PAIRING BENNETT FULL OF PRAISE FOR HALVES
WAYNE Bennett anointed Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford as Brisbane’s most exciting scrumbase pairing in 20 years as the duo turned on a pyrotechnics show to hammer the Tigers 42- 16 yesterday.
A generation has passed since Kevin Walters and Allan Langer terrorised rivals during Brisbane’s golden years, but Hunt and Milford represent the Broncos’ newage Alf and Kevvie show.
The Broncos cemented a top- four berth thanks to a first- half demolition of the last- placed Tigers at Suncorp Stadium.
Winger Lachlan Maranta celebrated a hat- trick but it was Hunt and Milford’s onetwo punch that underscores why the Broncos are sitting at the apex of the NRL premiership.
Hunt started the rout, beating six defenders in a winding 40m run that sent Maranta racing away for his opening try in the seventh minute.
Milford then assisted in the massacre.
He set up two first- half tries, including a superb nolook inside ball for Jack Reed’s try to pilot the Broncos to a 26- 0 half- time lead.
A plucky Tigers fightback which netted three tries in nine minutes narrowed the deficit to 26- 16, but the Broncos restored order with three of their own inside the final quarter.
“I thought our halves were outstanding,” Bennett said.
“The hallmark of the 1990s for us was Kevin and Alf and these guys ( Hunt and Milford) are different, but they are very talented.”