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!

And now are you glad we have signed Ben Hunt ?

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
I know he's been signed as our marquee halfback, but Ben Hunt has been an absolute revelation at hooker. Even watching him in the recent pacific tri-test, he's so dynamic out of dummy half. He's putting every other hooker in the NRL to shame right now except for Smith of course.

He could very well find himself playing hooker for us in his later years if one of our young halves break through.
 

ouryear

Juniors
Messages
780
Well living in Qld and having to listen to alot of Donkies fans they want him gone.

So i am going off what they said but they also think JD is at fault to funny how Mary blamed him also.

Wow, so many people blaming coaches for finishing 3rd.
Lucky Mary is not coaching the donkeys, possibly he would be hung!
 

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
His team just finished 3rd, in front of a stack of other teams.

I don't think he is past his use by date yet.

Wow, so many people blaming coaches for finishing 3rd.
Lucky Mary is not coaching the donkeys, possibly he would be hung!


Hang on... Didn't you start a thread about Bellamy not being a great coach... Even though his team just won the comp?

Seems a little bit hypocritical.
 

ouryear

Juniors
Messages
780
Hang on... Didn't you start a thread about Bellamy not being a great coach... Even though his team just won the comp?

Seems a little bit hypocritical.

Seriously TRVR, winning the 2017 flag does not make bellamy great, otherwise Shane bloody Flanagan is great and Mad Madge is also great, are they?

Bennett not being past his use by date has nothing to do with saying bellamy is great.

Look at the GREAT coaches and their records inc Churchill, Provan, Bennetts long term magnificent record, and Jack Gibson's greatness.

Their records are great!,

Bellamy is only......good.

PS. Relocation costs to Melbiurnce can be organised if you continue your long distance love affair with Bellamy.

PSS. I think Creeping is still a good coach, not a great coach these days.
But certainly not past his expiry date.
 
Last edited:

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Dragons delay no concern for Hunt
Mon 16 Oct, 2017, 12:00pm
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent‌‌, ‌‌‌NRL.com
@TonyWebeck


image.ashx

Former Bronco Ben Hunt will have a later-than-expected start to pre-season training at the Dragons. Copyright: NRL Photos.
The most expensive recruit of 2018 won't begin training with his new teammates until mid-January but Ben Hunt doesn't believe it will hold him back from making an instant impact with St George Illawarra.

An unexpected call-up to the Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup that kicks off in two weeks' time threw Hunt's pre-season plans that included a wedding and honeymoon into disarray, the former Bronco now not due to settle on the New South Wales South Coast until just prior to Christmas.

Leaving the search for a house to his bride-to-be Bridget Hagan whom he will marry on November 3 rather than lining up against France, Hunt's start at the Dragons is all the more enticing given he looks headed for a showdown with his former club in Round 1.

The only fellow Dragons player in the Kangaroos squad is back-rower Tyson Frizell and while there are eight other St George Illawarra players representing a variety of nations in the World Cup, Hunt won't share a training paddock with them until six weeks before the season starts.

His preparation will be bolstered by a Dragons pre-season schedule that includes a Charity Shield match-up against South Sydney and an international fixture against Hull FC at ANZ Stadium but all eyes will be on Hunt when he runs out onto UOW Jubilee Oval in Round 1.

The closest Hunt has come to playing with any other current Dragon was being named alongside Joel Thompson in the 2008 under-20s Team of the Year but the 27-year-old halfback believes he will have ample time to form a combination with halves partner Gareth Widdop and understand the style coach Paul McGregor wants to implement.

"I know a few players down there and I've been talking to Tyson [Frizell] in here and Jason Nightingale I've talked to a fair bit and they all seem like a great bunch of blokes," Hunt told NRL.com.

"I don't think it's going to take me that long to pick up which direction they're going to want to go with how they play their footy. I think I'll be fine."

The spotlight has shone brightly on Hunt ever since he announced in January that he would be leaving the Broncos after nine seasons in the top grade to take up a five-year deal with the Dragons that has been reported to be worth as much as $1 million a season.

From the outside it appeared as though Hunt struggled to deal with the attention as the 2017 season kicked off but after a hamstring injury was followed by a week in the Intrust Super Cup, a shift to hooker to replace the injured Andrew McCullough reinvigorated his season.

Last week he said that he doubted he would have been selected by Australia coach Mal Meninga had he not spent time at hooker in the back-end of the season but denied that constant scrutiny surrounding his Dragons deal had made his last season as a Bronco a difficult one.

"I never really saw it as a difficult year at all to be honest," said Hunt, who is Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith's primary back-up in the World Cup squad.

"Right from when I signed for the Dragons I just wanted to enjoy the year as much as I could and have fun with the blokes I'd played with for such a long time and I felt I was doing that right up until I got injured and had a bit of a setback.

"Once I finally got back from that – I know I went down to Queensland Cup for one game – but I just wanted to enjoy that as well and I did. It was a good experience and from then on I felt the back-end of my year went pretty well.

"[Playing hooker] kind of helped me to enjoy the back-end of the year to be honest.

"There was no pressure on it, I just had to go in there and try and play the best I could.

"Wayne [Bennett] and the coaching staff never really put any pressure on me and I actually enjoyed it."

http://www.nrl.com/dragons-delay-no-concern-for-hunt/tabid/10874/newsid/113873/default.aspx
 

ouryear

Juniors
Messages
780
Dragons delay no concern for Hunt
Mon 16 Oct, 2017, 12:00pm
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent‌‌, ‌‌‌NRL.com
@TonyWebeck


image.ashx

Former Bronco Ben Hunt will have a later-than-expected start to pre-season training at the Dragons. Copyright: NRL Photos.
The most expensive recruit of 2018 won't begin training with his new teammates until mid-January but Ben Hunt doesn't believe it will hold him back from making an instant impact with St George Illawarra.

An unexpected call-up to the Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup that kicks off in two weeks' time threw Hunt's pre-season plans that included a wedding and honeymoon into disarray, the former Bronco now not due to settle on the New South Wales South Coast until just prior to Christmas.

Leaving the search for a house to his bride-to-be Bridget Hagan whom he will marry on November 3 rather than lining up against France, Hunt's start at the Dragons is all the more enticing given he looks headed for a showdown with his former club in Round 1.

The only fellow Dragons player in the Kangaroos squad is back-rower Tyson Frizell and while there are eight other St George Illawarra players representing a variety of nations in the World Cup, Hunt won't share a training paddock with them until six weeks before the season starts.

His preparation will be bolstered by a Dragons pre-season schedule that includes a Charity Shield match-up against South Sydney and an international fixture against Hull FC at ANZ Stadium but all eyes will be on Hunt when he runs out onto UOW Jubilee Oval in Round 1.

The closest Hunt has come to playing with any other current Dragon was being named alongside Joel Thompson in the 2008 under-20s Team of the Year but the 27-year-old halfback believes he will have ample time to form a combination with halves partner Gareth Widdop and understand the style coach Paul McGregor wants to implement.

"I know a few players down there and I've been talking to Tyson [Frizell] in here and Jason Nightingale I've talked to a fair bit and they all seem like a great bunch of blokes," Hunt told NRL.com.

"I don't think it's going to take me that long to pick up which direction they're going to want to go with how they play their footy. I think I'll be fine."

The spotlight has shone brightly on Hunt ever since he announced in January that he would be leaving the Broncos after nine seasons in the top grade to take up a five-year deal with the Dragons that has been reported to be worth as much as $1 million a season.

From the outside it appeared as though Hunt struggled to deal with the attention as the 2017 season kicked off but after a hamstring injury was followed by a week in the Intrust Super Cup, a shift to hooker to replace the injured Andrew McCullough reinvigorated his season.

Last week he said that he doubted he would have been selected by Australia coach Mal Meninga had he not spent time at hooker in the back-end of the season but denied that constant scrutiny surrounding his Dragons deal had made his last season as a Bronco a difficult one.

"I never really saw it as a difficult year at all to be honest," said Hunt, who is Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith's primary back-up in the World Cup squad.

"Right from when I signed for the Dragons I just wanted to enjoy the year as much as I could and have fun with the blokes I'd played with for such a long time and I felt I was doing that right up until I got injured and had a bit of a setback.

"Once I finally got back from that – I know I went down to Queensland Cup for one game – but I just wanted to enjoy that as well and I did. It was a good experience and from then on I felt the back-end of my year went pretty well.

"[Playing hooker] kind of helped me to enjoy the back-end of the year to be honest.

"There was no pressure on it, I just had to go in there and try and play the best I could.

"Wayne [Bennett] and the coaching staff never really put any pressure on me and I actually enjoyed it."

http://www.nrl.com/dragons-delay-no-concern-for-hunt/tabid/10874/newsid/113873/default.aspx

Hunt sounds like a confident, mature and thoughtful guy. Can't wait to see him in our colours.
 
Messages
3,581
The guy will make our ordinary three quarter line look impressive at times. In the end there is no substitute for raw speed.

We have the forwards to be competitive.

Dufty needs a big off season to bulk up and work on his defence.

Mary needs to work on a defensive structure to shield Dufty as much as is possible.

This season the draw was kind to us. If it isn't as kind in 2018 we will need Hunt healthy if we are to sneak in to the 8.
 

ouryear

Juniors
Messages
780
The guy will make our ordinary three quarter line look impressive at times. In the end there is no substitute for raw speed.

We have the forwards to be competitive.

Dufty needs a big off season to bulk up and work on his defence.

Mary needs to work on a defensive structure to shield Dufty as much as is possible.

This season the draw was kind to us. If it isn't as kind in 2018 we will need Hunt healthy if we are to sneak in to the 8.
Raw speed is a match winner isn't it.
Seeing Semi in full flight, Jimmy the Jet at times, storms outside backs.....And don't forget our Nighty (Flo) who also scorches the sideline!!
 
Last edited:

TomRedVRiver

Bench
Messages
3,649
Seriously TRVR, winning the 2017 flag does not make bellamy great, otherwise Shane bloody Flanagan is great and Mad Madge is also great, are they?

Bennett not being past his use by date has nothing to do with saying bellamy is great.

Look at the GREAT coaches and their records inc Churchill, Provan, Bennetts long term magnificent record, and Jack Gibson's greatness.

Their records are great!,

Bellamy is only......good.

PS. Relocation costs to Melbiurnce can be organised if you continue your long distance love affair with Bellamy.

PSS. I think Creeping is still a good coach, not a great coach these days.
But certainly not past his expiry date.

Let's just ignore the fact that Melbourne have made the top 4 for most of the last decade. Or that so many successful coaches and up and coming coaches have studied their craft under Bellamy. Or that some of the best players in the game (Slater, Cronk, Chambers) have attributed their development and success to Bellamy.

Let's ignore the fact that most of the coaches you've name dropped here were before the salary cap or any of the limitations and evolutions of the current game.

You're deliberately baiting people with this argument mate. It's working haha.
 
Last edited:

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Benny Hunt signing > Cronk signing

The Hunt man will prove a very good signing.
I'd rather Cronk at half back for the next two years than Hunt. However, it would be great if Millward pulled his figure out and signed Cronk. Thompson's going and I believe so is Macdonald. So why not sigh Cronk and give us the best chance to win in 2018 - even with a crappy coach!
 

Latest posts

Top