With Daly Cherry-Evans in doubt to play State of Origin Game 2 in Sydney, can Queensland win with Ben Hunt in the number seven jersey?
Hunt’s call-up to the Queensland Origin side demonstrates how far he has come since Round 1.
Yes, a rash of injuries have disrupted Origin prep for Queensland, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation if Cherry Bomb wasn’t training by himself behind closed doors, but behind a talented Broncos forward pack, Hunt has excelled this year and deserves his chance.
MORE ORIGIN:
>> O’CONNELL: Why NSW will win Origin 2
>> [WATCH] Highlights from Game 2 2013
>> PRENTICE: Why Queensland will win Origin 2
>> Roar preview for State of Origin Game 2
>> [WATCH] Highlights from Game 1 2014
In previous seasons the diminutive Hunt played a bit-part role off the bench, entering the fray for 20 minute stints during the game as a replacement hooker or occasionally as a utility backrower to tackle his guts out.
At best he seemed a fringe first-grade player, destined to hover between the bench and the Ipswich Jets’ run-on side.
2014 marks Hunt’s first year of top flight footy at halfback for Brisbane. As a Broncos supporter, watching some of the early games of the 2014 season, when Ben Hunt was still finding his feet and his decision-making left a lot to be desired, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one hurling a few rhyming expletives at the TV.
However, as the season has progressed, so has the young number 7, to the point where he is arguably the form half in the competition.
Hunt has developed into the most dangerous halfback in the competition with ball in hand. He is tied second for line breaks – equal with Jarryd Hayne – tied sixth for try assists, seventh for linebreak assists and has more tries than any other halfback in the competition.
When Hunt runs at the defence he is always a danger, as evidenced by his ability to break the line, and he has an uncanny knack for using his deceptive speed to zip past edge defenders expecting him to pass. Not since Alfie Langer have the Broncos had a halfback who can cause as much trouble taking the ball to the line.
We all know State of Origin is a different beast, renowned for blunting a player’s positive contributions and exposing their flaws, and Hunt has two areas of his game that could bring the Queensland side unstuck – his defence and his kicking game.
While not in the Brett Kimmorley range of speed-bumpiness, if Hunt is wearing maroon on Wednesday night his defensive performance will need to dramatically improve. In Matt King’s article on the best and worst defensive halfbacks of the NRL, he detailed the sub-par defensive performance of Hunt so far this season and if Game 1 proved anything, it’s the importance of having halves who can tackle.
With Queensland’s mobile forward pack, and the bonus of having Broncos teammates Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett on the edge of the ruck providing defensive support, Hunt should be steady.
Hunt leads the league for kicks in play throughout the season. Just using the eye test, I’d guess that at least a third of those kicks resulted in me swearing in frustration at either the choice of kick or the execution.
The saving grace for Hunt is that Queensland has Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith to carry the burden of the kicking game. The less Hunt’s laces touch the ball, the better Queensland’s chances.
Queensland couldn’t break through NSW’s defence, despite setting up camp on the Blues’ try line in the second half of Game One. Hunt’s ability to keep defenders guessing with ball in hand might just be the dose of attacking flair the Maroons need to get the job done in Game Two.
Can Queensland win with Ben Hunt playing halfback? Absolutely. This series is headed for a decider.
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