackle options, and his kicking variety and accuracy is daylight ahead of Hunt's.

 

[broncos4life]

I don't think anyone denies Taylor's flaws, which he has.

This is complete bullshit. I have not seen one person that constantly has a go at Hunt that has mentioned any flaw of Taylor's. You yourself have never commented on his flaws.

I know being a Hunt fan isn't what the cool people do anymore, but at least do us a favour and don't outright lie.

 

[talanoa]

I'm aware. My point is that his ceiling is huge and despite that he still hasn't replaced Lachlan Coote.

yeah fair enough. im not having a crack at you here, but this ridiculous word "ceiling" has to be the most over rated and non relevant term i have seen.
im not sure who came up with it but its absolute horse shit! next thing we will start callings players with upside/potential renovators delight or something stupid like that.

 

[Big Pete]

Taylor may very well go on to be the better player, but at the moment, he has failed to deliver in the clutch moments against top teams. He had chances against the Sharks earlier in the year to guide the Titans to victory when they took the lead. He had chances against the Broncos to get the Titans back in the game and cause an upset, he failed. Because of inexperience. Which is very costly in the finals.

Forget about the Broncos game, Taylor was never in a position to take control. Mortimer fluked a couple of try assists, then followed it up with mistake after mistake after mistake. That one performance could almost sum up his entire career really.

Of course Taylor has got to improve, he's only twenty games into an NRL career. However, to come up with some of the plays he's had this early on in his career bodes well.

When you have something over a player like Ben Hunt, it speaks volumes, especially given the state of the Titans and how much they rely on him.

 

[Unbreakable]

The thing with Taylor, he keeps at the same old thing. He doesn't adapt to the situation.

Hunt does.

That's one of the most laughably incorrect things I've ever read on this forum.

In your mind, Hunt missing multiple field goals and putting several grubbers into players legs and then thinking to himself "Shit, I'm really bad at kicking footballs, maybe I should just run it" is him adapting to the situation?

:lol:

Taylor is far from a one trick pony as well, I suggest you watch a few Titans games before you proclaim expertise, he mixes up his kicking game and running game quite well for a rookie Half.

 

[broncos4life]

That's one of the most laughably incorrect things I've ever read on this forum.

In your mind, Hunt missing multiple field goals and putting several grubbers into players legs and then thinking to himself "Shit, I'm really bad at kicking footballs, maybe I should just run it" is him adapting to the situation?

:lol:

Taylor is far from a one trick pony as well, I suggest you watch a few Titans games before you proclaim expertise, he mixes up his kicking game and running game quite well for a rookie Half.

It's funny how you will not only ask for your right to an opinion be upheld, but as a mod of this forum you would think you would want that for all.

Yet several times today alone you have open mocked and ridiculed posters, one in particular for his opinion. That's pretty fucked TBH.

 

[Unbreakable]

It's funny how you will not only ask for your right to an opinion be upheld, but as a mod of this forum you would think you would want that for all.

Yet several times today alone you have open mocked and ridiculed posters, one in particular for his opinion. That's pretty fucked TBH.

Your heart is in the right place b4l, but calling an opinion / argument incorrect isn't mocking or ridiculing in the slightest, you may want to research what those words actually mean big fella!

He's entitled to his opinion, I'm entitled to call it incorrect.. I believe that's what we call freedom of speech.

 

[Foordy]

IMO, Taylor will eventually be the better half... but that is not now (and still probably 2 or 3 years away)

I also think that in the next 2 years, we are more likely to win a premiership with Hunt instead of Taylor.

Between 2009 and the back end of 2014 Hunt barely played half at all (and certainly very limited opportunities at the top level), Hunt has effectively only been a top grade half for 2 years (last 5 games of 2014 + 2015 + most of this season)

and while i absolutely hate to agree with Gould, he was spot on today when he said that Hunt and Milford's poor form can be linked to team mates not doing their job. and that halves can't do it on their own.

just have a look at the last 2 games and you see that people started performing better against the Dragons and Eels and all of a sudden our halves looked far more dangerous.

I refer in particular to our forward pack, I think our halves poor form can be linked to our struggling pack. It is much harder for our halves to perform when they are always stuck in our own half.

 

[Broncoman]

Think you mean the back end of 2013

 

[Unbreakable]

IMO, Taylor will eventually be the better half... but that is not now (and still probably 2 or 3 years away)

I also think that in the next 2 years, we are more likely to win a premiership with Hunt instead of Taylor.

Between 2009 and the back end of 2014 Hunt barely played half at all (and certainly very limited opportunities at the top level), Hunt has effectively only been a top grade half for 2 years (last 5 games of 2014 + 2015 + most of this season)

and while i absolutely hate to agree with Gould, he was spot on today when he said that Hunt and Milford's poor form can be linked to team mates not doing their job. and that halves can't do it on their own.

just have a look at the last 2 games and you see that people started performing better against the Dragons and Eels and all of a sudden our halves looked far more dangerous.

I refer in particular to our forward pack, I think our halves poor form can be linked to our struggling pack. It is much harder for our halves to perform when they are always stuck in our own half.

We're a machine with 13 moving pieces, if our hooker is getting our forwards quality ball, and our forwards are making quality metres, and our halves are chiming in and kicking well, everyone looks good.. All it takes is one of those things to not be working, and our machine falls apart.

It all starts with the dummy half service and how many metres our forwards can make, but with that being said, their job becomes increasingly harder if our halves kick the ball dead and we are forced to defend for more tackles / more sets, which in turn makes our forwards more fatigued..

Everyone has to do their job, the forwards can't rely on the halves, and vice versa.

 

[holdzy]

But he still did it.

He saw the field goals weren't working so he adapted and ran the ball and won the game for the Broncos, against the benchmark of the competition.

Taylor had that opportunity against the Sharks, he failed. It's not like he only had one chance. He had several chances to get the win for the Titans.

Taylor may very well go on to be the better player, but at the moment, he has failed to deliver in the clutch moments against top teams. He had chances against the Sharks earlier in the year to guide the Titans to victory when they took the lead. He had chances against the Broncos to get the Titans back in the game and cause an upset, he failed. Because of inexperience. Which is very costly in the finals.

This is why we need to stick with Hunt while we still have the chance to win the premiership.

Yes...1-2 years...then, we look elsewhere. Yes?

If Hunt can't become consistent in that time, it's time to look elsewhere...does anyone disagree...it might be Taylor, it might not be.

 

[broncos4life]

Your heart is in the right place b4l, but calling an opinion / argument incorrect isn't mocking or ridiculing in the slightest, you may want to research what those words actually mean big fella!

He's entitled to his opinion, I'm entitled to call it incorrect.. I believe that's what we call freedom of speech.

Don't try and make this into something it's not. I
have no issue with you calling an opinion incorrect. However, you don't need to say shit like 'LMFAO' and 'that's one of the most laughably incorrect things I have read on this forum' to call an opinion incorrect.

If those things aren't mocking or ridiculing then I don't know what is.

 

[Unbreakable]

Don't try and make this into something it's not. I
have no issue with you calling an opinion incorrect. However, you don't need to say shit like 'LMFAO' and 'that's one of the most laughably incorrect things I have read on this forum' to call an opinion incorrect.

If those things aren't mocking or ridiculing then I don't know what is.

So.. I'm allowed to call an opinion incorrect, but if I call it laughably incorrect, that's crossing the line?

Fair enough man, lol.