Ben Hunt

[Headless Chook]

The 2012 clean out was also crazy and we won the premiership the following year, Sometimes you need to be ruthless in professional sport.

There wasn't really much of a cleanout in 2012. We got rid of Anasta because we already had Maloney signed and we got SBW. We then got gifted Jenko so got rid of BJ. The big change for the club was the change in culture instigated by SBW. What's Hunt going to do for our culture? Show players how to throw their toys out of the cot if things don't go their way?

[ism22]

Hasn't he made it clear he wants to go to QLD?

[Mickie Lane]

Moved on from ralphys bicycle pole from many years ago mate gee there were some funny threads back then.

The good ol days

[Rooster_6]

Much like Pearce vs Cronk in 2018, it becomes a question of whether Robbo believes we can win a premiership with Keary and Walker. More specifically, a question of whether we can win a premiership before Teddy and Keary retire. I was angry at the time we got rid of Pearce because I knew we would suffer after Cronk retired. But credit where credit is due, we won two premierships...and yes, we suffered afterwards.

Also throwing it out there that it is not a given that Walker is the one that would be shown the door.

There's no way you move on Keary, a 3 time premiership winner & Clive churchill medal winner for Ben Hunt who has never won a premiership and choked in his only opportunity to do so.

It's Cronk V Pearce but in reverse, one has all the runs on the board the other doesn't.

That's not to say Ben Hunt is incapable of winning a premiership, just that you don't swap him for Keary to improve your premiership winning chances.

The only argument I see for Hunt is at dummy half and then you have to make a call of whether you try to move Brandon Smith on or accept that he's a lock and move Radley on. I don't like that argument but it's at least based in some sound logic.

[Rooster_6]

Suaalii is going anyway. Who knows what Walker will do in the future! I reckon he'll go to the Broncos. Lodge is gone and we have an abundance of back rowers so no big deal moving N Butcher on.

Finishing last 2025 wouldn't bother me if we won the comp next season.

Nat Butcher is a very good player for us, losing him would be akin to losing someone like Isaac Liu. He does all the work that nobody notices or appreciates, he's extremely durable plays huge minutes every year and is versatile enough to play multiple roles to a good level. You just can't undervalue good club men like him.

His versatility has cruelled his career a bit to date as he hasn't been allowed to focus on one positon but last week was a perfect example.. you want me to go back into prop, no worries I'll take 15+ carries and tackle my ass off.

There was a play in the Knights game and I don't know if anyone else noticed it but we had just defused a kick under our posts, it was about 50minutes into the game and we were playing the ball 1m out from out from our try line near the posts, the whole team was gassed and barely anyone was back on side, even very few of the outside backs. But somehow after 50minutes of working in the middle, harder than any other playe Butcher was there to take a scoot out of dummy half and he caught the markers offside giving us a penalty in what was looking like a very dire situation and troboulsome set. That's a Jake Friend play, that's a Boyd Cordner play, a Mitchell Aubusson level of sacrifice... that's leadership and passion to do anything for the badge.

You just don't replace players like that. Certainly not for a 34yr old mercenary currently chucking a tantrum and trying to break a contract that he signed within the last 12 months.

Just look at JWH's smile in the post match press conference when a journo mentions Nat Butcher, that's a bloke you want to play with and appreciate the hell out of and to get that respect from JWH should say it all.

A true club man.

[dice]

There's no way you move on Keary, a 3 time premiership winner & Clive churchill medal winner for Ben Hunt who has never won a premiership and choked in his only opportunity to do so.

By that simplistic definition a much younger Momo deserves to be signed for many years, and yet most supporters want him shown the door at 26yo. Collins won MOM this week and it doesn't make him the best forward in the comp, not even best forward in our team, and certainly not the best forward five years after the fact.

Anyways, enough of that. The point I want to make is Keary is not an organiser. Robbo gave him the #7 jersey two years in a row to and he failed. That is not a criticism of Keary. Just pointing out that Keary is a pure running 5/8th and not an organiser. That means his success relies on his speed. He cannot drag his career on like Cronk did and compensate with his ability to organise and direct the team. It is a shorter time frame. With that in mind, it becomes a thought process for the coach:
- Can we win a comp in next couple years before the likes of Keary and Teddy lose their speed?
- Can I replace one of the halves and win a comp in that timeframe?
- If I can't win a comp within that time frame then why would I hold onto aging players that are incapable of winning a comp?

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

Cheese out, Hunt in.

[Random Rooster]

Here's the hint....

If Nick makes no comment on a player then we may be in negotiations with him

If Nick says we wont be buying a player then he means it.

All this Ben Hunt talk has zero truth about it

[Bates]

Nat Butcher is a very good player for us, losing him would be akin to losing someone like Isaac Liu. He does all the work that nobody notices or appreciates, he's extremely durable plays huge minutes every year and is versatile enough to play multiple roles to a good level. You just can't undervalue good club men like him.

His versatility has cruelled his career a bit to date as he hasn't been allowed to focus on one positon but last week was a perfect example.. you want me to go back into prop, no worries I'll take 15+ carries and tackle my ass off.

There was a play in the Knights game and I don't know if anyone else noticed it but we had just defused a kick under our posts, it was about 50minutes into the game and we were playing the ball 1m out from out from our try line near the posts, the whole team was gassed and barely anyone was back on side, even very few of the outside backs. But somehow after 50minutes of working in the middle, harder than any other playe Butcher was there to take a scoot out of dummy half and he caught the markers offside giving us a penalty in what was looking like a very dire situation and troboulsome set. That's a Jake Friend play, that's a Boyd Cordner play, a Mitchell Aubusson level of sacrifice... that's leadership and passion to do anything for the badge.

You just don't replace players like that. Certainly not for a 34yr old mercenary currently chucking a tantrum and trying to break a contract that he signed within the last 12 months.

Just look at JWH's smile in the post match press conference when a journo mentions Nat Butcher, that's a bloke you want to play with and appreciate the hell out of and to get that respect from JWH should say it all.

A true club man.

I'm not saying that N Butcher isn't a very good player.

You said we didn't have the cap space to fit Hunt in. I listed 4 players that we could move on to make space for Hunt and also go shopping for another quality prop.

Bottom line - Signing Hunt is more important than retaining N Butcher Imo. Winning premierships comes 1st. Loyalty 2nd. That's how our club operates. Look at what happened to Pearce once Cronk was on the Radar!

[Random Rooster]

I'm not saying that N Butcher isn't a very good player.

You said we didn't have the cap space to fit Hunt in. I listed 4 players that we could move on to make space for Hunt and also go shopping for another quality prop.

Bottom line - Signing Hunt is more important than retaining N Butcher Imo. Winning premierships comes 1st. Loyalty 2nd. That's how our club operates. Look at what happened to Pearce once Cronk was on the Radar!

Hunt ain't no Cronk....not even close

[Bates]

Hunt ain't no Cronk....not even close

He doesn’t need to be.

[Sentimentinel]

Nat Butcher is a very good player for us, losing him would be akin to losing someone like Isaac Liu. He does all the work that nobody notices or appreciates, he's extremely durable plays huge minutes every year and is versatile enough to play multiple roles to a good level. You just can't undervalue good club men like him.

His versatility has cruelled his career a bit to date as he hasn't been allowed to focus on one positon but last week was a perfect example.. you want me to go back into prop, no worries I'll take 15+ carries and tackle my ass off.

There was a play in the Knights game and I don't know if anyone else noticed it but we had just defused a kick under our posts, it was about 50minutes into the game and we were playing the ball 1m out from out from our try line near the posts, the whole team was gassed and barely anyone was back on side, even very few of the outside backs. But somehow after 50minutes of working in the middle, harder than any other playe Butcher was there to take a scoot out of dummy half and he caught the markers offside giving us a penalty in what was looking like a very dire situation and troboulsome set. That's a Jake Friend play, that's a Boyd Cordner play, a Mitchell Aubusson level of sacrifice... that's leadership and passion to do anything for the badge.

You just don't replace players like that. Certainly not for a 34yr old mercenary currently chucking a tantrum and trying to break a contract that he signed within the last 12 months.

Just look at JWH's smile in the post match press conference when a journo mentions Nat Butcher, that's a bloke you want to play with and appreciate the hell out of and to get that respect from JWH should say it all.

A true club man.

Very well said, I can't wait for Hunt to sign elsewhere so we can all move on.

That roar article plus the Twitter thread based off it I read earlier in the week shaped my opinion.

I want to see Brandon Smith fire first before the other definite imports arrive next year in Leniu and Young.

[Headless Chook]

By that simplistic definition a much younger Momo deserves to be signed for many years, and yet most supporters want him shown the door at 26yo. Collins won MOM this week and it doesn't make him the best forward in the comp, not even best forward in our team, and certainly not the best forward five years after the fact.

Anyways, enough of that. The point I want to make is Keary is not an organiser. Robbo gave him the #7 jersey two years in a row to and he failed. That is not a criticism of Keary. Just pointing out that Keary is a pure running 5/8th and not an organiser. That means his success relies on his speed. He cannot drag his career on like Cronk did and compensate with his ability to organise and direct the team. It is a shorter time frame. With that in mind, it becomes a thought process for the coach:
- Can we win a comp in next couple years before the likes of Keary and Teddy lose their speed?
- Can I replace one of the halves and win a comp in that timeframe?
- If I can't win a comp within that time frame then why would I hold onto aging players that are incapable of winning a comp?

Why? How many Clive Churchills has he won?

[HunchoRooster]

I think we are more likely to get RTS than we are Hunt at this stage now.

[Yak]

Nat Butcher is a very good player for us, losing him would be akin to losing someone like Isaac Liu. He does all the work that nobody notices or appreciates, he's extremely durable plays huge minutes every year and is versatile enough to play multiple roles to a good level. You just can't undervalue good club men like him.

His versatility has cruelled his career a bit to date as he hasn't been allowed to focus on one positon but last week was a perfect example.. you want me to go back into prop, no worries I'll take 15+ carries and tackle my ass off.

There was a play in the Knights game and I don't know if anyone else noticed it but we had just defused a kick under our posts, it was about 50minutes into the game and we were playing the ball 1m out from out from our try line near the posts, the whole team was gassed and barely anyone was back on side, even very few of the outside backs. But somehow after 50minutes of working in the middle, harder than any other playe Butcher was there to take a scoot out of dummy half and he caught the markers offside giving us a penalty in what was looking like a very dire situation and troboulsome set. That's a Jake Friend play, that's a Boyd Cordner play, a Mitchell Aubusson level of sacrifice... that's leadership and passion to do anything for the badge.

You just don't replace players like that. Certainly not for a 34yr old mercenary currently chucking a tantrum and trying to break a contract that he signed within the last 12 months.

Just look at JWH's smile in the post match press conference when a journo mentions Nat Butcher, that's a bloke you want to play with and appreciate the hell out of and to get that respect from JWH should say it all.

A true club man.

Great post R6.