Kevin Walters says Ben Hunt needs to deliver a career-high performance to help the Dragons beat Brisbane
AFTER weeks of intense media scrutiny, Ben Hunt now has the stage to make his critics eat their words. But it would have to be the game of his life, according to Maroons boss Kevin Walters.
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MAROONS coach Kevin Walters says his former protege Ben Hunt needs the game of his life to beat the Broncos — two months after axing him as Queensland’s starting halfback.
Hunt faces the ultimate challenge when St George Illawarra’s $6 million man returns to Queensland to face his former Broncos teammates in a sudden-death finals clash at Suncorp Stadium.
The last time Hunt visited Suncorp in July, he had bittersweet emotions, admitting he was disappointed to be dropped to the bench by Walters for Queensland’s 18-12 victory in Origin III.
The Dragons’ sizzling start to the 2018 season saw Hunt clinch the Queensland No. 7 jumper for Origin I. Walters instructed Hunt to take ownership of the team, but after steering the Maroons to consecutive losses, the Dragons halfback was demoted in favour of Daly Cherry-Evans for Game Three.
There is a sentiment Hunt has had his confidence shredded by his Origin dumping, but Walters backed the Maroons utility to produce a career-defining display to send Brisbane crashing out of the title race.
“Ben will be looking for the best performance of his career and he will need to do that if the Dragons are going to win,” said Walters, who mentored Hunt at the Broncos as an assistant to Wayne Bennett in 2015.
“You don’t lose your ability overnight. The Dragons have lost their way (at the back end of the season), but Gareth Widdop coming back from injury will assist Ben Hunt and they will put a good challenge to the Broncos.”
Hunt has copped brickbats for his late-season performances but statistics suggest the 28-year-old has not capitulated entirely.
Since his Origin III relegation, Hunt is averaging more possessions (52 to 47) and more runs (4.8 to 4.3) compared to his numbers between rounds 1-17 when the Dragons were firing in the top four.
Hunt has improved his line-breaks (5 to 4) and his kick metres have almost doubled from an average of 280 to 405 per game in the post-Origin III period.
Despite failing to stick with Hunt as his first-choice halfback for Origin III, Walters said recent attacks on Hunt were over-the-top.
“To me, it was ridiculous,” he said. “The criticism is unwarranted.
“His form going into Origin I, he was the best halfback in the competition, then we lost the second Origin game and all of a sudden he couldn’t play.
“Knowing Ben and his character, he will bounce back.”
Hunt famously produced the dropped-ball clanger in the 2015 grand final which led to the Cowboys’ epic extra-time victory, but former teammate Andrew McCullough rubbished suggestions the Dragons half is not a big-game player.
“He certainly can handle the occasion,” he said.
“It’s a hard one, because I don’t want him to deliver on this stage (today), but I know in big games Ben can do it.
“I’ve been out in the middle with him when he has done some great things … I just hope it’s not (Sunday).”
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Originally published as Kevin Walters says Ben Hunt needs to deliver a career-high performance to help the Dragons beat Brisbane