The early signs, and an injury 12 years later, behind Hunt’s shot at redemption

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Scott Prince still has vivid memories of a young tearaway from the bush he sensed had the makings of an NRL champion, albeit not in his preferred position.

“I always thought Benny Hunt was probably one of the best hookers in the game,” Prince, the Broncos’ NRLW coach said ahead of his side’s clash with the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday.

“It’s great to see the old boy having a crack – he’s quite the talent, old Benny.”

Ben Hunt has spearheaded four straight wins for the Broncos.

After spending much of his first three seasons in Brisbane as a bench utility. Hunt was thrust alongside Prince in the halves to close out the 2013 season.

In what was a campaign of disappointment for the glamour club, finishing 12th with just 10 wins, Hunt gave them life following his round 20 injection alongside the former Wests Tigers premiership winner.

At that stage, the club were three wins adrift of the top eight. By the end of round 24, they were just a point off achieving a miracle comeback into finals reckoning, before a loss at home to the Knights ended their ambitions.

The Broncos still secured four triumphs and a draw from those seven games, with Hunt straightening the attack with his running game as he laid the foundations for his ascent to becoming a 20-time Queensland Maroon, and a 2015 grand finalist.

“He obviously played here for a little bit before he left to St George – when you’ve got a club offering you $1.2 [million] to play halfback, he did the right thing, and I’d do it as well,” Prince said.

“But it’s just great to see him evolve with the game – he’s played halfback, he’s played hooker, even at the highest level at State of Origin … he’s played some great footy and is still getting around.”

Brisbane’s qualifying final battle with minor premiers Canberra will end Hunt’s seven-year finals’ drought, having reached the do-or-die stage of the season just once during his time with the Dragons.

While initially recruited as a hooker to forge a lethal spine with Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds, hamstring injuries to the latter pair have thrust the veteran into his preferred halfback duties for the past month.

Four wins in as many contests have followed, with the Blackwater Crushers junior steering the ship. However, next year he is set to return to the No.9 role – a logjam that will include Cory Paix, who announced a one-year contract extension on Thursday night.

After not featuring in the NRL last year and being told he was free to explore his options, Paix said he didn’t think he’d ever get back to the NRL.

“But I always had faith, stuck to my processes, and relied on my hard work to put me back in the frame.

“I’ve got to say, it was challenging, but I’m thankful that I got through those times. I’ve still got plenty to give, and plenty to go as a player, and a person.”

Hunt’s control has been pivotal in the Broncos’ winning run leading into finals, coming up with six try-assists and five line-break assists during that time after returning refreshed from a two-month lay-off with a hamstring injury.

Now, he holds the Broncos’ fate in his hands against the Raiders, as he seeks to write the wrongs of his 2015 grand final heartbreak, in which his dropped kick-off led to the Cowboys stealing a golden point triumph.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster year – I had the injury with my hammy and missed some games, and obviously started out playing five-eighth, then into hooker, and now halfback,” Hunt said.

No pressure … halfback Ben Hunt holds the Broncos’ fate in his hands against the Raiders.

“I did one [a hamstring] 10 years ago, but it was in special circumstances – I got bent over on myself, like snapped down on myself, so outside of that, I’d never done a soft tissue injury.

“It [his recent time out] probably did freshen me up a bit. You never want to have any time off, but it probably has benefited me in the back end of the year.

“There’s been a bit of change there, but I’ve really enjoyed it. Being back at the Broncos, it’s the club I grew up with, and it’s a great place to be coming into work every day.

“It was always the plan when I came home [to be playing finals], so to be here now is definitely something I’m excited about. I came back because I wanted to win a competition.”

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