Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett insists Ben Hunt could handle an Origin debut in the Suncorp decider after reinstating his sacked playmaker for Friday night’s blockbuster against Melbourne.
Bennett has warned the next month will be a finals audition for his halves after the super coach showed no mercy, axing Kodi Nikorima from the starting side for the Storm showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
If anyone can feel Nikorima’s pain, it is Hunt, who just three weeks ago was sensationally dumped to feeder-club Ipswich in the Intrust Super Cup after struggling in his return from a hamstring injury.
But after a scintillating display off the bench against Canberra last week, Hunt is back in favour, with the Dragons-bound $6 million man to start in the halves alongside Benji Marshall.
The Queensland team for Origin III is named Monday and Hunt can submit an irresistible case for selection by outpointing Storm and Maroons rival Cooper Cronk at Suncorp, the venue for the decider.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters is considering blooding Hunt in the Queensland No. 14 jumper and Bennett says his recent relegation to Ipswich should not be a black mark against his name.
“If Ben gets the opportunity (to make his Origin debut) he will do the job,” Bennett said.
“If they play in the NRL with two or three seasons behind them, they are ready. Ben has had more than 150 games in the NRL, so you can’t get much more ready than that.
“Ipswich turned him around, he’s going good.”
Bennett then hinted at Queensland legend Allan Langer’s stunning Origin debut in 1987 when he was plucked from Ipswich, saying with a wry grin: “There’s been more than one player coming from Ipswich to play Origin.”
With first-choice pivot Anthony Milford due to return from injury in the next two or three weeks, Hunt, Nikorima and Marshall will wage a three-way shootout for the No. 7 jumper.
Super-sub Nikorima will return to the interchange bench tonight, but Bennett admits there are no guarantees for Hunt as he challenged his halves to step-up in pursuit of a premiership.
“Ben’s performance last week was as good as he’s had in 18 months so he has to maintain that form,” Bennett said.
“We didn’t give Ben a life sentence. He just needed to improve in a few little areas and he took it as a challenge. To his credit, he is back starting.
“His game last week was important but I will keep rotating the halves around for a while ... until we get closer to the end of the season. It’s not so much a battle (of the halves), it just depends on who is doing the best job there.
“Benji gets an opportunity again this week, Kodi has been good, it’s not a crucial time of the season yet. The next five or six weeks we will have to finalise our best 17 and go from there.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...t/news-story/be77624ede67a8fd565d465be20f052e
Bennett has warned the next month will be a finals audition for his halves after the super coach showed no mercy, axing Kodi Nikorima from the starting side for the Storm showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
If anyone can feel Nikorima’s pain, it is Hunt, who just three weeks ago was sensationally dumped to feeder-club Ipswich in the Intrust Super Cup after struggling in his return from a hamstring injury.
But after a scintillating display off the bench against Canberra last week, Hunt is back in favour, with the Dragons-bound $6 million man to start in the halves alongside Benji Marshall.
The Queensland team for Origin III is named Monday and Hunt can submit an irresistible case for selection by outpointing Storm and Maroons rival Cooper Cronk at Suncorp, the venue for the decider.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters is considering blooding Hunt in the Queensland No. 14 jumper and Bennett says his recent relegation to Ipswich should not be a black mark against his name.
“If Ben gets the opportunity (to make his Origin debut) he will do the job,” Bennett said.
“If they play in the NRL with two or three seasons behind them, they are ready. Ben has had more than 150 games in the NRL, so you can’t get much more ready than that.
“Ipswich turned him around, he’s going good.”
Bennett then hinted at Queensland legend Allan Langer’s stunning Origin debut in 1987 when he was plucked from Ipswich, saying with a wry grin: “There’s been more than one player coming from Ipswich to play Origin.”
With first-choice pivot Anthony Milford due to return from injury in the next two or three weeks, Hunt, Nikorima and Marshall will wage a three-way shootout for the No. 7 jumper.
Super-sub Nikorima will return to the interchange bench tonight, but Bennett admits there are no guarantees for Hunt as he challenged his halves to step-up in pursuit of a premiership.
“Ben’s performance last week was as good as he’s had in 18 months so he has to maintain that form,” Bennett said.
“We didn’t give Ben a life sentence. He just needed to improve in a few little areas and he took it as a challenge. To his credit, he is back starting.
“His game last week was important but I will keep rotating the halves around for a while ... until we get closer to the end of the season. It’s not so much a battle (of the halves), it just depends on who is doing the best job there.
“Benji gets an opportunity again this week, Kodi has been good, it’s not a crucial time of the season yet. The next five or six weeks we will have to finalise our best 17 and go from there.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...t/news-story/be77624ede67a8fd565d465be20f052e
