Ben Hunt

[Mister Wright]

Another part of his game that is underrated is his desperation. How many times have we seen him dive on loose balls or get tackled in own ingoal saving a try. He is a real competitor.

 

[Sproj]

Even though he goes missing at times, he always seems quite composed and that is good.

 

[hidethesuspect]

Nearly the whole team could do with a bit of that desperation if you ask me.

 

[Coxy]

From reading through the replies, it seems we all agree his weakness is his positioning and concentration (concentration sometimes then leads to poor positioning and drifting out of the game). Also execution is off sometimes, and reading the play in defence while defending in the halves.

Pretty much all of that can be fixed with more training and match practice in the halves. There's no doubt he reads the play well, has good tackling technique, good kicking and passing skills, and has a decent turn of speed which is surprising for a stocky bloke like him. So he has all the attributes that he needs to be a decent first grade half.

The reading of play in defence will come with more time and training there.
The concentration will come with more 80 minute performances (tiredness leads to dip in concentration).
Positional play will come with more time and training there.
Execution will improve with more time and training there.

If all the rumours and innuendo are true, DCE is coming our way in 2015. Milford possibly next season, and there's a few young guys in the club who look pretty good. 2014 is really Hunt's make or break year as a half. Let's see if he grabs it.

 

[Splinter]

What weaknesses have you guys identified in Hunt's game?

For mine, I believe a lot of his issues can be fixed if he can work on his positioning. I've noticed that he has the tendancy to place himself in awkward positions on the field and it restricts either his options or execution on the play. Fortunately, this problem can be solved but he needs to work diligently across the off-season and use things from Cooper Cronk and Joey Johns' game.

I'm glad he's received an opportunity. I see plenty in him which is more than I can say about the other three halves we had on our books this season.

Basically just inconsistency. I believe he should have got a go much earlier

 

[Splinter]

Another part of his game that is underrated is his desperation. How many times have we seen him dive on loose balls or get tackled in own ingoal saving a try. He is a real competitor.

His reading of ingoal attacking kicks by the opposition is first class

 

[hidethesuspect]

Can't say I've noticed that Splinter, not to say you're not right, just that clarification that I am a simpleton I guess. If nothing else, the time spent playing a hooker really did improve his defensive technique. And like Coxy said he's surprisingly fast, has a decent little step on him too.

 

[Splinter]

Can't say I've noticed that Splinter, not to say you're not right, just that clarification that I am a simpleton I guess. If nothing else, the time spent playing a hooker really did improve his defensive technique. And like Coxy said he's surprisingly fast, has a decent little step on him too.

First thing i noticed after he was put to halfback, he saved Hoffman a few times with little grubber kicks put across the goal posts and into the in goal. He has also dived on a few short kicks through the defensive line about our 20 metre line.

 

[Alec]

He has missed ~23 tackles in 7 matches at halfback. Just for comparison, Prince has missed 67 this whole year (5th highest in the NRL, 2nd at the Broncos).
That's pretty bad.

 

[Alec]

And also in his 3 games in the halves in the middle of the season, he missed 4 against the Titans, 4 against the Doggies and a staggering 11 against the Warriors.

 

[Brett]

His tackling technique isn't the problem. When he tackles up the middle as replacement Hooker, he has guys running straight at him. When he defends at Halfback, he has to defend with guys running on angles, he has to slide and be mobile. It's obvious he's not used to it, hence the high missed tackle count. I seem to remember this guy by the name of Darren Lockyer missing a lot of crucial tackles on the fringes, but he had this other guy by the name of Tonie Carroll to help him with that. Hopefully Gillet can be Hunt's Carroll.

 

[Alec]

I'm not saying it's bad....well, it is bad, but halves are the last players you pick on defence. Some people were saying his defence was good though, when it has actually been poor this season. I hope he does adjust to it with a full off-season there.

 

[Grimmiq]

Hoffman/Oates, Reed, Hunt, Glenn would be my ideal left edge..They all seem to run the ball a little harder than most of the team and show that little extra desperation, so with Hunt's passing/short kicking game we should get a lot of points down that side with Reed and Glenn soaking up a lot of the defensive work for Hunt.

 

[hidethesuspect]

I did mention that he had a high missed tackle count in another thread, but so does have the guys on our team. I don't think it's an issue with Ben, more the whole team.

 

[Coxy]

Hunt's tackling IS good. It's his POSITIONING in the halves that struggles. And that only comes with experience and match practice there. Not to mention building combinations with the players around you.

Given the Broncos didn't seem to go 2 weeks with the same players in the centres, it's no wonder he never developed a combination with the players on his outside.

His defence is the LEAST of my worries with Hunt, stats or no stats.

 

[Alec]

His defence is the LEAST of my worries with Hunt, stats or no stats.

It's the least of my worries too, just like it was the least of my worries with Prince and would have been the least of my worries with Sandow and Kelly if they played for us. Defence for halves is almost insignificant compared to their attack.

 

[rnabokov]

Hoffman/Oates, Reed, Hunt, Glenn would be my ideal left edge..They all seem to run the ball a little harder than most of the team and show that little extra desperation, so with Hunt's passing/short kicking game we should get a lot of points down that side with Reed and Glenn soaking up a lot of the defensive work for Hunt.

From what I have seen later on this season, Hunt>Gillett>Reed>Oates were pretty hot, except the last game when they all stood together on the same blade of grass

For mine, that is a great left hand side, especially with Barba loitering with intent just behind the line

On the right, I would have Milford/Strasser/Taylor>Glenn>Hodges>Hoffman

Hannant/McGuire and Parker up the middle, passing the ball either side

 

[Grimmiq]

From what I have seen later on this season, Hunt>Gillett>Reed>Oates were pretty hot, except the last game when they all stood together on the same blade of grass

While I do like Gillett, I think Glenn would work better with Hunt on the left. Gillett tends to step or stop and push defenders off, Glenn has the extra size and explosiveness when he hits the line that will see him make half breaks and help create broken play for Barba.