Ben Hunt responds after Billy Slater's criticism of Broncos as huge NRL feat looms
Brisbane's inconsistent form in 2025 was typified by last week's shock loss to the lowly Eels. And the Broncos will be desperate to get their season back on track and reignite their top-four hopes in Friday night's clash with the lowly Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, where Hunt is set to line up in his milestone 200th NRL game for Brisbane.
The veteran playmaker started the season at five-eighth but Ezra Mam's return from suspension saw him reclaim the No.6 jersey. And after spending two months sidelined with a hamstring injury, Hunt has shifted into the No.9 role but has struggled to replicate the sort of form at hooker that he's shown at Origin level for the Maroons in the past.
Hunt's two games in the No.9 jersey have been underwhelming by his high standards, with the 35-year-old only having three runs against the Eels for 15m and no runs against the Titans. And the veteran admits it's an area he has to improve in order to give the Broncos an added dimension and help sharpen up their attack.
"That's definitely something I've got to bring into my game the next few weeks," Hunt said. "Now I am back and have got a bit of match fitness and am into the swing of things, I have got to contribute a lot more with the ball. That definitely involves me running out of dummy-half.
"The good (hookers) are doing that. They get half a sniff, guys like Blayke Brailey at the moment, and they are off and running. I've got to start doing that." Hunt has shown what he's capable of playing hooker for Queensland and Australia but before this season he'd only started 15 NRL games in the No.9 role.
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Billy Slater says Brisbane need to work out their ideal style
So far Brisbane coach Maguire has been unable to get the best out of his veteran playmaker in the role, but Slater says it's a similar situation with several Brisbane stars. The Queensland coach has been quick to defend Reece Walsh amid criticism of the fullback's erratic displays, and says Maguire is yet to settle on a playing style that suits the team.
"I just don't think the Broncos have worked out the balance to their game yet," he said on Nine's Billy Slater Podcast. "You can see they are trying to play a high-percentage style of game and trying to work really hard to get that fluency... I just don't know if it suits all of their players.
"Kotoni Staggs didn't see much ball, he wasn't injected into the game. They need to work out how to extract the best out of their footy team and work to their strengths. Once they find that, they are one of the best teams in the competition. Consistency has been a real issue for them this year and it was an issue even within the game. There's still a bit of work to do, but they've got six weeks to work it out."
Friday night's match against cellar-dwellers South Sydney will be a 'special' occasion for milestone man Hunt, who insists Brisbane still have the team to win the premiership this season, despite last week's speed bump' against the Eels. "If we can play our best footy we can definitely go with any team in the competition," he said. "It is a matter of us turning up and playing our best. We've shown patches of that through the year but we have to be more consistent."
with AAP
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