NRL 2020: Dragons star Ben Hunt under the pump as poor start to season continues against Warriors
Queensland coach Kevin Walters urged Ben Hunt to take on the line more in a bid to find some form. But one former star say the Dragons playmaker may only be offered limited opportunity in the future to do so.
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Rugby league hardman Mark Carroll says besieged Ben Hunt is closer to reserve grade than State of Origin.
Hunt and his St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor are the NRL’s two most scrutinised characters four days into the competition’s resumption with opinions divided over who’s to blame over the Dragons’ dismal winless start.
With only twin wins over last year’s wooden spooners Gold Coast from their past 13 games and unable to post a point against the New Zealand Warriors at the weekend, McGregor is odds-on to be the first coach sacked in 2020.
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“Old Mary (McGregor), he can’t hide. He’s had one game back and they’ve lost,” Carroll told Fox League Live.
“But I just look at the halves. Ben Hunt, everyone’s talking about (how) he’s on this massive money.
“But he came out last week saying he’s worried about the end of the year because State of Origin is going to be played after (the season) and there’s going to be some teams disadvantaged about not playing in the semi-finals.
“Hello? Ben? Deadset, mate, no one gets picked from reserve grade and the way his performance was at the weekend, he’ll end up being there.
“Mary will have no other option than to put you in reserve grade. You’ve got to aim up and guide this team around. I don’t see any guidance.
“You can see by the footy - they wouldn’t scare anyone.”
Queensland coach Kevin Walters urged Hunt and Dragons five-eighth Corey Norman to take on the line more.
Hunt had just two runs from 65 possessions in the Dragons’ 18-0 loss to the Warriors, while Norman took the line on six times in his 80 minutes.
“They’ve got some explaining to do,” Carroll said of the Dragons’ woeful attack, before offering his own solution.
“I was watching the Wests Tigers game and on the sidelines, Josh Reynolds. Mate, he’s not going to get a game there.
“Give this kid a go. Josh Reynolds, go to the Dragons with your energy, enthusiasm and guide this team around.
“He only needs a chance and I think there’s an opportunity there at the Dragons.”
Hunt could face axe after worst start in seven years
Premiership-winning hooker Michael Ennis has called for St George-Illawarra's $1-million man Ben Hunt to be axed from the halfback jumper, writes David Riccio.
In a forthright appraisal after the Dragons shock 18-0 defeat to the Warriors, Ennis said the under-pressure Dragons coach Paul McGregor has no other choice but to make changes to save his coaching career.
For the first time since finishing 14th in 2013, the Dragons are 0-3 to start a season and face Canterbury next week to stop the year spiralling out of control.
“It was extremely disappointing,”' Ennis said of the Dragons’ performance.
“The headline we should be talking about is the Warriors, but unfortunately for the Dragons with the experience they've got in their side, with the key playmakers they've got, you expect a lot more.
“He's got some huge decisions to make, Paul McGregor, who was under enormous pressure coming into the season, but to lose this afternoon, to have lost three straight now and (to see) the performance of their high-profile players, none more than Ben Hunt in the No. 7 jersey, I believe (McGregor’s) got some big decisions to make if he’s going to remain head coach of this club.
“It’s as simple as that.”
Speaking on Fox League, Ennis pointed to the Dragons’ lack of creativity in attack and poor end-of-sets as enough evidence to shift Hunt and move Corey Norman into the halfback role.
“I honestly believe Ben Hunt needs to be taken out of that No. 7 jersey,”' Ennis said.
“I really think that’s an option for Paul McGregor — not to take him (Hunt) out of the side, but I would love to see him go back to that No. 14 jersey.
“Give (Hunt) some freedom, allow him to play like he does when we see him play for Australia, when we see him play for the Queensland side.
“At the moment, they’re just not getting what they need out of those key positions.”
A disappointed Hunt conceded he and the team’s performance wasn’t good enough and said his combination with Norman was a work in progress.
“It didn't work really well today, I don’t think,” Hunt told Fox League.
“I feel like we’ve definitely been working well in the off-season and I think we can continue to grow.
“It’s very disappointing. I think the Warriors just played the new rules better than we did.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: Dragons star Ben Hunt under the pump as poor start to season continues against Warriors