Ben Hunt -what are you?

[JDHD]

He still is.
No way the team got to where they finished without him and no word of the fact the media kept on harping about it.

I am in no doubt that the inclusion of Hunt and Graham into our team is the reason why we came within a bee’s dick of playing a prelim

 

[SEAT 1A]

I am in no doubt that the inclusion of Hunt and Graham into our team is the reason why we came within a bee’s dick of playing a prelim

Yes, they put belief boy's head and Simms going down.

Shame Mary didn't listen to Nathan Pickworth, got to be one of the stupidest things a professional coach can do to disregard the HIGH PERFORMANE staff's knowledge.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Possm- you're being too kind- if a player doesn't want to play the SPECIALIST position they were signed for on elite money over a long period, SGI should say- we didn't sign you as a hooker, we're not going to play you there as we have two Origin standard/potential Origin standard hookers already. We will release you from your contract if you ask so that you can play hooker somewhere else but it won't be at SGI. We then use that money to buy a specialist halfback- maybe from England if necessary.

However, as you observed, Hunt knows that he will not get the money as a hooker that he is currently earning as a half back and it'll end up a Mexican standoff. Hunt unwilling to leave the club and SGI unwilling to play him as he isn't up to it-or, more likely, playing him at No 7 because club management don't want to admit we wasted our money on him.

Either way, we're screwed.

It all boils down to a poor judgement call in the first instance by Millward in ignoring the ominous signs of him being dropped by both Bennett and Walters at club and rep level.

Hunt and his team mates don't need a "buddy" as a coach.
They need a genuine mentor and an accomplished coaching technician.
McGregor is not that guy.
He is a good guy that the players are comfortable with.
That is not the chemistry that wins premierships.

 

[possm]

Hunt and his team mates don't need a "buddy" as a coach.
They need a genuine mentor and an accomplished coaching technician.
McGregor is not that guy.
He is a good guy that the players are comfortable with.
That is not the chemistry that wins premierships.

Surely our management would look very closely at everything that happened in 2018. If they do, they could never justify keeping Mary.

 

[Crush]

I have not been one to bag Hunt but I just watched the replay of last nights test. 1 minute to go, aussies down by 2 points, DCE goes to dummy half on the last and it goes out to Ben Hunt.
Ben Hunt roofs it down the fullbacks throat. Not a bomb where there are chasers but a field possession kick way down field.
Understatement to follow in capitals.
BEN HUNT ISN'T FANTASTIC UNDER PRESSURE.

 

[TruSaint]

I have not been one to bag Hunt but I just watched the replay of last nights test. 1 minute to go, aussies down by 2 points, DCE goes to dummy half on the last and it goes out to Ben Hunt.
Ben Hunt roofs it down the fullbacks throat. Not a bomb where there are chasers but a field possession kick way down field.
Understatement to follow in capitals.
BEN HUNT ISN'T FANTASTIC UNDER PRESSURE.

There is no doubt he is down on confidence.
Anyone can see that.

I understand your point, but again, it was left to the last minute for him to create something, in a team that was just outplayed.

NZ had a couple of dubious calls go against them, at 26-12, it could have been 36-12.

I am not disagreeing with your highlighted comment, but in the scheme of this test, it never should have come to a last play frenzy.

Ben appears to be a confidence player... When he is on, eg, early this year, he can create, run, kick etc... Needs a good off season to gather himself and prepare for 2019.

 

[Crush]

There is no doubt he is down on confidence.
Anyone can see that.

I understand your point, but again, it was left to the last minute for him to create something, in a team that was just outplayed.

NZ had a couple of dubious calls go against them, at 26-12, it could have been 36-12.

I am not disagreeing with your highlighted comment, but in the scheme of this test, it never should have come to a last play frenzy.

Ben appears to be a confidence player... When he is on, eg, early this year, he can create, run, kick etc... Needs a good off season to gather himself and prepare for 2019.

I am definitely not saying that it is any way Hunts fault that they didn't win the game. And I am not saying that he blew it or anything like that I just thought on the last play behind by 2 instinct should have told him to attack. Hi could have chipped, he could have bombed, he could have passed or he could have run. Those are the options when mid field with a minute to go and you are behind.
His instincts under pressure aren't good. He panics.
Just my observation, not saying he isn't a great player, just needs to work on those clincher moments.

 

[ALSGI]

Even the greatest players can only pull of last minute miracles a small percentage of the time.

Didn’t see the test but sounds like it was lost well before the last few minutes.

 

[aquiin]

They tried the chip earlier and NZ had it covered.

They should have shifted an extra man to the left and probably one play earlier. Kaufusi was playing wing on the right and they had already gone there previously.

 

[Country Dragon]

I am definitely not saying that it is any way Hunts fault that they didn't win the game. And I am not saying that he blew it or anything like that I just thought on the last play behind by 2 instinct should have told him to attack. Hi could have chipped, he could have bombed, he could have passed or he could have run. Those are the options when mid field with a minute to go and you are behind.
His instincts under pressure aren't good. He panics.
Just my observation, not saying he isn't a great player, just needs to work on those clincher moments.

The amount of shit he copped for attacking against Souths why would he do it again?
Besides, isn’t it DCE’s team? Where was he?

 

[Crush]

The amount of shit he copped for attacking against Souths why would he do it again?
Besides, isn’t it DCE’s team? Where was he?

He was at dummy half.

 

[Crush]

They tried the chip earlier and NZ had it covered.

They should have shifted an extra man to the left and probably one play earlier. Kaufusi was playing wing on the right and they had already gone there previously.

They may have had the chip covered but they well and truly had the roof it down field down the fullbacks throat covered also.

 

[aquiin]

Johns called for a bomb at the same moment, which was fair enough. Hunt hasn’t really connected right all season. It’s another case of instinct right, execution wrong.

 

[Mickthedragon]

To be fair, Benny didn't get them out of jail but the game was lost earlier than that. DCE didn't show too much throughout and we were in trouble when Keary went off concussed.
The whole Aussie team didn't seem to gel and Meninga's coaching,rotations and players picked didn't seem quite right on the day. It will be a big test for him as coach now we have lost so many big names. They will need to rebuild and Benny is looking more and more like dummy half would suit his game style more. Only problem with that is we have Cam McInnes and Robson coming through so who knows.

 

[possm]

There is no doubt he is down on confidence.
Anyone can see that.

I understand your point, but again, it was left to the last minute for him to create something, in a team that was just outplayed.

NZ had a couple of dubious calls go against them, at 26-12, it could have been 36-12.

I am not disagreeing with your highlighted comment, but in the scheme of this test, it never should have come to a last play frenzy.

Ben appears to be a confidence player... When he is on, eg, early this year, he can create, run, kick etc... Needs a good off season to gather himself and prepare for 2019.

DCE should never have been at dummy half for that tackle.
DCE took most of the kicks during the game and was very ordinary.
Our forwards lost us the game last night; they were mostly very ordinary and left holes in our defence up the middle in the second half.

 

[TruSaint]

DCE should never have been at dummy half for that tackle.
DCE took most of the kicks during the game and was very ordinary.
Our forwards lost us the game last night; they were mostly very ordinary and left holes in our defence up the middle in the second half.

Like I said @possm , the end score flattered us.

Agree.

 

[aquiin]

Biggest issue and biggest difference with Cameron Smith missing was the ruck and line speed. They did it sporadically only and Cook looked out of sorts, not great with the ball either. To be expected given it was the first outing but BSmith had more impact in similar circumstances.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I have not been one to bag Hunt but I just watched the replay of last nights test. 1 minute to go, aussies down by 2 points, DCE goes to dummy half on the last and it goes out to Ben Hunt.
Ben Hunt roofs it down the fullbacks throat. Not a bomb where there are chasers but a field possession kick way down field.
Understatement to follow in capitals.
BEN HUNT ISN'T FANTASTIC UNDER PRESSURE.

Big problem considering Widdop isn't either.

 

[Old Timer]

In respect of all the comments re Hunt learning, growing, down on confidence etc etc the simple fact is that he is not a clutch player.
He has more failures at critical moments than he has success so if you want him to succeed as a player overall then don’t go to him when the game us on the line unless you want him to take the line on as the only option.
He is 28 and if he can’t do it now then the bus has already well and truly left and he isn’t on it.
Over to Mc Fookknuckle to devise a game plan that doesn’t put Hunt under the pump.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Wi

In respect of all the comments re Hunt learning, growing, down on confidence etc etc the simple fact is that he is not a clutch player.
He has more failures at critical moments than he has success so if you want him to succeed as a player overall then don’t go to him when the game us on the line unless you want him to take the line on as the only option.
He is 28 and if he can’t do it now then the bus has already well and truly left and he isn’t on it.
Over to Mc Fookknuckle to devise a game plan that doesn’t put Hunt under the pump.

Widdop is not much better.so how are we going to win a comp with that halves combination?
It is a pre requisite to have at least one clutch specialist in your team at finals time.
Now that you mention Hunt's age, we have signed him for 6 years with 5 to go.
That will make him 33 when he finishes his tenure with us.
Normally, that would not be a problem but you are right in terms of him improving much going forward.