Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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KERROD Walters says Ben Hunt is the best man to get the Broncos out of their Andrew McCullough predicament.
Walters, a dual premiership-winning hooker for Brisbane, said he thought hooker would be Hunt’s best position before he secured the first-grade halfback role in 2014.
Walters was interested to learn that Hunt and Sam Thaiday spent most of the time at dummy-half during a ballwork session at Red Hill yesterday set the coordinates without the injured McCullough for Saturday’s away clash against Gold Coast.
“I’d say they’re best off with Ben at nine and Kodi Nikorima at halfback,’’ said Walters, who like McCullough rattled up high tackle numbers consistently for the Broncos.
“I always thought Ben would have made a first-class hooker. Nine was his best spot, but he’s made a good fist for himself as a halfback.
“Nikorima has played halfback a number of times and they’ve gone well with him there.
“The issue is going to be how they share the 80 minutes which McCullough played for them.’’
Walters said the other five forwards on the field should be carrying the defensive load although Hunt can get through his tackles, averaging 20 tackles and missing three a game in 2017.
“Hunt should be there for what he can give them out of dummy-half, not how much defence he can do,’’ he said.
“He can be dynamic out of dummy-half.
“I was surprised to hear that Benji Marshall was in the defending team (at training). I’d have thought Benji would have been halfback because Wayne seemed to have gone away from Kodi as a halfback.
But Benji can cover a lot of spots for them on the bench if that’s the way it works out.’’
Despite the loss of McCulliough for the season, Walters likes Brisbane’s chances of still making the top four ahead of North Queensland and Parramatta.
Broncos prop Korbin Sims said the club had long been good at filling spots vacated by key injured players.
“The Broncos have a really good system that someone else will slot straight into the system — it’s been proven when we lost Anthony Milford and Darius Boyd (through injury mid-season),’’ Sims said.
“It’s going to be hard to fill his spot. No one is able to replicate what he does, like with his defence.
“Ben is a very smart halfback and moving into the hooking spot, it should be a worry because he knows the plays. He will be pretty crafty with the ball.’’
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/b998b52d16de19e4d3ff51ea123d012b
Walters, a dual premiership-winning hooker for Brisbane, said he thought hooker would be Hunt’s best position before he secured the first-grade halfback role in 2014.
Walters was interested to learn that Hunt and Sam Thaiday spent most of the time at dummy-half during a ballwork session at Red Hill yesterday set the coordinates without the injured McCullough for Saturday’s away clash against Gold Coast.
“I’d say they’re best off with Ben at nine and Kodi Nikorima at halfback,’’ said Walters, who like McCullough rattled up high tackle numbers consistently for the Broncos.
“I always thought Ben would have made a first-class hooker. Nine was his best spot, but he’s made a good fist for himself as a halfback.
“Nikorima has played halfback a number of times and they’ve gone well with him there.
“The issue is going to be how they share the 80 minutes which McCullough played for them.’’
Walters said the other five forwards on the field should be carrying the defensive load although Hunt can get through his tackles, averaging 20 tackles and missing three a game in 2017.
“Hunt should be there for what he can give them out of dummy-half, not how much defence he can do,’’ he said.
“He can be dynamic out of dummy-half.
“I was surprised to hear that Benji Marshall was in the defending team (at training). I’d have thought Benji would have been halfback because Wayne seemed to have gone away from Kodi as a halfback.
But Benji can cover a lot of spots for them on the bench if that’s the way it works out.’’
Despite the loss of McCulliough for the season, Walters likes Brisbane’s chances of still making the top four ahead of North Queensland and Parramatta.
Broncos prop Korbin Sims said the club had long been good at filling spots vacated by key injured players.
“The Broncos have a really good system that someone else will slot straight into the system — it’s been proven when we lost Anthony Milford and Darius Boyd (through injury mid-season),’’ Sims said.
“It’s going to be hard to fill his spot. No one is able to replicate what he does, like with his defence.
“Ben is a very smart halfback and moving into the hooking spot, it should be a worry because he knows the plays. He will be pretty crafty with the ball.’’
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/b998b52d16de19e4d3ff51ea123d012b
