The defense of Hunt seems to be around the fact that Damien Cook is coming and this will take more pressure off him.
First of all, don't get me wrong, I think Cookie will add a lot to our squad both on and off the field in his leadership capacity.
But one could easily argue - why did we need to go and chase Cook when the answer was already available?
9. Liddle
14. Hunt
Use the $600k+ (or thereabouts) to entice Wishart back to the club? Or surely there is another young half back out there who could fit the bill with some negotiation to get them out of their current contracts (i.e. O'Sullivan).
Make no bones about it - the jury is well and truly out on Hunt now. The smart jury can and should reject the evidence of "number one for try assists".
Hunt needs to step up in the games like we've had the last three weeks and take full responsibility.
I don't know whether I've seen Hunt lead us out of a game where we have been up against it (whether it's closing out a tight one, a come back win or regaining some level of respectability on the scoreboard). At the very least we could probably count the occasions on one hand. Performances, like those of the last three weeks, aren't going to be acceptable in 2025 - we need to be putting in more respectable performances against the regular mainstay finals teams of the last 5-7 years AND those teams who end up being around or just below us on the table during any given season. This needs your leadership group to be on song every game, and the burden of making sure this happens is firmly on the captain.
One finals appearance in seven seasons. The last remanence of the McGregor-era. It really is time to seriously consider moving on.
