Our Teams Character ( Especially Ben Hunt )

[Pro Dragons]

If it had been Smith or Thurston putting the ball dead the media would of deemed it as just bad luck. No doubt they would of kicked many over the dead ball line throughout their careers and yet they never copped the bad Qld press poor Ben has received.

 

[getsmarty]

The success or non-success of Hunt's kick also depended on Aitken getting to the ball in time.

Let's not forget that.

Correct...Wasn't Munster good last night...no one in the media criticizing the shocker he had. LOL

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Did anyone watch Matty Johns show on Fox after the game? There was a skit about Ben Hunt - which showed clips of burning effigies and stoning a guy - reflecting the mood in Qld following the Origin loss? While it may be giggle and jokes - you wonder if stuff like that can go too far and affect the players? I’m glad he got thru the game last night Ok as i really think the pressure may have derailed him.

That sort of crap will just spur him on.
Couldn't have worked out better for the rest of our campaign.
Watch him closely next club game when he's fresh.
I reckon he'll have a blinder.
No doubt has made a world of difference to our "win ugly" capabilities.

 

[2010]

Give Hunt a few games injury free and he will weave his magic. He was not as bad as the so called critics say. Munster was far worse in my opnion.

 

[getsmarty]

STATE OF ORIGIN


Graham sticks up for 'fall guy' Hunt
Author
Brad Walter Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Fri 29 Jun 2018, 04:47 PM

St George Illawarra prop James Graham has spoken out in support of halfback Ben Hunt and says it would have been a NSW player in the firing line if Queensland had managed to win last Sunday night’s State of Origin.

Graham, who watched the last 20 minutes of Origin II on the flight home from Denver after helping England to a 36-18 Test defeat of New Zealand, said the scrutiny of the series was so intense that someone on the losing team had to be made the scapegoat.

Hunt was blamed for kicking the ball dead on the third tackle as the Maroons tried to take advantage of the sin-binning of Blues centre James Roberts 11 minutes from fulltime to overcome an 18-14 deficit.

While it was a poor option, Graham said if Queensland had managed to score a try and win the game the focus would have shifted.

"There is so much on the line with Origin but if you look at it from a logical point of view, two good teams are playing against each other and it is 18-14," Graham said.

"That is a pretty close game. One little thing could change it either way and if it was 20-18 to Queensland, and they had scored another try, who are they going to go after for NSW?

Dragons prop James Graham. Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
"Who is going to be the blame guy? I think most players are smart enough to realise that that's the game so to speak of. That is part of our reality of being a rugby league player."

Graham's comments were echoed by Brisbane and England coach Wayne Bennett, who had been Hunt's mentor at the Broncos before he joined the Dragons this season.

Bennett also watched Origin on the plane and suggested Blues centre Latrell Mitchell would have come in for similar criticism after throwing a poor pass near his own line following a 20-metre restart.

"The bottom line is they [Queensland] have lost the series 2-0. There is going to be criticism. That is just the way it works," Bennett said.

"If Queensland had won the game Ben wouldn't be getting a mention. They just about did win the game, then they would have been talking about Latrell and all the mistakes he made. They are going to pick on someone. You just hope it is not you. If it is you, then you just get on with life."

Hunt bounced back from the criticism on Thursday night to spark a late 20-18 comeback victory for St George Illawarra against Parramatta with another third tackle grubber kick in almost the same part of the field for Euan Aitken to score.

"If we had lost to Parramatta what would have been the reason?" Graham said.

"Denver? Origin? Too many players backing up? But we got the win and everyone talks about the character of the team."

Match Highlights: Dragons v Eels - Round 16, 2018

Dragons captain and five-eighth Gareth Widdop also gave Hunt a vote of confidence, saying he had been a key part of the team's success this season.

"We're confident in Ben, he is a great player and we have all got his back, that is for sure," Widdop said.

St George Illawarra second rower Jacob Host added: "He is a class player, all the boys know what he is capable of and he has played for his country and played State of Origin. He is a great bloke and a great player as well."

Meanwhile, Graham and Widdop said they had always intended playing against the Eels on Thursday night after returning from Test duties with England on Monday morning.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor gave the pair time off until the final training session on Wednesday.

"The Origin boys have had no time off at all so for them boys it can be tough," Widdop said.

"But we've worked a lot on team-first actions and those boys certainly do that."








https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2018/06/30/graham-sticks-up-for-fall-guy-hunt/

 

[blacksafake]

I still say the problem starts with their forwards especially the 9. McCullough offers very little in attack. If smith was there I reckon they win

 

[getsmarty]

Cameron McInnes says Queensland's decision to drop St George Illawarra Dragons teammate Ben Hunt for Origin III 'wrong'

• NRL
  
  
  
  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

 

[This Year?]

The way the players have Ben Hunt's back speaks volumes and made me warm inside.

 

[Frank Facer]

The way the players have Ben Hunt's back speaks volumes and made me warm inside.

And our supporters have Hunts back, which is something he lacked at Brisbane. I think Hunt will be feeling the love and support of our fans and be appreciating it.

 

[JDHD]

And our supporters have Hunts back, which is something he lacked at Brisbane. I think Hunt will be feeling the love and support of our fans and be appreciating it.

That’s a really good point. I was pretty worried our fans were going to eviscerate him like we have so many others eg Marketo, Rein, Marshall, Dugan etc but those guys got smashed because they were shithouse/dickheads. Hunts been great on the field and better off it.

 

[Crush]

Ben Hunt is an excellent halfback.
Him being dropped may be the extra motivation needed for him to take his game to another level this year.
Ben Hunt IS the messiah. He will deliver us a comp this year.

 

[getsmarty]

Queensland defied own 'pick and stick' mantra in axing Ben Hunt for Origin III: Paul McGregor

• Local Sport
  
  
  
  Dumped: A forlorn Ben Hunt reflects after NSW sealed a series win against Queensland in State of Origin II. Picture: AAP Image
• 
  
• Paul McGregor believes Queensland have defied their own “pick and stick” policy in axing St George Illawarra halfback Ben Hunt to the bench for State of Origin III.
  
  Hunt has been relegated from the Maroons’ starting side for next Wednesday night’s clash in Brisbane as NSW attempt to complete their first clean sweep of Queensland since 2000.
  
  The Dragons No.7 has led St George Illawarra to the top of the NRL table after 16 rounds but has paid the price for an unhappy showing in Origin II with Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans given a chance to end his own Origin exile.
  
  Queensland coach Kevin Walters had earmarked Hunt to help lead Queensland into a new era without Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith before the start of the series.
  
  And Dragons coach McGregor said the decision to drop Hunt to an interchange role after two Origin losses meant Queensland had gone against their fabled loyalty mantra.
  
  “They haven’t lost for a while. Losing challenges you in all different areas,” he said.
  
  “They’ve been very fortunate to have stability in their side. You talk about players in that team that will go down as all-time best in 10 years time. I’ll never see a couple of those players again in my lifetime.
  
  “So for me it was a good opportunity this year for NSW. [Queensland have] lost the first two games, they’ve made change. That’s their choice.
  
  “You ask me the question would I have made the change? No, definitely not. Am I disappointed for Ben? Absolutely. But he’s not in my care at the moment, he’s in Queensland’s care. He’s been working his whole life to play for Queensland.
  
  “The pressure is a little bit off him and on others now so he can relax, enjoy the week. He’s still fortunate enough to be in the 17 which is a fantastic thing for any person to play for his state. They get the choice to choose who they feel their best squad is and Benny is still in that squad.”
  
  McGregor was pleased with how Hunt responded to his Origin disappointment, getting St George Illawarra over the line against Parramatta in the last 20 minutes last Thursday night.
  
  Hunt was in good spirits according to his coach despite the disappointment of his demotion, with McGregor backing Hunt to have a strong impact for Queensland off the bench.
  
  “I’m definitely disappointed for Benny. I’m happy for NSW because I’m a New South Welshman. But I am certainly disappointed on an individual basis for Benny. However, he will do a very good job off the interchange. Certainly as a New South Welshman with Benny coming on in that dummy-half role one would think, he could cause some trouble late in the game,” he said.
  
  “It sort of gives Queensland a different dimension. But I still feel that Benny didn’t do enough wrong but I’m not a selector or a Queenslander. So I’m happy as a New South Welshman that he won’t be wearing seven.
  
  “He’s still an important member of their team. He’s not wearing their seven but he’s in their 17. He can still make a huge difference in his performance off the interchange when given the opportunity as a nine or a seven.”

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/...-stick-mantra-in-axing-hunt-mcgregor/?cs=1633