Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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SATURDAY night is Ben Hunt’s chance to show he deserves to be a key member of Queensland’s plan for sustained Origin domination.
Brisbane’s clash with the Bulldogs in Sydney will be a test of character on several fronts. I know how emotionally draining it can be to back up for a club game after tasting the unbridled joy of an Origin series win.
The Broncos will need their Origin big guns, at least the ones who manage to back up, to maintain their professional standards.
This is precisely the type of stage Hunt needs to develop his leadership skills, light the fire within and help him repeat the form that won him an Australian jumper two years ago.
Hunt’s duel with Canterbury playmaker Moses Mbye will be of the better scrumbase showdowns of the season.
The pair were teammates in Queensland’s Emerging Origin camp in January, but walked away with contrasting narratives.
Hunt was among the infamous eight who broke Kevin Walters’ team curfew and were hit with 12-month Origin bans.
Mbye earned credit points with Walters, who is set to gradually ramp up his Origin succession plan.
In the next 12 to 18 months, some critical decisions must be made about this wonderful Queensland team.
Father Time is looming. Even champions like Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston are ageing and must soon pass the baton to a new wave of Maroons.
At 22, Mbye is still charting a steep development curve and he has Origin potential, but Hunt, four years his senior, is more seasoned and has reached a critical juncture of his career.
If he gets things right over the next 12 months, when his Origin ban will be lifted, Hunt can be the successor to Cronk.
But with rivals like Mbye and Daly Cherry-Evans breathing down his neck, Hunt cannot afford to lower the performance bar.
Some recent criticism of Hunt has been too harsh. He is going through a bit of a lull at the moment but I wouldn’t suggest he is in a slump. When good playmakers go through a quiet patch, the whispers begin about them not scoring tries or setting them up.
What Hunt needs right now is not a flashy highlights reel but consistency of performance. His try-assist count is still high, so offence is not a problem. If he can execute his role in defence and kicking options well, the mojo will return.
In every sense, Hunt is the poster boy for the winds of change that will soon sweep the Maroons into a new era.
The Maroons are entitled to savour their 10th series win in 11 years but the party will soon be over if Queensland do not identify who will replace their champions and when they will do so.
It is possible that Smith, Thurston and Cronk could quit Queensland in the same season. I believe NSW did not plan well for life after Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns and they paid the price. You can learn from the past and Queensland must pay attention to this.
The hardest person to replace will be Cameron Smith but if Queensland are looking for a similar style of player, Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough is their Plan B. Jake Friend and Jake Granville are also in the mix.
It is possible the Maroons’ next playmaking spine could comprise Darius Boyd, Anthony Milford, Hunt and McCullough. Their club understanding alone would be a huge asset.
Like Smith, Cronk may play on for another two years, but the future is now for men like Ben Hunt and Moses Mbye.
Their battle on Saturday will be worth more than just two competition points.
No Cookies | The Courier Mail
Brisbane’s clash with the Bulldogs in Sydney will be a test of character on several fronts. I know how emotionally draining it can be to back up for a club game after tasting the unbridled joy of an Origin series win.
The Broncos will need their Origin big guns, at least the ones who manage to back up, to maintain their professional standards.
This is precisely the type of stage Hunt needs to develop his leadership skills, light the fire within and help him repeat the form that won him an Australian jumper two years ago.
Hunt’s duel with Canterbury playmaker Moses Mbye will be of the better scrumbase showdowns of the season.
The pair were teammates in Queensland’s Emerging Origin camp in January, but walked away with contrasting narratives.
Hunt was among the infamous eight who broke Kevin Walters’ team curfew and were hit with 12-month Origin bans.
Mbye earned credit points with Walters, who is set to gradually ramp up his Origin succession plan.
In the next 12 to 18 months, some critical decisions must be made about this wonderful Queensland team.
Father Time is looming. Even champions like Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston are ageing and must soon pass the baton to a new wave of Maroons.
At 22, Mbye is still charting a steep development curve and he has Origin potential, but Hunt, four years his senior, is more seasoned and has reached a critical juncture of his career.
If he gets things right over the next 12 months, when his Origin ban will be lifted, Hunt can be the successor to Cronk.
But with rivals like Mbye and Daly Cherry-Evans breathing down his neck, Hunt cannot afford to lower the performance bar.
Some recent criticism of Hunt has been too harsh. He is going through a bit of a lull at the moment but I wouldn’t suggest he is in a slump. When good playmakers go through a quiet patch, the whispers begin about them not scoring tries or setting them up.
What Hunt needs right now is not a flashy highlights reel but consistency of performance. His try-assist count is still high, so offence is not a problem. If he can execute his role in defence and kicking options well, the mojo will return.
In every sense, Hunt is the poster boy for the winds of change that will soon sweep the Maroons into a new era.
The Maroons are entitled to savour their 10th series win in 11 years but the party will soon be over if Queensland do not identify who will replace their champions and when they will do so.
It is possible that Smith, Thurston and Cronk could quit Queensland in the same season. I believe NSW did not plan well for life after Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns and they paid the price. You can learn from the past and Queensland must pay attention to this.
The hardest person to replace will be Cameron Smith but if Queensland are looking for a similar style of player, Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough is their Plan B. Jake Friend and Jake Granville are also in the mix.
It is possible the Maroons’ next playmaking spine could comprise Darius Boyd, Anthony Milford, Hunt and McCullough. Their club understanding alone would be a huge asset.
Like Smith, Cronk may play on for another two years, but the future is now for men like Ben Hunt and Moses Mbye.
Their battle on Saturday will be worth more than just two competition points.
No Cookies | The Courier Mail
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