EXCLUSIVE: Intriguing Ben Hunt prediction floated after Broncos 'lost their attack' in sudden slump
Brought to you by TAB. Nine
Broncos legend and club director Darren Lockyer believes Ben Hunt's move to hooker against the Warriors could be a hint for the future as the club works through a spine dilemma.
Lockyer's comments come as Billy Slater claims the side has "lost a little bit of their attack" in the wake of a form slump.
READ MORE: Papenhuyzen avoids sanction for incident everyone missed
READ MORE: Bailey Smith's admission after brutal act on rival
READ MORE: 'Serious talk' Broncos need to have with 'fragile' Walsh
Hunt wasn't at his best against the Warriors at the weekend and shifted from five-eighth to hooker in the second half.
His partnership with Adam Reynolds couldn't have begun better at the start of the season when the Broncos smashed the Roosters.
Ben Hunt reacts during Brisbane's loss to the Warriors. Getty
Since then, there's been mixed levels of success and disappointment. The loss to the Warriors made it two in a row for the Broncos.
Slater admits a change was needed during the Warriors match.
"I think when you're in a situation like that you just need to change things to spark things up and I think whenever Ben Hunt's got his hands on the footy, things can spark up pretty quick so I don't mind that move occasionally," he said on Nine's The Billy Slater podcast.
"... It's a great luxury that (coach) Michael Maguire's got at his disposal because we know what a quality No.9 Ben Hunt can be. I think he'll start back in the halves and if need be he'll switch it around."
Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
Post-match, Maguire admitted he's yet to figure out his best spine combination with Ezra Mam's suspension set to end by round 10.
His looming return brings curiosity to what will happen next and Lockyer believes the Hunt switch could be a sign of things to come.
"I don't know what Madge's plans are with Ezra. He hasn't played footy for a long time, he might be fit in training but match fitness takes a little while," he said on Wide World of Sports' QLDER.
"Ezra is probably expecting that to happen but I guess we'll wait to see. The other night they had three hookers (Cory Paix, Billy Walters and Tyson Smoothy) in the team but then Ben Hunt still spent some time at hooker as well so is that a sign (a permanent switch is in the works)?"
Lockyer also conceded the wet weather in Auckland didn't suit Hunt.
"The conditions weren't great for ball-playing, I think he just had a bit of a night where the conditions effected his confidence and effected his execution so he's been around long enough. I think we'll get a reaction out of him," he said.
Hunt is a halfback by trade has found great success playing hooker for Queensland at Origin level.
