Ben Hunt vs Ash Taylor

[Wolfie]

If Hunt can develop his game management and work on his kicking game like Cronk has done he should be as good as any half back in the game. The worrying thing for me is that at 26 years old, he hasnt got there yet and doesn't look like he ever will. I'm not sure he has Cronks meticulous attention to detail and work ethic to improve.

Taylor i think in 3-4 years time will have everything Hunt has plus he has a better kicking game. Hunt though has proved himself to be a very good half back, Taylor is very much a work in progress, but he does have a lot of potential. I think he will realise it myself, but we will have to wait and see.

I know its probably not a very popular opinion, but i do think Hunt with his running game would be a better hooker than Macca personally. I think in an attacking sense, he would be sharper and a bigger weapon for us than Macca.

 

[Unbreakable]

If Hunt can develop his game management and work on his kicking game like Cronk has done he should be as good as any half back in the game. The worrying thing for me is that at 26 years old, he hasnt got there yet and doesn't look like he ever will. I'm not sure he has Cronks meticulous attention to detail and work ethic to improve.

Taylor i think in 3-4 years time will have everything Hunt has plus he has a better kicking game. Hunt though has proved himself to be a very good half back, Taylor is very much a work in progress, but he does have a lot of potential. I think he will realise it myself, but we will have to wait and see.

I know its probably not a very popular opinion, but i do think Hunt with his running game would be a better hooker than Macca personally. I think in an attacking sense, he would be sharper and a bigger weapon for us than Macca.

Spot on, a lot of this debate depends on whether Taylor actually kicks on, there's still a chance he could fizzle out and be just an average NRL player, but he's got a chance.

Hunt has made a lot out of what he's got, but if Taylor has the same mentality and will to succeed as Hunt, then this debate is over, Taylor is the better player in a few years time with ease.

 

[Brent81]

So can we just get the rules straight.

1. Anything that Taylor does better than Hunt is the most important aspect of play as a half, and will only get better.

2. Anything that Hunt does better can't be counted because he has been a halfback for longer therefore it isn't fair.

Gotcha.

Pretty accurate.

Except you forgot rule 3 - you can't compare the Taylor that now exists, you have to compare a different version of Taylor, one with all the best bits of Johns, Thurston, Lockyer and Lewis combined, a player who has xray vision, super strength, super speed, ear like a wolf, eyes like a hawk, who never makes a mistake or takes a wrong option. A player who is awarded 6 points for a try and kicks at 1000%. Indeed, they don't even make him take the kicks because they just assume it will go through.

 

[Unbreakable]

Pretty accurate.

Except you forgot rule 3 - you can't compare the Taylor that now exists, you have to compare a different version of Taylor, one with all the best bits of Johns, Thurston, Lockyer and Lewis combined, a player who has xray vision, super strength, super speed, ear like a wolf, eyes like a hawk, who never makes a mistake or takes a wrong option. A player who is awarded 6 points for a try and kicks at 1000%. Indeed, they don't even make him take the kicks because they just assume it will go through.

:lol:

As much as you're joking.. he is actually kicking at like 95% for the season.. how nice would that be right now instead of Parker and his 60-70% every season.

 

[lynx000]

Unbreakable, I have to say I have been distracted by your avatar. I half expect someone to come from stage left and kick him in the ghoolies.

 

[lynx000]

Possibly Ash Tayor, or Jamie Soward.

 

[Porthoz]

ps I've watched Taylor and Hunt for years as well

Running game - Hunt's is better. Fact. Have a look at any of Brisbane's games from 2014 and 2015 - see how many breaks he makes HIMSELF.

Strength in contact. Hunt is stronger. Fact. Have a look hoe many times he scores with blokes hanging off him.

Passing. Hunt's passing game is better. Fact. Hunt can put a bloke through a hole. Not once have I seen Taylor do that. That's the mark of a halfback.

Toughness and defence. Taylor is a cream pie. Fact. Watch him in defence. He's only there to attack. Hunt actually hits blokes. Taylor couldn't knock the skin off a rice pudding.

The only place where Taylor has an advantage is kicking the ball...wow. Legend. Jamie Soward has a great kicking game to. Maybe we should sign him?

Frankly, Taylor reminds me of Soward. Reckon in 3 years we'll be saying "Ashley who?" Meanwhile Hunt will have at least 2 gfs and 1 premiership to his credit.

Running game - Hunt's is better. How will that be 2 years from now? Not sure. Taylor is definitely much faster the him though - FACT.

Strength and defense - He is a halfback, not a second rower. Remember that bloke called Darren Lockyer? But yeah, Hunt wins here for sure.
Toughness - How do you determine that? I have not seen Taylor do anything that would make me think he's a pussy. Again, Locky was steamrolled a fair few times, but he got up and got on with it, just like Taylor.

Passing - Hunt's passing is not better. In fact, thinking about it, Hunt's passing is probably worse, especially from left to right. And either you have seen Taylor play many years, or you haven't seen him put a bloke through a hole. Both statements are an oxymoron!

Vision - To include [MENTION=1899]Big Pete[/MENTION] 's asset, Hunt has great clutch moments, but he will more often than not end a set poorly, and not always because of bad execution.
Taylor doesn't have the clutch moments yet, although that may come with experience, but there is clearly a plan he works towards each set, and his execution is 80% of the time better than Hunt's.

P.S. Using the toughness, defense and strength arguments to define a half, is really grasping at straws to try and win an argument.

 

[Big Pete]

It will be interesting to see if Taylor can maintain his current form with the boot.

His goal-kicking wasn't that flash last year, he only kicked at 75%.

 

[Unbreakable]

he only kicked at 75%.

Thats what we call an above average Parker season!

Kicking at 75% in the NYC is nothing to scoff at, he's bound to improve it over the next few seasons, presumably will even out to about 80% this season.

 

[Brent81]

Thats what we call an above average Parker season!

Kicking at 75% in the NYC is nothing to scoff at, he's bound to improve it over the next few seasons, presumably will even out to about 80% this season.

I'll give you goal kicking too.

He's got a weird ball flight....spins a bit odd.

But seems to work ok.

 

[tommy]

Hunt is pretty good at playing in the NRL.

Taylor might become pretty good at playing in the NRL.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't really rate Ben Hunt in the clutch. Even when he has come up with the match-winning play he's usually blown one or two opportunities in the lead up.

However, Ben Hunt isn't typically a player that goes missing. Even when he isn't supposed to, he ends up finding ways to make an impact on the game (eg. Four Nations 2014) just through sniffing out an opportunity.

What I like most is that he isn't afraid to go looking for the ball and draw in the defence.

I actually think Taylor is a handy ball-player and to say he hasn't put a player through a gap is just wrong (he did it 17 times last year alone). However, I agree that it isn't his strong suit and there are times where he waits for the game to come to him instead of taking it on. While Taylor had a remarkable season, I thought Berrell and Arrow had more say in the direction of the team.

 

[Morkel]

P.S. Using the toughness, defense and strength arguments to define a half, is really grasping at straws to try and win an argument.

Disagree totally. Granted, as long as they're not a liability it's not normally a problem, but Taylor was precisely that in the 20's. If he's going to leak more points than he creates, you're better off playing a back-rower in the halves (hello Roosters).

Again, time will tell how he develops in this regard, but I feel you're writing off the importance of this because it's clearly Taylor's weakest point. Or are you completely content with, say, Milf conceding two or three tries to Morgan every time we play each other?

 

[austin71]

Can't believe this conversation is even taking place. Ash Taylor has one good game then people start wanting to swap him for Hunt? Seriously people. You can't compare someone who's played 5-6 nrl games to someone that's played for 4-5 seasons.

 

[Porthoz]

Disagree totally. Granted, as long as they're not a liability it's not normally a problem, but Taylor was precisely that in the 20's. If he's going to leak more points than he creates, you're better off playing a back-rower in the halves (hello Roosters).

Again, time will tell how he develops in this regard, but I feel you're writing off the importance of this because it's clearly Taylor's weakest point. Or are you completely content with, say, Milf conceding two or three tries to Morgan every time we play each other?

Saying Taylor is a liability or concedes more tries than he creates is a load of bollocks. That's just the standard got to excuse when it comes to Taylor.

I'd prefer if Milford wasn't Morgan's bitch in defense of course, but I still wouldn't trade the Milf for anyone, as I wouldn't have traded the Lockyer for anyone, curiously another half with a more than suspect defense.

 

[Foordy]

If I read the OP correctly this isn't about who is the better player RIGHT NOW (which many people are doing) because if it was Hunt wins hands down.

However, it is about our PREDICTIONS on who will be the better player in 2- 3 years.

as [MENTION=8290]Unbreakable[/MENTION] has said Taylor is in the same ball park as Hunt for running game and passing game (while Hunt is still currently better), how ever his kicking game is far superior to Hunts.

If Taylor continues in the same direction, then IMO, he could have a far better career than Hunt, thats not a slight against Hunt BTW. but it will take hard work, and dedication to achieve ... only time will tell if he has it in him.

as for the defense while Hunt is now far superior to Taylor, he has his time playing as a bench hooker, defending in the middle fo the field to thank for that, because he wasn't a top notch defensive player when he had only played 8 FG games.

FTR, I actually think that Hunt does posses a good kicking game, because we have seen it. but i can count on 1 hand the number of times he has shown it. his execution and decision making lets his kicking game down.

 

[Cult]

as @Unbreakable has said Taylor is in the same ball park as Hunt for running game and passing game (while Hunt is still currently better), how ever his kicking game is far superior to Hunts.

How is Taylors running game in the same ball park a Hunts? Where the shit is everyone getting this from? His one run on the weekend? It's simply not true. There might be some halfbacks who are close to, if not as good as Hunt as far as being a running half but Taylor is not one of them.

 

[Broncoman]

If we are going to criticise Taylor/Milford or any half for having a bad defensive game we should be critical of most halves. Halfbacks and five-eighths aren't usually strong defenders. Moses, Milford, Thurston, Langer, Soward, Johnson, Cronk etc aren't strong defenders or were strong defenders.

On the topic of Taylor I think he is a good kicking game and can certainly put a bomb up but comparing him to Hunt is nonsense. Taylor has only played a handful of first grade games and Hunt has played as a starting halfback for 3 years and has been a first grader since 2009 and has played for Australia and should've played Origin a couple of years ago.