Veteran Broncos playmakers Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds have put NRL rivals on notice by predicting their combination will only improve.
The pair led the Broncos to a stunning 50-12 defeat of Sydney Roosters on Thursday night in just their first premiership match together after a disrupted off-season.
Hunt, who has returned to Brisbane after seven years with the Dragons, and Reynolds have only trained together for three weeks and had played alongside each other for just 40 minutes in the pre-season.
However, the oldest halves pairing since Des Hasler and Cliff Lyons steered Manly to the 1996 premiership, made an immediate impact as the Broncos confirmed their credentials under new coach Michael Maguire.
Reynolds, who is now in his fourth season in Brisbane, produced two try assists, while Hunt finished a spectacular backline movement that is an early contender for try of the year.
“Reyno has only been training with us for three or four weeks and to be honest he makes it pretty easy,” Hunt said.
“He's experienced, he has control, and he gets us around the park. I have just got to do my job.
“He is such a special player, with a calm head on his shoulders. He makes the right decision almost every time, and he makes everyone else’s jobs easy with the way he controls the game.”
After undergoing surgery for a neck injury sustained during a pre-season contact session, Reynolds has been back at training for less than a month.
Hunt is also only settling back in at Red Hill after joining the Broncos in January following Australia's successful Pacific Championships campaign.
“It was good, it was everything I thought it would be - or better,” Reynolds said of playing alongside Hunt. “He has worked extremely hard on his craft and that combination down the left edge.
“It is only going to get better. We have only been together for a month, if that, so it is exciting, and we are looking forward to building on that combination.”
Hunt also said he was looking forward to building on his on-field relationship with fellow 34-year-old Reynolds and superstar fullback Reece Walsh.
“We've only had one and a half games together so we’ve got plenty of improvements and things we can build on in our combinations. It’s always going take us to time,” Hunt said.
“It was a pretty special way to start the season. It felt good, really good. It is good to be home. It is only one game, but I am definitely pleased to be there, and I am just going to enjoy the year.”
Asked about his spectacular 54th minute try after he ran the ball on the last play and backed up to finish in the corner, Hunt said: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to get a try in my first game back but I didn’t have to do too much really, there was eight or nine passes in there, all the boys set it up and I just had to dive in the corner.
“I definitely didn't expect the night to go like that. You are always confident and hopeful you can get a win but to win like that was pretty special.”
The experience of Hunt and Reynolds, who have played more than 600 NRL matches between them, was also invaluable off the field as Broncos players dealt with the uncertainty of Cyclone Alfred’s impending arrival as they prepared for the game.
The pair had the last word to their team-mates before running onto the field while Maguire and assistant Trent Barrett headed to the coach’s box.
“I don’t think too many people have been through a cyclone so for us it is about getting home as soon as possible and being with our loved ones and making sure everyone is okay,” Reynolds said as the Broncos prepared to board a charter flight to Toowoomba after the match.
“We checked in on them [their families] early, we had a job to do for 80 minutes and now we can turn our attention to getting back home and being with our families.
“We are thinking of everyone who is going to affected by the cyclone. It is important to bunker down, make sure everyone is okay and just check in on each other.”
The Broncos flew into Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba at about 11.30pm before boarding a bus to Brisbane, arriving home at about 1.30am.
“We are extremely grateful to the team at Wellcamp for opening up their gateway to Brisbane for us to allow us to get the team and staff back to their families,” Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said
“We would also like to sincerely thank the NRL, broadcasters and the Roosters for working with us to ensure we could leave the stadium as quickly as possible after the game.
“The safety and well-being of our people has always been our priority.
“We are thinking of all of our members, fans and the wider communities in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast and hope everyone stays safe today and into the weekend, while we see how Cyclone Alfred pans out.”
NRL.com
