Hunt isn’t a liability, coach says

WAYNE Bennett has rubbished suggestions Ben Hunt is a defensive liability and will not stand up to the rigours of State of Origin.

Hunt will be the shortest player on the field in Wednesday’s blockbuster decider at Suncorp Stadium when he makes his Maroons debut.

The Broncos halfback was a controversial selection by coach Kevin Walters, trumping in-form Manly playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans for Queensland’s bench utility berth.

Hunt (178cm) will be thrust into the middle of the field to ease the defensive load on Cameron Smith and tasked with the job of bringing down Blues Andrew Fifita (194cm), David Klemmer (198cm) and Aaron Woods (194cm).

It is a role he is familiar with, having spent the first four years of his NRL career as a bench hooker for the Broncos, and Bennett said Hunt would not fail for the Maroons.

“If they run at him he tackles them,” he said.

“He’s a strong defensive player. We know that.

“He’s got an ideal build for that role they’ve got. He’s 90odd-kilograms.

“He will be used the same way they’ve used (Michael) Morgan, Cherry-Evans and Cooper Cronk (in the past). Ben is more than capable of handling that.

“He is a pretty tough little guy. He’s really competitive. That won’t faze him.

“He’s played a lot of hooker. Defensively he will hold up very good.”

Hunt is one of the NRL’s more reliable defensive halfbacks, averaging 22 tackles a game this season.

But it is his damaging running game that has caught the attention of Walters, who wants him to challenge the Blues when he is thrust into the action.

“Ben is not in the team for his defence,” Walters said.

“We know he is capable there, but we’ve got him in there for his running game.

“When he’s got the ball in his hands he needs to challenge NSW defensive line.

“That will be his instructions. It’s pretty simple but it’s a big job for him.”