Bennett turns up the heat on Hunt

[Super Freak]

WAYNE Bennett has challenged Ben Hunt to step up as a dominant playmaker amid concerns the classy halfback lacks the last-play polish to deliver a Broncos premiership.

Hunt is under pressure to steer Brisbane to victory against Souths on Thursday night after failing to dismantle a Roosters side last week that lost rival halfback Mitchell Pearce to injury.

The Broncos No. 7 has had some outstanding games this season. Hunt is currently the NRL’s most prolific kicker with a whopping 9518 metres, leaving second-placed Daly Cherry-Evans (7002) in the shade with his raking clearing kicks.

But Bennett believes there is scope for refinement from Hunt in terms of his game-management and the military-like execution that has made Cooper Cronk an Origin and Test playmaker.

Broncos five-eighth legend Darren Lockyer was one of the code’s finest practitioners at closing out games. He believes Hunt’s efforts against the Roosters last week and the Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium will gauge his ability to win sudden-death finals for the Broncos.

“This period is a good test for Ben’s self-belief that if the Broncos get into a winning position he can close a game out,” Lockyer said.

“If Ben can do that, it would alleviate some doubts just within his own mind.

“As good as he’s going, you need to conquer something to get that self-belief that you can do it consistently.

“The Broncos have some big games coming up and if he can come out with a strong performance and get his last-tackle plays right, it will set him up for the finals.”

On the eve of the Roosters clash, Bennett critiqued Hunt’s development in his second season as Brisbane’s chief shot-caller.

When Pearce hobbled off after 16 minutes last Saturday night, Hunt had the chance to put the Roosters to the sword. But the Bondi club repelled Brisbane’s offensive raids, illustrating the challenges Hunt and halves partner Anthony Milford face in the playoffs.

“Ben’s much improved but he’s still not where we want him to be,” Bennett said.

“He has improved a great deal so hopefully over the next few weeks he can put the finishing touches on.

“He has worked hard to finish our sets well but we need him to be as close to 100 per cent as he can be.

“We’ve been learning that every day ... game management is what we have been doing for the past (24) weeks.”

Hooker Andrew McCullough said it is vital for himself, Hunt and Milford to apply pressure to Souths with clinical execution.

“Our last-play stuff is massive,” he said. “When we did it right against the Roosters, we were able to keep them down their end and build some pressure.

“It’s something me and Benny will work on during the week, we need to fix that.”

Bennett turns up the heat on Hunt

 

[Waynesaurus]

Personally I think Bennett needs to turn the heat up on McCullough, his defensive work has been as good as usual but we need more from him in attack out of dummy half, I thought last week in particular we looked better when Kodi came on.

 

[subsbligh]

Dam straight.

Hunt in a mediocre Broncos team last year was a one man band and it played to his strengths - running at tired and bored or confused defenders.

Frankly, he's way too hit and miss in his execution in the key moments. It doesn't seem to be a mental issue.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I agree with Bennett in the sense that Hunt needs to clean up certain aspects of his play but he also has to remember that Hunt is far and away the lynchpin of this side right now. He can't allow himself to pile too much pressure onto Hunts shoulders. Give him and Milf time to really gel.

 

[Cult]

Personally I think Bennett needs to turn the heat up on McCullough, his defensive work has been as good as usual but we need more from him in attack out of dummy half, I thought last week in particular we looked better when Kodi came on.

McCullough has been a thousand times better this year than previous years. He knows when to run better than someone like Segeyaro who just runs all the time and confuses his forwards. He catches the markers offside all the time. There are a lot of times when markers stand beside each other and he will make contact with them and won't get a penalty because the refs have no idea and the Broncos crowd don't boo for 80 minutes. The Macca hate is unsubstantiated on here, because he's not a flashy hooker.

 

[Nashy]

McCullough has been a thousand times better this year than previous years. He knows when to run better than someone like Segeyaro who just runs all the time and confuses his forwards. He catches the markers offside all the time. There are a lot of times when markers stand beside each other and he will make contact with them and won't get a penalty because the refs have no idea and the Broncos crowd don't boo for 80 minutes. The Macca hate is unsubstantiated on here, because he's not a flashy hooker.

This. 100% this.

 

[Kimlo]

I thought the only time we looked dangerous in the Roosters game was when Kodi came on.

 

[Battler]

McCullough has been a thousand times better this year than previous years. He knows when to run better than someone like Segeyaro who just runs all the time and confuses his forwards. He catches the markers offside all the time. There are a lot of times when markers stand beside each other and he will make contact with them and won't get a penalty because the refs have no idea and the Broncos crowd don't boo for 80 minutes. The Macca hate is unsubstantiated on here, because he's not a flashy hooker.

And he actually passes the ball backwards unlike friend, farah, lichaa, and a few others that escape me at the moment.

 

[Waynesaurus]

There is no Macca hate, I just think he needs to step up his attack, when you compare him to what Granville is offering the Cowboys this year Macca isn't doing enough for us IMO.

Part of what is frustrating me this year is that I don't think we are getting the best out Hunt and Milford with the way we concede so many metres in defense, Hunt and Milford always seem to be working out of our own end the majority of the time.

 

[Big Pete]

I'm sure they're all under pressure, but I'm glad that this is on the record.

I believe one of the biggest problems hindering Hunt's game is that he has too much responsibility. He kicks more than any other player in the competition and would handle the ball more than anyone not named McCullough. I think that contributed to his poor performance on Saturday where he came up with a number of mistakes that ultimately prevented Brisbane from controlling the game at any point.

 

[Nashy]

I thought the only time we looked dangerous in the Roosters game was when Kodi came on.

Can't agree with this. The team performs very well when he is on the field, and I don't think the previous game was any different. He certainly didn't seem as effective as past games, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, given he had a bit going on off the field.

 

[Nashy]

I'm sure they're all under pressure, but I'm glad that this is on the record.

I believe one of the biggest problems hindering Hunt's game is that he has too much responsibility. He kicks more than any other player in the competition and would handle the ball more than anyone not named McCullough. I think that contributed to his poor performance on Saturday where he came up with a number of mistakes that ultimately prevented Brisbane from controlling the game at any point.

He's not a comfortable kicker for mine. He really needs work there, urgently. When he strikes the kick, 9/10 it does what he wants it to, but what he wants it to do is usually the wrong call in the game.

It's all experience, and I've got no doubt he will fix it up. Unfortunately, it's not an overnight thing.

 

[Kimlo]

Can't agree with this. The team performs very well when he is on the field, and I don't think the previous game was any different. He certainly didn't seem as effective as past games, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, given he had a bit going on off the field.

He's a solid hooker, I'm by no means calling him shit, he's very good in defence, and bog average in attack, although he was good for a few games at the start of the year. I don't think that's ever changing, he reached his peak like 5 years ago. He's not our biggest problem or anything like that, but he's also got the #9 locked up for years to come, which worries me as I don't think he has another level in him to really get the most out of pack.

 

[Porthoz]

People attribute this to an agenda, but I've said it a fair few times. Hunt is not an organiser or controlling half.
He is very much an off the cuff player with an x-factor, who can win us games with an extraordinary play, but not through constant pressure and control.
Milford, as much of a talent as he is, doesn't complement him, and the result is that we have 2 halves that can do spectacular things, but aren't able to break a team through continuous control and pressure, which is something definitely necessary at the business end of the season.
I hope they get there, but I'm far from sure they will...

 

[Unbreakable]

People attribute this to an agenda, but I've said it a fair few times. Hunt is not an organiser or controlling half.
He is very much an off the cuff player with an x-factor, who can win us games with an extraordinary play, but not through constant pressure and control.
Milford, as much of a talent as he is, doesn't complement him, and the result is that we have 2 halves that can do spectacular things, but aren't able to break a team through continuous control and pressure, which is something definitely necessary at the business end of the season.
I hope they get there, but I'm far from sure they will...

Hunt is 2nd in the NRL in Try assists and 1st in Line-Break assists, the only way you can rack up those sort of numbers is by being consistent and controlling. His kicking game still leaves a bit to be desired, but I can only hope he'll continue improving it and eventually get all the errors out of his game (5th tackle options is still a big problem for our halves)

 

[tommy]

Hunt is 2nd in the NRL in Try assists and 1st in Line-Break assists, the only way you can rack up those sort of numbers is by being consistent and controlling. His kicking game still leaves a bit to be desired, but I can only hope he'll continue improving it and eventually get all the errors out of his game (5th tackle options is still a big problem for our halves)

Where do you get your stats? According to NRL.com he is not in the top 5 for either category .

 

[Unbreakable]

Where do you get your stats? According to NRL.com he is not in the top 5 for either category .

FoxSports put the stats up the other day.

 

[Super Freak]

Part of the 5 things you should know for Round 23, Broncos had him at 20 try assists and 26 line break assists.

He has come up with 2 try assists since then. Not sure about line break assists.