What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Hunt is No7 for Queensland

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
So hunt plays a shit game.
There is some banter
You get shitty
Need thicker skin there Sammy
Or are the favourites off bounds to being called out
I see Kevin Walters agreed with me and he has far more footballing knowledge than any of you.
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
Parramatta face post-Origin backlash from Dragons halfback Hunt
Local Sport
r0_0_3123_2316_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

Marooned: Ben Hunt. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding

Will cellar-dwellers Parramatta cop the backlash from scorned Queensland and St George Illawarra halfback Ben Hunt?

After a crushing State of Origin defeat – at the hands of three of his club teammates who were wearing sky blue at ANZ Stadium in the series-sealing win for NSW – the former Queensland No.7 Cooper Cronk was quick to back Hunt.

Cronk declared Hunt should be Maroons playmaker for the dead-rubber at Suncorp Stadium, so too his Dragons coach Paul McGregor. But his fate may be decided by how he responds for the Dragons, starting with Thursday night’s showdown with Parramatta at WIN Stadium.

"He is definitely the Queensland halfback going forward," Cronk told Fox Sports. "Stick with him. Because you can't define a career ending on a couple of months. He will have the opportunity to redeem himself. What are the options? Ash Taylor still needs development. There is talk about (Daly) Cherry-Evans, but Ben Hunt is doing terrific football for the Dragons. Pick him and let him do his job."

The Dragons are two points clear at the top of the NRL ladder, with the perfect opportunity for Hunt to fire against Parramatta, at the foot of the ladder with just three wins this year.

The Eels clash is the second-last game in Wollongong this season, with the Dragons to meet the Warriors in August.

Tyson Frizell has been rested for the Dragons on Thursday night, while Jack de Belin may yet be ruled out. Samoa’s Leeson Ah Mau and Tim Lafai are named after the international weekend, while England’s James Graham and captain Gareth Widdop are all expected to play after the Test match in Denver.

Darren Nicholls, Reuben Garrick and Patrick Herbert have been named in an extended 24-man squad.

He is definitely the Queensland halfback going forward. Stick with him.

Cooper Cronk

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...a-face-post-origin-backlash-from-hunt/?cs=302
Shows Cooper Cronk has no say any more
Nor should he
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
It WASNT because he was quiet.

Major stuff up.

Poorest game Ive ever seen a half play. A million dollar one at that.

Will not be playing game 3.

Gone.

3rd sentence may have come to fruition, which no doubt will bring you joy in your Hunt bashing.

However, the second sentence tells me you have NOT watched much rugby league.

For the first 8-9 rounds of the comp, Benny Hunt was arguable the best 7 running around, yet you find a way to bag him in a Qld team that nearly got over the line ?

He had a poor game by his high standards, and from a Saints point of view, I couldnt give a flying fook whether or not he plays SOO, but to incessantly bag the guy is just moronic.

Take a break for the cause.
 

stryker

First Grade
Messages
5,277
3rd sentence may have come to fruition, which no doubt will bring you joy in your Hunt bashing.

However, the second sentence tells me you have NOT watched much rugby league.

For the first 8-9 rounds of the comp, Benny Hunt was arguable the best 7 running around, yet you find a way to bag him in a Qld team that nearly got over the line ?

He had a poor game by his high standards, and from a Saints point of view, I couldnt give a flying fook whether or not he plays SOO, but to incessantly bag the guy is just moronic.

Take a break for the cause.
You have to be kidding pal. He played some good games at the start of the year. So did Benji Marshal. Big whoop. Ive never seen a half so bereft of ideas when victory is almost offered to him on a plate. He absolutely lost QLD game 2. You'll understand when he folds like a deck chair when the NRL finals series gets underway. The bloke is a myth of a player.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
You have to be kidding pal. He played some good games at the start of the year. So did Benji Marshal. Big whoop. Ive never seen a half so bereft of ideas when victory is almost offered to him on a plate. He absolutely lost QLD game 2. You'll understand when he folds like a deck chair when the NRL finals series gets underway. The bloke is a myth of a player.

Ok mate. Respectfully I will disagree.

I think he will bounce back to his early form after this set back. Personally i think he is the best 7 we have signed in some time, bearing in mind that out 2010 half was in reality a FB.

Time will tell, but I will back him.
 

The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
So hunt plays a shit game.
There is some banter
You get shitty
Need thicker skin there Sammy
Or are the favourites off bounds to being called out
I see Kevin Walters agreed with me and he has far more footballing knowledge than any of you.
Kevin Walters also picked Milford over Ponga game one. Dude knows plenty more than me or others here about football - doesn’t mean he makes good decisions with that knowledge all the time. The best halfback of this century agrees with those backing Hunt. Fair amount of footy knowledge there.
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
10,410
You have to be kidding pal. He played some good games at the start of the year. So did Benji Marshal. Big whoop. Ive never seen a half so bereft of ideas when victory is almost offered to him on a plate. He absolutely lost QLD game 2. You'll understand when he folds like a deck chair when the NRL finals series gets underway. The bloke is a myth of a player.
You sound like an angry Queenslander looking for someone to blame.
And I see that you are a Tigers supporter too?
Ouch, double whammy.
Pal......
 

The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
You have to be kidding pal. He played some good games at the start of the year. So did Benji Marshal. Big whoop. Ive never seen a half so bereft of ideas when victory is almost offered to him on a plate. He absolutely lost QLD game 2. You'll understand when he folds like a deck chair when the NRL finals series gets underway. The bloke is a myth of a player.
Pfft. Bereft of ideas is a mystifying criticism. He didn’t execute correctly but he made the play based on what was in front of him. If any single player lost them the game ( and I don’t think that’s correct anyway) it was Chambers.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
You sound like an angry Queenslander looking for someone to blame.
And I see that you are a Tigers supporter too?
Ouch, double whammy.
Pal......
Qld’ers are a special lot and do take losses very badly
They always need a whipping boy as they can’t get their heads around the fact that at some point the opposition are actually better than them
So from the state that gave us Joh Bjelke, Bob Katter, Clive Palmer, The White shoe brigade, Pauline Hansen who were all geniius’s and were going to save our nation you just have to make allowances for their errors in judgement.
DCE over Hunt is a major brain explosion and there wouldn’t be 1 commentator with brains who could explain to you the logic of such a decision
Almost forgot you need throw Beattie into that list as he is going to save our game and make it better (what a joke that is)
 

The Damo

Juniors
Messages
1,991
Qld’ers are a special lot and do take losses very badly
They always need a whipping boy as they can’t get their heads around the fact that at some point the opposition are actually better than them
So from the state that gave us Joh Bjelke, Bob Katter, Clive Palmer, The White shoe brigade, Pauline Hansen who were all geniius’s and were going to save our nation you just have to make allowances for their errors in judgement.
DCE over Hunt is a major brain explosion and there wouldn’t be 1 commentator with brains who could explain to you the logic of such a decision
Almost forgot you need throw Beattie into that list as he is going to save our game and make it better (what a joke that is)
Genuine guffaws here. That is a quality sledge, accurate and funny.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
huntb-180616-gp-25.jpg



DRAGONS


Dragons teammates throw support behind Hunt
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Mon 2 Jul 2018, 05:56 PM

St George Illawarra players have backed halfback Ben Hunt to bounce back from his demotion to the interchange for Queensland in next Wednesday night’s third State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium - but questioned the decision.

Hunt was moved from halfback to the bench utility role in the only unforced change to Kevin Walters' line-up from Origin II.

Dragons team-mates feel he has unfairly been made a scapegoat for the Maroons series defeat after kicking the ball dead against a 12-man NSW team.

"I don't really care what Queensland do, but I don't really agree with them putting him on the bench,'' hooker Cameron McInnes said.

"I thought in Game I he was their best player and footy is an 80-minute game so you have one of two plays that you probably want to take back but I don’t think he deserves to be put to the bench for that."

While the Dragons players are excited that second-rower Tariq Sims will finally make his Origin debut after being selected alongside Tyson Frizell, Jack de Belin and Paul Vaughan in the NSW team, they were disappointed for Hunt.

"I thought he deserved to keep his starting spot and I'm sure the other boys did too," centre Tim Lafai told reporters at WIN Stadium on Monday.

Match Highlights: Dragons v Eels - Round 16, 2018

McInnes said Hunt had showed what he is capable of by laying on a 74th-minute try for Euan Aitken with a perfectly weighted grubber kick that inspired the Dragons to a 20-18 defeat of Parramatta last Thursday night.

Hunt had made a number of errors earlier in the game but he still had the courage to try the kick for Aitken on the same tackle (the third) and in almost identical field position as the one he had put dead in Origin II.

"He is one of the more laidback players I have played with," McInnes said in response to questions about whether the Origin demotion would rattle Hunt’s confidence.

"He is a great player and in terms of going forward for the Dragons I can't wait to have him back playing alongside me every week because he is a great player and as you saw last Thursday night when he put that kick through for Euan Aitken, anything is possible.

"He is just a footballer and whatever they decide to do with him he is going to do his best and come up with some magic because that is the player he is. He deserves to be starting but the type of guy he is ... he won't complain, which is the best thing about him."

McInnes praised the selection of Sims on the interchange for the Blues after he was 18th man in Origin I and II and there is an expectation in the Dragons camp that he will start as the left second rower if NSW captain Boyd Cordner is ruled out.

"I reckon week to week he has been our most consistent all year and that is a great reward for him," McInnes said. "He is very tough, he runs the ball hard and is quite aggressive in defence. I don’t think anyone deserves it any more than him."

The unavailability of St George Illawarra's Origin stars will force coach Paul McGregor to name a new-look forward pack, as well as a halfback, for Thursday night’s match against Melbourne at AAMI Park.

Coaches Speak - Round 16

Jacob Host is expected to retain his place as right second-rower after deputising for Frizell in last week’s win over Parramatta, while New Zealand forward Leeson Ah Mau is likely to return for either Vaughan or De Belin.

McGregor must decide where to play utility Kurt Mann, who has started the last three matches on the wing but can also play halfback or the left second-row spot made vacant by Sims' Origin call-up.

Luciano Leilua is a more likely option at left second-row, while Darren Nichols is in line for his NRL debut at halfback.

Rookie prop Blake Lawrie is again expected to play after replacing Ah Mau on the interchange bench for the Eels clash, along with back-rower Hame Sele.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/07/03/dragons-teammates-throw-support-behind-hunt/
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
3rd sentence may have come to fruition, which no doubt will bring you joy in your Hunt bashing.

However, the second sentence tells me you have NOT watched much rugby league.

For the first 8-9 rounds of the comp, Benny Hunt was arguable the best 7 running around, yet you find a way to bag him in a Qld team that nearly got over the line ?

He had a poor game by his high standards, and from a Saints point of view, I couldnt give a flying fook whether or not he plays SOO, but to incessantly bag the guy is just moronic.

Take a break for the cause.
He is paid to do a job.
A million dollar job.
Organise the team, get them home.
He blew it.
He isn’t a 22 year old still learning.
He is meant to be a highly experienced and skilled half
QLD at least have had the guts to fix their mistake!
Like I said, gone.
 

ouryears

Bench
Messages
3,195
You have to be kidding pal. He played some good games at the start of the year. So did Benji Marshal. Big whoop. Ive never seen a half so bereft of ideas when victory is almost offered to him on a plate. He absolutely lost QLD game 2. You'll understand when he folds like a deck chair when the NRL finals series gets underway. The bloke is a myth of a player.
Stryker thank goodness, finally some sense on this rose coloured forum that has become an old boys club.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Cameron McInnes says Queensland's decision to drop St George Illawarra Dragons teammate Ben Hunt for Origin III 'wrong'
  • NRL
    r414_0_3200_1544_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

    Wrong call: Cameron McInnes says Queensland should have stuck with Ben Hunt as their No.7 for Origin III. Picture: Craig Golding/AAP Image


    Cameron McInnes says he was surprised by Queensland’s dropping of his St George Illawarra teammate Ben Hunt to the bench for State of Origin III, calling it the wrong decision.

    The Dragons No.7 has led St George Illawarra to the top of the NRL table after round 16 but has paid the price for an unhappy showing in Origin II with Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans named Queensland’s halfback for game three in Brisbane next Wednesday night.

    McInnes, who will look to help the Dragons complete a regular season double over the Storm in Melbourne on Thursday night, took aim at the decision to relegate Hunt to a bench role after initially being earmarked to lead Queensland into a new era without Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.

    “In terms of unfair, footy’s not fair. Nothing always goes your way in footy. But in terms of being surprised, yeah, I was,” he said.

    “I think it’s the wrong decision. They can do what they want. I’m not a Queenslander, I’m from NSW anyway. But I don’t think he deserved to get put back to No.14.

    “I think he was their best player in game one. Sort of kept them in game. And then game two he probably had a couple of moments he’d like to take back. But that’s footy. To put him to the bench I don’t think he deserves that but he’ll play that No.14 role the best he can.

    “He won’t complain and that’s the great thing about him. We love having him here and after Origin he can come straight back and we’ll roll on.”

    Hunt bounced back from his underwhelming performance for the Maroons by helping a flat Dragons side mount a late comeback to down Parramatta on Thursday night.

    Hunt’s grubber kick against the Eels, almost identical to the situation where he over hit a kick dead in-goal against NSW late in Origin II, saw Euan Aitken touch down to get the Dragons back in the game.

    McInnes said Hunt had been unconcerned by factors off the field and just wanted to get his Dragons side over the line.

    “Obviously the magnitude of the game in Origin it stands out more but players make mistakes. We all do,” he said.

    “Sometimes in those big moments that’s what happens, there’s going to be a winner and a loser. But the good thing about him is he’s so relaxed and level-headed that he comes back and plays well for us.

    “It’s not a big deal and he wasn’t really burning by it or anything like that. He wanted to win for Queensland but he wasn’t upset so that just shows the man he is.”

    St George Illawarra will be without five of their Origin stars, Hunt, Tyson Frizell, Jack de Belin, Paul Vaughan and Tariq Sims, for their clash with Melbourne after Sims was named to make his debut for NSW from the bench in Origin III.

    “I’m excited for the challenge for the squad. We’re obviously going to have a few guys out. So will they,” McInnes said.

    “So it’s a good opportunity for us to come together and go down to Melbourne in a bit of a hostile environment and see what we’re made of as a whole squad.”

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/...-to-drop-dragons-teammate-hunt-wrong/?cs=2382
 
Top