NEWS Wayne Bennett declares: 'I will stick with Kodi at half'

[Super Freak]

From Oct 28, 2015 - "BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has declared Dale Copley's time has come after formally installing him as the centre successor to retired skipper Justin Hodges."

The difference here, there are no star halfbacks to replace Kodi with.

 

[Super Freak]

His first game pits him against St.George and Hunt will obviously be keen to make a point. I'm backing Kodi to school him.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

The thing with Hunt is that he won't have the same role he had at the Broncos. He won't be the one running the show, Widdop will be. When Hunt can just focus on what he does best, that's when he shines which is partly why he was dangerous at hooker. The problem he had at the Broncos is that he was the one in charge of guiding the team around the park while Milford played the support role and he just wasn't able to do that on weekly basis.

Add the fact that he will be determined to get one up on his former club.

That's the danger going into this game.

Don't be surprised if Hunt is the one that schools him.

 

[tommy]

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

The thing with Hunt is that he won't have the same role he had at the Broncos. He won't be the one running the show, Widdop will be. When Hunt can just focus on what he does best, that's when he shines which is partly why he was dangerous at hooker. The problem he had at the Broncos is that he was the one in charge of guiding the team around the park while Milford played the support role and he just wasn't able to do that on weekly basis.

Add the fact that he will be determined to get one up on his former club.

That's the danger going into this game.

Don't be surprised if Hunt is the one that schools him.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2017/12/12...rge-illawarra-have-been-chasing-for-20-years/

 

[Broncs_Fan]

Hunt is so much better than Nikorima at 7, it's not funny. I feel some fans on here are in total denial about this. NRL fandom 101 is downplaying the talent of players who leave your club to go to another club.

 

[Taylor1921]

I'm pretty excited tbh, a full off-season & pre-season working exclusively in the Halves with Milford & Walters guiding the way.

There is a small but very real chance that halfway through next season we'll be breathing a sigh of relief that Taylor decided to stick with the Titans.

Not doubting that Taylor is a better player right now, but with the amount of money we would've had to fork out to get him it would've hamstrung the rest of our player retention & recruitment. And you never know, maybe Kodi steps up big time, it's definitely in play.

If Ash Taylor was halfback at the broncos he would end up being a great player. But if he stays at the Titans he will just be one of those decent players that never got to there potential. I hope I'm wrong but Titans is not where you go to fulfil potential.

 

[pagey]

If Ash Taylor was halfback at the broncos he would end up being a great player. But if he stays at the Titans he will just be one of those decent players that never got to there potential. I hope I'm wrong but Titans is not where you go to fulfil potential.

I don't know if you can say that now . Titans are a mystery atm , has been alot of changers. They are striving to be the fittest club and are adding good depth , which is a great start.

 

[kat00]

It's a game of two halves.......

Unfortunately both of ours go missing when the heat is applied.
I'll watch and cheer every game, as usual, but with N & M behind our pack I fear is is going to be a long and painful season.

 

[Spoon]

Hunt was the very definition of going missing when the heat is on. We can't lose anything there.

 

[holdzy]

Hunt is so much better than Nikorima at 7, it's not funny. I feel some fans on here are in total denial about this. NRL fandom 101 is downplaying the talent of players who leave your club to go to another club.

Doesn't matter how good Hunt is/was - he was broken mentally at the Broncos and couldn't continue at seven.
Also couldn't sort his kicking out, thus couldn't continue at seven.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Hunt is so much better than Nikorima at 7, it's not funny. I feel some fans on here are in total denial about this. NRL fandom 101 is downplaying the talent of players who leave your club to go to another club.

I actually don't think knik is our long term option (t Boyd or paix sound like players we may be able to gamble that option on) and I agree hunt is better then knik but pleeeeease tell me how he is so far ahead of knik. Running game? Um prob even. Defence? Hunts is better but nothing to hang your hat on. Organising or kicking game? The 2 things people hate about hunts game so I doubt they can be miles ahead if they are so bad in everyone's opinion. Game breaking ability? If knik breaks even on games he loses us via buckling under pressure/wins us then he will be ahead of hunt here. Passing game? Weird that Gillett and Roberts game lifted last year then, running nice lines off of short balls if hunts passing game is soooo far ahead of kniks.

Once again, hunt is definetly the better option, but more then triple the money better on a deal that will take him well into his 30's and potentially make us say goodbye to t Boyd and paix & mean we don't get j bird level better? I don't think so. I don't think anywhere near....

So, instead of people just continuously saying knik isn't good enough please offer us up a solution? Have the above scenario-which wouldn't get us a premiership anyway because hunt obviously has a few skeletons in the closet (he may get rid of them with a change of clubs admittedly but he wouldn't have taken us to a premiership with his mental blockages post 2015, you could see him change). Buy an "organising" halfback? Name one please that'd cost around the same money and be a better option. Outlay millions and millions on a player yet to play reps or even a finals match and block the way for paix and t boyd again and lose other players due to Salary cap? Have I covered every option?

Knik isn't the next Alfie but he has talent. He isn't the prototype perfect halfback for our team but could we change our game to suit his strengths (eg 2015)? He's our best option and he deserves a chance after winning 11/13 last year (I'm not getting in to a stats debate and whether he got hooked 2 games or didn't start 2. No matter which way you twist it HE DID HIS JOB AND EARNED A SHOT- my guess is if he was the "next big thing" in the media this 11/13 record as a ROOKIE halfback (despite the opposition-10 teams from a 16 team comp so I don't get that argument) this would be used to justify the hype. And yes, he is a rookie halfback...

Sorry for the long comment everyone....

 

[Wolfie]

I honestly dont think Knik is what we need, but he is what we have so we need to find a way to make it work. The other young halfbacks aren't anywhere near ready, and Milf hasnt shown he can carry a functional half alongside him like Locky did with Perry.

As was said above, Knik has earned a shot at making the position his own. If he puts in the effort Cooper Cronk did and basically manufactures himself a kicking game, he could become a very good half.

 

[Battler]

Hunt was a genius when there was absolutely no pressure on him, although there were aberrations where he stood up in regular season fixtures that didn't mean all too much. He's not a man for the big occasion or clutch moment, which would be fine if he was a prop and could just tuck the ball under his arm and just focus on not dropping it, but as our most important player we need someone who doesn't go to water in a sudden death moment.

 

[007]

If Ash Taylor was halfback at the broncos he would end up being a great player. But if he stays at the Titans he will just be one of those decent players that never got to there potential. I hope I'm wrong but Titans is not where you go to fulfil potential.

Ash Taylor will never be a superstar. His attitude at his current age dictates this already.

 

[Thelmus]

Hunt was a genius when there was absolutely no pressure on him, although there were aberrations where he stood up in regular season fixtures that didn't mean all too much. He's not a man for the big occasion or clutch moment, which would be fine if he was a prop and could just tuck the ball under his arm and just focus on not dropping it, but as our most important player we need someone who doesn't go to water in a sudden death moment.

I think that's a little harsh. He was a good player for most of his time with us. He made a huge mistake but those things happen. If anything he was guilty of trying too hard at the expense of letting the big picture get away from him. Instead of just booting it Downfield he would try something himself, or take a kick out of position, when Milford was a better option (note there were times too when Milford didn't want it).
As people keep saying, his strength is in his running, not as general on the field. I never saw his attitude dip, only his application of skills.

 

[Super Freak]

Hunt was the very definition of going missing when the heat is on. We can't lose anything there.

What? No he wasn’t. He was always there busting his guts out trying to get us over the line. That’s not the definition of going missing.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

It's funny when people blame Hunt for the Grand Final loss. But if you watch the last two minutes it's Milford who is stripped of the ball on half way on the 4th tackle with only 1 minute to go in the match. If we complete that set and get a kick away then we 95% win that game.

 

[tommy]

It's funny when people blame Hunt for the Grand Final loss. But if you watch the last two minutes it's Milford who is stripped of the ball on half way on the 4th tackle with only 1 minute to go in the match. If we complete that set and get a kick away then we 95% win that game.

You are too obvious sometimes mate. Arguments about who lost us the '15 GF are so 2016.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

You are too obvious sometimes mate. Arguments about who lost us the '15 GF are so 2016.

They aren't if they still being used to support an argument that Ben Hunt didn't deliver in big games.