Hunt shoulders Broncos' attacking burden

[Super Freak]

Brisbane Broncos halfback Ben Hunt has taken responsibility for his side's scoring woes, saying that as a half he needs to be better in attacking situations.

The Broncos are ranked 14th in attack in the NRL this season, with only the Wests Tigers and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs having scored fewer points.

Brisbane's 10-7 loss to the Bulldogs in Round 5 was a low point for the side, taking their season total of points scored to just 78.

This means Wayne Bennett's men currently only average just over 15 points per game in 2017, a far cry from the 23 points per game that saw Brisbane finish in fifth position in 2016.

"It's on me. I need to be better." Ben Hunt.​

The Broncos' lack of point scoring is clearly impacting the team's confidence, and Hunt says he who feeling the pressure the most.

"I definitely take responsibility for our inability to score points," Hunt said.

"I had been feeling pretty good about my footy but the game on the weekend filled me with disappointment.

"Only scoring seven points in a game isn't good enough against any team, let alone a side as hungry as the Bulldogs.

"I know it was wet and people say that slows the game down but that's not an excuse. It's on me. I need to be better."

It's not the first slump a Bennett-coached team has suffered and it won't be the last, but the positive for the master coach this time around is that he has plenty of time to turn his side's fortunes around.

Hunt told NRL.com that Bennett has been a calming influence during the slump, reassuring the team that as long as the effort was there things will eventually turn for the better.

"Wayne's just a bit disappointed in our silly errors and mental lapses," Hunt said.

"He said he was really happy with our effort and we are trying hard.

"The silly mistakes we are making are almost from trying too hard. They are really costing us at the moment."

The Broncos will be hoping centre James Roberts is cleared to play this week after he hurt his hamstring during their Round 5 loss.

Roberts played out the whole game against the Bulldogs after being injured in the warm-up, but he was visibly struggling with the injury throughout the match.

The 24-year-old failed to train on Monday, but Hunt said Roberts was still a good chance to run out against the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.

"James is a decent chance to play," he said.

"They are saying he's about a 50/50 chance of playing at the moment.

"I hope he can play because we definitely need him out there."

http://www.nrl.com/hunt-shoulders-broncos-attacking-burden/tabid/10874/newsid/105313/default.aspx

 

[_noosh]

This seems more like Hunt is trying to take some pressure off Milford.

 

[winslow_wong]

Hunt said this stuff all last year too

 

[Nashy]

This guy is only good at talking to the media about how rubbish he is, and how much he needs to improve.

 

[Thelmus]

This guy is only good at talking to the media about how rubbish he is, and how much he needs to improve.

I disagree. I think he has tried hard and for the most part done what was expected of him, albeit unexceptionally. Its more the lack of effort from milford or macca in attack where we have come unstuck. Throw in boyd as well. We work hard, dont get me wrong. No one can accuse macca of being lazy and boyd defends in the line. But our workaholic defence only goes so far. When we attack there is no structure in how we do it. Its starts with macca, and as soon as he passes, he should marshalling the next runners. Our backs are milfords and boyds responsibility (as well as hunt, but if u look at it, its been his side that has been the go-to for scoring). Hunts kicks arent that great but theyre better than nothing at all, and whilst i respect macca as a player his kicks (either attacking or clearance kicks) are rarer than they should be for one so talented. Milford's kicking, when it happens seems to be impromptu last second jobs, rather than anything planned. Boyd is great when he throws himself into the attacking line, but as captain and fullback should be able direct more the kind of roles our halves play ie read the nature of the game, whos struggling, either in our side or theirs, either help direct attack at poor defensive players, or push for a steadying set when we're struggling. Im not letting hunt off the hook either, but its a team game and what deficencies we see are more than the result of one player.

 

[Nashy]

I disagree. I think he has tried hard and for the most part done what was expected of him, albeit unexceptionally. Its more the lack of effort from milford or macca in attack where we have come unstuck. Throw in boyd as well. We work hard, dont get me wrong. No one can accuse macca of being lazy and boyd defends in the line. But our workaholic defence only goes so far. When we attack there is no structure in how we do it. Its starts with macca, and as soon as he passes, he should marshalling the next runners. Our backs are milfords and boyds responsibility (as well as hunt, but if u look at it, its been his side that has been the go-to for scoring). Hunts kicks arent that great but theyre better than nothing at all, and whilst i respect macca as a player his kicks (either attacking or clearance kicks) are rarer than they should be for one so talented. Milford's kicking, when it happens seems to be impromptu last second jobs, rather than anything planned. Boyd is great when he throws himself into the attacking line, but as captain and fullback should be able direct more the kind of roles our halves play ie read the nature of the game, whos struggling, either in our side or theirs, either help direct attack at poor defensive players, or push for a steadying set when we're struggling. Im not letting hunt off the hook either, but its a team game and what deficencies we see are more than the result of one player.

I tried really hard in woodworking class too. Turns out I'm just not a builder. I think it's the same for Hunt.

 

[Aldo]

I don't give a **** who it is, but somebody needs to stand up

 

[Socnorb]

I tried really hard in woodworking class too. Turns out I'm just not a builder. I think it's the same for Hunt.

Cept you're not getting a million a year to not be a builder.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Lots of talk all of a sudden. Just like last year and regularly during the Hook years, it isn't the talk we need to get out of a slump...

 

[Thelmus]

My point is the attack's success does not reside on the shoulders of one man. The bulldogs went into a semifinal with a front rower for half. One persons deficencies regardless who it is should not stall our entire attack, and for better or worse hunt is our half and will remain so. Rather than simply looking at one person's deficencies (or for that matter, their strengths, i think it would be more constructive to look at how they fit into the team and how strategies and tactics can be built around them. To simply denigrate hunt, especially since he's leaving at end of season, serves no purpose, unless you seek to criticize the men behind his rise to half (to what purpose?), or have a better candidate in mind. Im open to either of those points but fail to see how you have addressed them.
Its funny, but its one of those enigmas Ive never understood as to why, despite some of, if not the best recruitment and coaching in the nrl we've never really developed a champion halfback from juniors.

 

[Foordy]

Cept you're not getting a million a year to not be a builder.

neither is Hunt (at least for us)

 

[Socnorb]

neither is Hunt (at least for us)

my point was that there is no comparison with Nashy's lack of woodworking ability and Ben Hunt ability as a rugby league player.

 

[Morkel]

I don't give a **** who it is, but somebody needs to stand up