Crash Craddock: Ben Hunt’s hidden ‘Alfie Langer’ trait that could be greatest gift to Broncos

While his playmaking is his most conspicuous asset, Ben Hunt also brings an underrated trait to Brisbane - one that mirrors club legend Allan Langer. It could end up being his greatest gift to the Broncos, writes ROBERT “CRASH” CRADDOCK.

Behind the playmaking talent which is his most conspicuous asset Ben Hunt has an Allan Langer-like trait that could be his greatest gift to the Broncos.

Like Langer, Hunt is a small man who gets targeted every week but, like a sock in a tumble dryer, somehow just bounces along and comes up in one piece when the machine stops spinning.

Resilience was Langer’s most underestimated trait. In 13 years with the Broncos Langer played 258 games – just shy of 20 per year.

Langer did once suffer a broken leg but had an incredible ability to just keep fronting up.

Langer was a better player than Hunt but Hunt is in the Langer category of small playmakers who somehow just keep chugging along, match after match, season after season, niggle after niggle.

In his 16 seasons of NRL football before rejoining the Broncos this season Hunt played an astonishing 334 games, just shy of 21 games per season.

Ben Hunt has showed Langer-like toughness throughout his NRL career. Picture: NRL Photos

That’s blue chip toughness for you and it could be very handy if injury strikes his fellow playmaker Adam Reynolds.

The Broncos shellacking of the Roosters had just started when Greg Alexander nominated Hunt as the buy of the season. It’s early days but he could be on to something.

STRANDED DOLPHINS

They say dolphins love cyclones but we are here to tell you it’s not true.

At least not the rugby league playing ones when they become beached by a king tide of adversity.

What about this for a nightmare. Cyclone Alfred forced three or their players to stay home from a game shifted to Sydney against the Rabbitohs which they lost by two agonising points.

The Dolphins went down to the Rabbitohs by just two points. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

That was Friday night. The next day they rose at 4.30am for a 7am flight only to have it cancelled at the last minute when they were at the airport.

So it was back to the team hotel at Homebush before returning to the airport for a 3pm flight to Toowoomba followed by a bus home which landed at Redcliffe at 7pm, more than 14 hours after they rose in the morning.

But wait – there’s more. The Dolphins are not sure whether their training field at Redcliffe will be dry enough for a Monday session they need to get them ready for a Thursday night in Newcastle.

The challenges just keep coming. If the Dolphins win on Thursday it will be one of their finest road efforts.

THE BEARS ARE BACK

The Bears are back … almost.

Labor’s weekend victory in the West Australian election is good news for the supporters of defunct but spiritually very much alive North Sydney Bears for whom many Queenslanders have a soft spot due to the deeds of Billy Moore, Gary Larson, Tony Rea, Ben Ikin and many other Queenslanders who played in the red and black.

Before the election the NRL had extended talks with the WA government about the possibility of a Western Bears team joining the NRL with a $120 million backing plus stadium and grassroots support being already on the table.

We tip that there is still some argy bargy to go in negotiations but – much to the joy of this mastheads Bears tragics Ben Horne and Julian Linden – the Bears will be back.

NUDGEE BOY MAKES GOOD

The Roosters looks set for a dreadful winter but amid the wreckage of their thrashing by the Broncos, a small diamond sparkled.

For all the (rightful) jokes about the Roosters salary cap excesses the club does have the ability to spot young talent and stick with them.

Robert Toia was impressive in his NRL debut. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Like Robert Toia who was spotted and signed by Daniel Anderson after shining in a Brisbane Metropolitan North trial when he was a student at Brisbane’s Nudgee College five years ago.

Toia, Auckland born but a former Australian under-15 player, scored a smart try and made five tackle busts against the Broncos on his first grade debut on Thursday.

He is eligible for Queensland and looks a player of the future.

COWABUMMER

Coach Todd Payten is asking some tough questions of his Cowboys in the wake of their spiritless 42-12 loss to Manly.

Immediately after the loss Payten asked the players about their “mental and physical’’ preparation for the match and he said he asked them another question which did not require an immediate answer but which would be discussed this week.

Maybe that was about their fundamental commitment to the cause because they looked desperately poor.

Originally published as Crash Craddock: Ben Hunt’s hidden ‘Alfie Langer’ trait that could be greatest gift to Broncos