In a Roar faux-exclusive, it has been revealed that Queensland Police have commissioned a strike force to investigate the sudden disappearance of Ben Hannant’s credibility.
The healthy and well-funded 178-game reputation vanished in mysterious circumstances after an afternoon weights session on Tuesday, in the Red Hill county of Bris Vegas.
Hannant’s selection viability was last seen in the company of a large number of other well-funded reputations in the precinct before it was summoned to the offices of local man Anthony Griffin for a barely inaudible addressing.
Witnesses say that the subject entered Griffin’s office in good spirits, remaining inside for approximately 45 minutes, where it was peculiarly handed directions to Ipswich and fitted for a bush league jersey.
At the completion of this meeting, Hannant’s cred was witnessed emerging from the office depleted in size and in a state of visible confusion. It departed for home in a sleigh at around 4pm and has not been seen since.
The scene at Red Hill has since been cordoned off with empty cans of Powers and officially established as a crime scene, however the evidence collected thus far has stumped detectives on a motive.
Forensics have returned tests confirming Hannant’s repute as reliably rock-solid, with results on league and life returning lofty levels of validity and geniality.
Additional background checks also portrayed a healthy profile of an upstanding family man who is popular among his peers – especially after chewing metres like a starved carnivore over the last three weeks – making the complete disappearance even more mystifying.
Adding to this, the prop’s reliable image had been recently reinforced after leading the line for the Broncos amidst a number of greenhorn forwards, as the club dealt with the absence of fellow big-gamer Sam Thaiday. He also managed to severely outpoint his less-decorated front-row colleague Martin Kennedy, who has obscurely maintained his position in the team.
Further muddying the waters was the proactive public statement made by the regal overarching powers of the Queensland Maroons hierarchy that confirmed the vanilla-coiffed rep’s ability was still held in high regard at state level and would be in consideration for the upcoming Origin series, an assertion that belies the missing credit in question.
Hannant’s stock devaluation on the Brisbane selection market is a brain-busting mystery of Buhrer-Origin proportions that is thickening by the minute, with even the suspects proving a handful.
Initially established as the prime suspect, Broncos coach Griffin was immediately taken in for questioning by the strike force, however investigations hit a roadblock after he puzzled detectives with a number of craftily-worded answers.
When it was alleged he was attempting to deflate Hannant’s prominence with a smoke-screen omission in an underhanded attempt to trigger a June 30 offload, he schemed his way through the mazy questioning and scuppered the interrogations with a shrewd “No. Why would I do that?”
Perplexed and sensing a ruse, they pushed Griffin harder with their theory that his soul-demolishing banishment of Hannant to the Ipswich backwaters had more to do with personal differences than football, to which Griffin cryptically replied that the decision related to “some areas” and that he was “black and white about them”.
Investigations remain on-hold while the authorities attempt to source an interpreter who can speak fluent coach. In the meantime, detectives are desperately searching for any information relating to this bizarre disappearance of an honest front-rower’s repute.
Police are advising the public to be on the lookout for a middle-aged male wearing maroon and gold trackwear. He has grey hair, which can be seen sticking out from under a highly-restrictive salary cap, and will answer to ‘Hook’ in an economically-worded mumble.
Any other knowledge the public may hold is greatly welcomed by the authorities and can be advised by phone through CrimeDroppers.
Sport’s greatest super-sleuths will also be called upon to contribute to the investigation. Roarers. You are needed to help solve this bewildering disappearance.
Have you seen Hannant in any suspiciously animated discussions with the Broncos selectors? Is Griffin a long-lost relation of Kennedy’s or does he owe him money? Or, just like everything else, do we just blame the salary cap?
Dallas
Guest
6 premierships in 18 years mate..
hindsight
Guest
overrated, like all things Broncos & running on the spot don't count
Dallas
Guest
He has way more leg speed then any of the current front rowers in the Qld team, he is is only 23, give it a couple of years and he will be first choice for the Qld side. matt Scott, 110, Nate Myles is 105 and Ben Hanant is 106. Maguire is 106, so size isn't an issue. Your a clown mate the broncos would have to have one of the most mobile forward packs In the comp excluding Martin Kennedy. Matt Gillett, alex Glenn, sam thaiday and corey parker certainly aren't small and slow.
hindsight
Guest
Dallas for Broncos coach 2015 your mate is too small & slow for origin, like most at Broncos
Dallas
Guest
You don't have a. Clue mate, Martin Kennedy is not much chop. But have a look at Magires work rate and the amount of minutes he plays. It's only a matter of time until he plays origin. He is built for it
john badseed
Guest
His credibility is probably resting next to Shayne Hayne's in a Swiss bank vault.
djcooper
Roar Guru
If Griffin is going to drop hannant for Kennedy based solely on form then you would expect Kennedy to play more than the first 17 minutes of the match. Rotations this year and last have been killing the broncos. Why not carry Granville on the bench and add some spark just before halftime? It won't be long before the broncos lose more quality players because they are fed up with playing QLD cup.
hindsight
Guest
For Griffin to rank Maguire & Kennedy's reputations & performances ahead of Hannants is lunacy! these two guys are chumps, seriously! if anyone mentions these two guys & SOO in the same sentence should throw their application in to coach the broncos next year
Arthur
Guest
How much are the Broncos paying Kennedy, though? Whatever it is, he has done nothing to justify it. How many line breaks has he made as a Bronco? (None.) He has no imagination, no flair, no power, yet the Broncos keep defending him (although whether this will continue after the Cowboys game remains to be seen.) What did Griffin hope to achieve by dropping Hannant? All it is doing is to invite unease and discord. Maybe Griffin should look elsewhere for reasons why they are misfiring. There is still no genuine speed in the team, in both forwards and backs. Barba has potential speed, but we have yet to see it. Maguire occasionally hits the line at full speed, but he is usually tackled there. Glenn is just workmanlike. Thaiday seems to be injured a lot lately. Which Broncos forward can break the line like Scott (or even Bolton), or the Rabbitohs forwards, or half a dozen other teams? There are some Broncos players who are doing well week after week - McCullough, Hunt, maybe Parker - but their forward team-mates lack the power to break the line, and their backs lack the speed needed to finish.
Gaz
Guest
Yes but other Brisbane forwards aren't getting that sort of money nor do they have his ability. Remember he no longer gets picked for his country and Origin is also doubtful. He is simply not putting in to the best of his ability that has created a frustrating situation. It's not unusual for good players to be dropped to bring them back to earth. Some fire up as a result while others throw the towel in and change clubs, codes and even countrys. Remains to be seen which way Ben decides to go but I wish him and his family all the best no matter what he decides. Props of his vintage should now just be reaching their pinnacle, perhaps his is past.
Maroon Blood
Guest
Gas, compare his stats to the other Brisbane forwards before you go casting aspersions. Does it justify being effectively dumped?
Maroon Blood
Guest
Hey Scotty, the only other one to use the "Polar Bear' reference........I just can't understand how such a great player, and bloke, is being given the short shrift by a club in total crisis. There are a number of Broncs players I would give the flick before Big Ben. Seriously, does ANYONE reckon Jack Read is a first grader?
Gaz
Guest
His stats are in reality not much higher than those of a journeyman rather than those of a genuine star. He is capable of much better and at $500,000 a year it's not unreasonable for the coach and club to expect him to raise the bar to another level. Put simply that expection now appears to have turned into a demand to do so or play somewhere else. Watching Matt Scott on Friday night puts things into perspective because Ben Hannant certainly has that same ability if he chose to use it.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Damien Polar Bears dont like the sun.
Margaret M
Guest
Asking is it April 1st
Gobbler
Guest
I bet he isn't.
Damien
Roar Guru
Word is that Hennant's demotion has got NOTHING to do with his form. Its not even worth comparing Hennant's stats since they are very good. There is a feeling that Hennant just doesn't quite fit the Broncos culture at the moment. Not sure what that means exactly..
Arthur
Guest
It almost seems that the Broncos are trying to justify their player purchase decisions over established players. Their record in paying for players to join, though, has been awful. Who is one decent import they have brought in? The last one I can remember is Glenn Lazarus. Ben Barba - dud. Martin Kennedy - dud. Michael Ennis - troublemaker. Peter Wallace - hard worker but ordinary. That forward from Penrith (can't even remember his name) - dud. Vidot - tough, but too slow! Jury is still out. Anj so it goes on. It's a wonder Brisbane hasn't bought another dud - Benji Marshall.
Sandy Johnno
Guest
humerous and spot on the money. whats going on between Hook and Hannant? theres got to be more then meets the eye. Hannants job is to make metres, make tackles and perform to his best. he's been ticking these 3 boxs. does griffin think hannants an injury liability? if so, you think he'd be used to mazimise his potential. dumping him to lower grades doesn't. very strange
rvm99
Guest
Well written humorous article which helps to take the edge off a very perplexing state of affairs. I am in complete bewilderment at the treatment of Ben Hannant by Broncos Coach Griffin. Here we have a player who has served club, state and country with distinction, has rarely (if any) had any negative issues off field and could only be described as an ornament to the game with a few more good years in him being packed off to State League? The Broncos must be travelling particularly well to be in a position to do that, but the reality is that they aren’t. You have to respect a coach’s decision however there is very little evidence to support this one if you are a Broncos fan!!!