State of Origin 2020: Ben Hunt on call to replace Cameron Munster at five-eighth
He’s one of the most maligned players in the game but Dragons playmaker Ben Hunt could hold the key to easing Queensland’s injury crisis. MAROONS’ CASUALTY WARD
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Wayne Bennett is poised to call on Ben Hunt to make a shock switch to five-eighth for Queensland in this year’s State of Origin series.
Bennett is seriously considering the much maligned St George Illawarra playmaker to partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves if Cameron Munster is ruled out.
Meanwhile, Bennett was on Thursday still waiting on a final decision from Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga with the Maroons’ injury crisis expected to go from bad to worse.
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Ponga was initially named in the squad pending a meeting with a specialist on Thursday.
If he is officially ruled out it would open the door for Gold Coast sensation AJ Brimson to make his Origin debut in the crucial No.1 jumper.
That’s taking into account Val Holmes will also miss game one through suspension.
Ponga has been carrying a shoulder injury for some time and it is expected to require surgery.
That will have an estimated three-to-five month recovery time, which will also cruel his pre-season preparations.
The Maroons just can’t seem to take a trick at the moment.
They have already lost Kyle Feldt, Corey Oates, Michael Morgan, Moses Mbye, Anthony Milford, Ash Taylor and David Fifita to injury.
Losing Munster would just about be a knockout blow, with NSW already the raging hot favourites after winning the last two series.
Munster suffered a recurrence of an ongoing MCL knee injury in last weekend’s finals win over Parramatta.
Even if Munster is lucky enough to play through the rest of the finals series for Melbourne, there would have to be a huge question mark hanging over his Origin availability.
But given the injury crisis Bennett has walked into after taking over from Kevvie Walters, his back up halves options are looking extremely thin.
Knights utility Kurt Mann looks to be the next best option but he would be considered more a bench utility.
While Hunt was Queensland’s player of the series as hooker last year, Bennett doesn’t have near the same shortage of other dummy halves options.
Jake Friend would have to be rated the favourite if he gets through the finals fit and healthy to finally make his Origin debut, with Harry Grant and Reed Mahoney also in the background.
But in the backs the contenders just keep falling over.
Hunt is understood to have been training on his own and is rearing to go for Queensland.
Bennett would have no reservations playing him in the halves given his experience even though Hunt has played his best rep footy at dummy half.
Decimated Maroons to lose another superstar
- Travis Meyn and Peter Badel
Queensland’s Origin campaign is in tatters with Storm sensation Cameron Munster the latest Maroons star in danger of being ruled out of the historic November series.
News Corp can reveal Munster could be the eighth Maroon rubbed out of Origin I as new Maroons coach Wayne Bennett faces a full-blown injury crisis ahead of the series opener on November 4.
Munster suffered his third knee injury of the season in last week’s finals defeat of the Eels and there are fears over how much longer the Maroons ace can keep soldiering on.
While the Storm are confident Munster can overcome a minor MCL sprain to play in next week’s preliminary final, the Test pivot’s battered knee eventually needs extended rest.
Munster is desperate to play in this year’s Origin series but if he battles on, he risks further damage in Maroons colours and possible surgery which would decimate his Storm pre-season.
Michael Morgan, Kyle Feldt, David Fifita, Moses Mbye, Corey Oates and Ash Taylor have been scratched from Queensland’s train-on squad due to injury. Star fullback Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) is unlikely to feature in this year’s series, while winger Valentine Holmes will miss Game One at Adelaide Oval due to suspension.
But the possible loss of premiership-winner Munster — the X-factor in Queensland’s playmaking spine — would be the most crushing blow yet for the Maroons.
Bennett said he will not pressure Munster to take on the Blues despite the Maroons facing a Mission Impossible task to reclaim the Origin shield.
“I’m hopeful Cam is there,” Bennett said. “But if he has an injury and he can’t be there, I totally understand that.
“I won’t force him if he’s not fit to play.
“It’s a tough part of the season for Origin. Guys like Munster are just doing their best to get through to the grand final and often they don’t have another game in them.”
Storm football chief Frank Ponissi said Melbourne would not stand in Munster’s way if he wanted to wear the Queensland No.6 jumper, but concedes he needs a break.
“If he needed surgery or playing on was risking further injury then we would definitely be having a discussion with him,” he said.
“But the medical staff are very happy for him (to play Origin).
“The ligaments are fine but there’s a little bursa behind the knee and when he gets a whack on the knee it gets swollen.
“He needs a good rest and to rehab it and he’s not going to get that until after Origin.”
Kevin Walters, who stood down as Queensland coach last week, said the Maroons desperately needed Munster on the park.
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“Cam is so important to Queensland,” he said.
“He is such a proud Queenslander and loves playing for the jumper. We saw last week how he chucked his mouthguard when he came off injured.
“I’m sure he would love to be part of another Origin series. It’s rare to find a player who is 100 per cent at this stage of the season.”
Munster, who has played seven Origin games for Queensland, has twice had brief breaks this season to rehab his injured knee.
“It is frustrating,” he said. “I’ve been trying to do everything I can off-field to make sure it’s strong enough, everything I can rehab-wise.
“I’m going to have to manage it. That’s what the season has been like. Everyone is a bit fatigued.”
Originally published as State of Origin 2020: Ben Hunt on call to replace Cameron Munster at five-eighth