Ben Hunt is overrated

[1910]

Hunt 2014

Games 25
Av meters 50
Tackle busts 62
Errors 27
Missed tackles 2.8

2015

Games 26
Av meters 41
Tackle busts 51
Errors 24
Missed tackles 2.9

2016

Games 13
Av meters 36
Tackle busts 25
Errors 20
Missed tackles 3.4

He is leading the competition this year for try assists with 19.

 

[Sproj]

That's a vastly higher rate of errors though.

 

[animal eater]

Hunt 2014

Games 25
Av meters 50
Tackle busts 62
Errors 27
Missed tackles 2.8

2015

Games 26
Av meters 41
Tackle busts 51
Errors 24
Missed tackles 2.9

2016

Games 13
Av meters 36
Tackle busts 25
Errors 20
Missed tackles 3.4

He is leading the competition this year for try assists with 19.

Not exactly stats of someone on the rise.

 

[coreyh88]

Not exactly stats of someone on the rise.

Those stats only show a very limited picture though. None have really declined except missed tackles which is a concern.

 

[animal eater]

Those stats only show a very limited picture though. None have really declined except missed tackles which is a concern.

To me the biggest worry is his lack of game management which isn't stat driven.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

Hunt is in a serious slump and I worry it's only going to get worse. At worst he could be finished as an NRL player. But I want to be optimistic.

Despite what he says I think the Grand Final has scarred him.

I think Ash Taylor is a better player.

 

[Huge]

Those stats only show a very limited picture though. None have really declined except missed tackles which is a concern.

Actually, average metres does show a serious decline...an almost 33% drop over the three seasons

 

[Foordy]

Actually, average metres does show a serious decline...an almost 33% drop over the three seasons

But i believe his try assists have increased ...

That says to me that he is focusing more on creating opportuities for his team mates instead of himself.

He hasn't got the balance right yet, but he isn't going as bad as some people are trying to make out.

 

[Super Freak]

But i believe his try assists have increased ...

That says to me that he is focusing more on creating opportuities for his team mates instead of himself.

He hasn't got the balance right yet, but he isn't going as bad as some people are trying to make out.

They have this year.

In 2014 - He had 19 try assists. 10 in the first 13 rounds.
In 2015 - He had 18 try assists. 9 in the first 13 rounds.

This year.

17 try assists in the first 13 rounds.

His line breaks and running metres have declined, but he has been focusing less on running the ball since Milford came to the club and focusing more on creating opportunities for the players around him.

 

[Huge]

They have this year.

In 2014 - He had 19 try assists. 10 in the first 13 rounds.
In 2015 - He had 18 try assists. 9 in the first 13 rounds.

This year.

17 try assists in the first 13 rounds.

His line breaks and running metres have declined, but he has been focusing less on running the ball since Milford came to the club and focusing more on creating opportunities for the players around him.

There you have it then !!! It's almost universally acknowledged that he is a much better running half yet he is apparently focused not on his strength but where he is weakest. Anyway, his attack is not my concern, it has been his ability to steer the team, to orchestrate the team as a whole. I noticed in the write up about young Taylor at the coast how they mentioned the half's role in running his forwards . As I've never read about Hunt being mentioned as a captain I can only assume he doesn't have the skill set including the communication skill needed to run the team. He may well be able to, I could be totally wrong. I'm not blaming Hunt for a lack, we all have them.

 

[Waynesaurus]

To me the biggest worry is his lack of game management which isn't stat driven.

Yep.....................and under pressure his execution turns to crap.

 

[mitch222]

Pffft, **** me people are quick to put the boot in when your in a bit of a form slump (if that is what you would call it)

 

[Huge]

Pffft, **** me people are quick to put the boot in when your in a bit of a form slump (if that is what you would call it)

Yeah, right on brother ! Then there's people like myself who have felt this way and written this way even when we were sailing along in front. We have posters on here who weren't satisfied when we were front runners and rightfully so too. They were pointing out the deficiencies which were papered over and copping abuse for doing so but yet, they were right. We've lost four from five and yes, there are reasonable explanations for that but it's not the losses that irks so many. It's more that we appear to not have an underlying structure, that our earlier successes came from flashes of random coherence.

I would like to see us more like Melbourne, a team which has nowhere the resources we have yet even when decimated by injuries and or suspension, still manage to present a cohesive team effort and only very rarely resemble headless chooks. That underpinning is missing, that structure.

 

[Culhwch]

I would like to see us more like Melbourne, a team which has nowhere the resources we have yet even when decimated by injuries and or suspension, still manage to present a cohesive team effort and only very rarely resemble headless chooks. That underpinning is missing, that structure.

But surely that structure has to come from the coach, not the halfback? Certainly the halfback should have a role in overseeing the structure on the field (actually, both halves in my opinion, and the hooker), but I think the disorganisation in the Broncos goes beyond Hunt and up to Bennett. The team needs a solid structure in place and needs to be well-drilled enough so that each player knows their role without having the halves push them around every single play of the game - especially when the two halves we do have are less adept at organisation. Bennett should be coaching to their strengths, but I just don't think he does.

 

[Huge]

But surely that structure has to come from the coach, not the halfback? Certainly the halfback should have a role in overseeing the structure on the field (actually, both halves in my opinion, and the hooker), but I think the disorganisation in the Broncos goes beyond Hunt and up to Bennett. The team needs a solid structure in place and needs to be well-drilled enough so that each player knows their role without having the halves push them around every single play of the game - especially when the two halves we do have are less adept at organisation. Bennett should be coaching to their strengths, but I just don't think he does.

Yes, you're correct and if blamed Hunt solely for that lack of structure I'd be an idiot. That's the thing though, I don't think Hunt is the only problem . He is just a part of it, a contributor. The lack of structure may be two things, it could be that WB isn't contributing as he should and his halves are not doing the same. In WBs case there would be little excuse for that but Milfs inexperience and Hunts apparent inability might be the reasons.

What I'd like to see is the last 10 minutes of those close matches run to a plan. The field goal scenario is the most blindingly obvious one and it's so incredibly simple a plan to follow yet our team seems to have no idea. It should be seared into their brains. Another is when they have the ball and the lead with two or three minutes to go. The idea is not to get tackled quickly and rise quickly. If you've ever watched Ipswich Jets, a tackle can take 15 or 20 seconds each. Running up, jinking the line, taking a step forward and two more back, cross field crabbing before finally succumbing, ever tackle taking an age and rising slowly. Instead we have this dumbarse one pass, 5 metres forward, wham bam and the sets gone and suddenly the opposition have a full set to pull out the grandstand finish. If I were coach I'd be ensuring my team and my shot caller would know what tactic was to be employed.

 

[Foordy]

There you have it then !!! It's almost universally acknowledged that he is a much better running half yet he is apparently focused not on his strength but where he is weakest. Anyway, his attack is not my concern, it has been his ability to steer the team, to orchestrate the team as a whole. I noticed in the write up about young Taylor at the coast how they mentioned the half's role in running his forwards . As I've never read about Hunt being mentioned as a captain I can only assume he doesn't have the skill set including the communication skill needed to run the team. He may well be able to, I could be totally wrong. I'm not blaming Hunt for a lack, we all have them.

For all we know Bennett has instructed Hunt to switch his focus, and he isn't doing a half bad job of creating for others, given that he is leading the TA's this year

 

[Super Freak]

For all we know Bennett has instructed Hunt to switch his focus, and he isn't doing a half bad job of creating for others, given that he is leading the TA's this year

His line break assists have also improved a lot since 2014.

Hunt is slowly becoming a more complete player.

I remember a lot of criticisms in 2014 about Hunt's lack of playmaking ability.. He has been improving since Milford came to the club.