NEWS What Hunt’s Broncos’ homecoming means for two generational talents

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Ben Hunt returns to the Broncos declaring he is one of a “couple of old fossils” capable of showing the club’s young talent what premiership success looks like.

Hunt is set to start the season at five-eighth, before moving to hooker once Ezra Mam returns from an expected lengthy suspension after being charged with drug and unlicensed driving.

Among the rookies who should benefit from Hunt’s influence are Coby Black.

Heralded as Brisbane’s next long-term halfback, Black was expected to vie to be the full-time replacement for Adam Reynolds, should 2025 be the skipper’s last.

Now that Hunt had signed a two-year deal, he was expected to take the reins in that instance, likely leaving Black to continue honing his craft for an extra season in the Queensland Cup.

But Reynolds has implored the 18-year-old and his fellow emerging prospects to embrace the challenge of internal competition, and feed off the experience Hunt would provide.

“When there’s competition out there at training it makes every player better, it doesn’t matter who you are,” Reynolds said, when asked what Hunt’s presence would mean for Black.

“Ben would add to that. It’s not to say he won’t make everyone else in the team better as well, he’s a competitor who brings a lot of experience.

“We know what he brings to the football field, [and] he’s a leader off the football field. He’s an X-factor amongst some of the game’s greats.”

Black’s Souths Logan coach, Karmichael Hunt, made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old, and said leaders in Darren Lockyer, Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva and Brad Thorn “protected” him and allowed him to blossom into a premier fullback.

Black could reap the same benefits under Reynolds and Hunt.

“My youth was balanced out by the leaders in the team ... the players who protected us young kids out on the field,” Karmichael Hunt said last year.

“It was definitely a calming influence on me – the leaders around you who had won premierships and played 200-plus games.

“Their calmness and conviction around how to prepare and what to do when you’re executing the game plan allowed me to be loose and calm enough.”

Reynolds has refused to confirm the forthcoming campaign would be his last, stressing “we’ll see how the body’s feeling halfway through the year”.

His injury-riddled 2024 – Reynolds played just 13 games last season due to biceps and hamstring setbacks – could present opportunities for Black to debut alongside Hunt.

Brisbane has four dummy-halves on the roster already, with Blake Mozer – tipped to be the club’s long-term No.9 – coming off contract in 2025 and fighting for regular game time.

Hunt believed he would not only inject vital experience into the squad’s youth, but forge one of the most lethal spine partnerships in the NRL.

“A couple of old fossils leading the young kids around, I’m really looking forward to that,” Hunt told 4BC.

“Having the opportunity to link with Reyno and start working on a plan on how we can really gel is something I’m really looking forward to.”

“My priority is to play in the halves, but hooker definitely isn’t an issue. Wouldn’t it be great to come back 10 years later and win a premiership with that great club?

“I do believe they’ve got the troops there to do it.”

Sydney Morning Herald
 
And he doesn't even need to play the whole season there.

1. Walsh
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
9. Hunt
14. Mozer

That is an exciting spine heading in to finals.
Depending how Mozer goes this year you could play Ben at 9 for the first 20-30 and then Mozer finish the game.
Inject Hunt in the second half as a 13 but basically plays 5/8, while Ezra follows Reece and those two work in tandem to tear teams apart.
 
Depending how Mozer goes this year you could play Ben at 9 for the first 20-30 and then Mozer finish the game.
Inject Hunt in the second half as a 13 but basically plays 5/8, while Ezra follows Reece and those two work in tandem to tear teams apart.
Yep that's pretty much the Qld blueprint... if Mozer can carry his own then the formula is sitting there.

Chasing points in the last 10-15mins and you can put a middle rotation of Patty, Payne and Bhunt out there with Walsh, Ezra, Reyno and Mozer... and then Staggs, Cobbo, Mariner and Arthars in the backs.

holy fuck showtime GIF by Shameless
 

In the same interview he talks about wanting to be a halves coach.... would prefer Reyno as halves coach to be honest, but interesting he said that when asked about post footy career following on from all the chat about working a post footy career into his contract.
 
Yep that's pretty much the Qld blueprint... if Mozer can carry his own then the formula is sitting there.

Chasing points in the last 10-15mins and you can put a middle rotation of Patty, Payne and Bhunt out there with Walsh, Ezra, Reyno and Mozer... and then Staggs, Cobbo, Mariner and Arthars in the backs.

holy **** showtime GIF by Shameless

That's Cal Kestis!
 
Are you thinking he'll be playing 9 next year as well? I would have thought the majority of his contract will be at 7. This year it will be a mix of 6 and 9 most likely and next year he takes over from Reyno.

I doubt Hunt came here with the assumption that Reyno will be retiring after the 2025 season, and I think people are jumping the gun with that assumption. I think there is every chance he plays on for another season.

If Reyno does retire and If Black is ready, then I don't see us delaying him by moving Hunt back to 7. If he isn't ready to be the full time 7 in 2026, 1 do see us trying to start introducing Black into the NRL then, if we haven't started in 2025.

my point is there is a lot of moving parts to determine the make up of our key positions for 2026 and I doubt Hunt came here simply assuming the 7 jersey will be vacant in 2026 (and from his comments it certainly sounds like he expects to be hooker for the majority of his time here)
 
I doubt Hunt came here simply assuming the 7 jersey will be vacant in 2026 (and from his comments it certainly sounds like he expects to be hooker for the majority of his time here)

He certainly is coming here expecting the no.9 to be vacant .......... BW has been told to look elsewhere?
 
I thought that was pretty obvious. Mam is on big coin he's not going to just sit in qcup long term. Hunt will play at 6 till ezra is back/ready to play. Then him and mozer will be hooker rotation for the rest of the year.

Will be #7 in 2026 replacing reyno once he retires and fully transition coby black in '27. Paix and smoothy will not be renewed most likely as they will probably get a decent offer elsewhere. Billy will be purely depth/injury cover since he's already re-signed and on the cheap (as he should be).
 
I thought that was pretty obvious. Mam is on big coin he's not going to just sit in qcup long term. Hunt will play at 6 till ezra is back/ready to play. Then him and mozer will be hooker rotation for the rest of the year.

Will be #7 in 2026 replacing reyno once he retires and fully transition coby black in '27. Paix and smoothy will not be renewed most likely as they will probably get a decent offer elsewhere. Billy will be purely depth/injury cover since he's already re-signed and on the cheap (as he should be).
You gotta feel for Paix. All that talk about Madge telling him he’s not going anywhere and making sound like he had a shot at making the 17, only for Ben Hunt to sign. I guess he could get a crack until Ezra returns.
 
In the same interview he talks about wanting to be a halves coach.... would prefer Reyno as halves coach to be honest, but interesting he said that when asked about post footy career following on from all the chat about working a post footy career into his contract.

Pretty obvious they've offered him something after his career at the club in a coaching capacity.
 
Depending how Mozer goes this year you could play Ben at 9 for the first 20-30 and then Mozer finish the game.
Inject Hunt in the second half as a 13 but basically plays 5/8, while Ezra follows Reece and those two work in tandem to tear teams apart.
Doubt we're paying Hunt $600k to play 20-30. :) If anything, he'll play 60 and Mozer will do the before half and after half
 
Depending how Mozer goes this year you could play Ben at 9 for the first 20-30 and then Mozer finish the game.
Inject Hunt in the second half as a 13 but basically plays 5/8, while Ezra follows Reece and those two work in tandem to tear teams apart.
I love this but also...None of it will matter if we can't make more than 35 metres a set or restrict the opposition to under 60!
 
I love this but also...None of it will matter if we can't make more than 35 metres a set or restrict the opposition to under 60!

Not knocking on or passing fwd would be a good start .

That was one of the biggest factors for the past 3 seasons , possesion .

That mantra - just hold the fcking ball . Was never more true .
 

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