Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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BRONCOS legend Steve Renouf fears Ben Hunt’s kicking game could cost Brisbane a premiership and has called for Darren Lockyer to help the under-pressure halfback.
Renouf believes Hunt could benefit from some urgent mentoring from Lockyer as the Broncos prepare for their season-opener against Cronulla this Thursday night.
Under Brisbane’s restructured offence, Hunt will be ordered to run at every opportunity, but it is his general-play kicking that could make-or-break the Broncos’ season.
Hunt struggled for consistency with his kick options last season and Renouf urged coach Wayne Bennett to send an SOS for Lockyer, one of the Broncos’ great playmaking tacticians.
“Ben Hunt is not working on his kicking game hard enough,” said Renouf, Brisbane’s greatest centre.
“Ben is a very good attacking player but he needs to work on his kicking game, which has not been good for some time.
“Any team that doesn’t have a good kicking game in the modern era is going to struggle. That’s one thing the Broncos really have to fix, Ben is a talented guy but if Brisbane want to win the comp his kicking game needs to be better.
“I think Ben should consider reaching out to ‘Locky’ and get some help.
“He needs to look to some of the club’s great kickers and Locky was as good as it gets.”
Lockyer said he would be happy to tutor Hunt, but urged critics not to crucify the Dragons-bound half for his quiet display in Brisbane’s recent World Club Series defeat.
“The game against Warrington would have taken some of Ben’s confidence away but it’s not a great barometer,” Lockyer said.
“Ben is like a lot of kickers in the game — it’s a confidence and feel type of skill.
“Tactically he should be thinking field position with his long-kicking game and repeat sets with his short-kicking game.
“I’m always covering Broncos games (as a Channel Nine commentator) and I’m always happy to give Ben my opinion if I feel he needs it.
“But I’m confident if he puts the practice in he will get to where the team needs him to be.”
Hunt’s former mentor at Red Hill, ex-assistant coach Kevin Walters, predicted the 26-year-old would emphatically prove his detractors wrong this season.
“Ben is in for his best season to be honest,” Walters said.
“If the Broncos are going to feature deep into September, they need Ben and Anthony to be at their best for most of the season.
“I think he’s been unfairly criticised. I’ve worked with Ben and we’ve tagged him in our Emerging Origin teams as a future Maroons player.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Ben and hopefully from a Queensland point of view he delivers this season.
“It can be a breakout season for Ben Hunt.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...f/news-story/bf27bc41a500e1f8d7000f894e343248
Renouf believes Hunt could benefit from some urgent mentoring from Lockyer as the Broncos prepare for their season-opener against Cronulla this Thursday night.
Under Brisbane’s restructured offence, Hunt will be ordered to run at every opportunity, but it is his general-play kicking that could make-or-break the Broncos’ season.
Hunt struggled for consistency with his kick options last season and Renouf urged coach Wayne Bennett to send an SOS for Lockyer, one of the Broncos’ great playmaking tacticians.
“Ben Hunt is not working on his kicking game hard enough,” said Renouf, Brisbane’s greatest centre.
“Ben is a very good attacking player but he needs to work on his kicking game, which has not been good for some time.
“Any team that doesn’t have a good kicking game in the modern era is going to struggle. That’s one thing the Broncos really have to fix, Ben is a talented guy but if Brisbane want to win the comp his kicking game needs to be better.
“I think Ben should consider reaching out to ‘Locky’ and get some help.
“He needs to look to some of the club’s great kickers and Locky was as good as it gets.”
Lockyer said he would be happy to tutor Hunt, but urged critics not to crucify the Dragons-bound half for his quiet display in Brisbane’s recent World Club Series defeat.
“The game against Warrington would have taken some of Ben’s confidence away but it’s not a great barometer,” Lockyer said.
“Ben is like a lot of kickers in the game — it’s a confidence and feel type of skill.
“Tactically he should be thinking field position with his long-kicking game and repeat sets with his short-kicking game.
“I’m always covering Broncos games (as a Channel Nine commentator) and I’m always happy to give Ben my opinion if I feel he needs it.
“But I’m confident if he puts the practice in he will get to where the team needs him to be.”
Hunt’s former mentor at Red Hill, ex-assistant coach Kevin Walters, predicted the 26-year-old would emphatically prove his detractors wrong this season.
“Ben is in for his best season to be honest,” Walters said.
“If the Broncos are going to feature deep into September, they need Ben and Anthony to be at their best for most of the season.
“I think he’s been unfairly criticised. I’ve worked with Ben and we’ve tagged him in our Emerging Origin teams as a future Maroons player.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Ben and hopefully from a Queensland point of view he delivers this season.
“It can be a breakout season for Ben Hunt.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...f/news-story/bf27bc41a500e1f8d7000f894e343248
