Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds is hopeful the club will sign veteran playmaker Ben Hunt, declaring the former Dragon is “an x-factor among some of the game’s greats.”
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And it seems the coaching staff are already preparing for the 34-year-old’s arrival.
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Hunt is searching for a new club after his Dragons contract was terminated last month and the Broncos are said to be in the box seat to land him after the Bulldogs withdrew from the race for his signature.
It would be a homecoming for the Hunt, who played 187 games for the Broncos between 2009 and 2017, and Reynolds would welcome him back to Red Hill with open arms.
“He could do a lot, he’s a great player. He’s a leader off the field as well, which is super important in any organisation,” Reynolds told the media this week.
“He’s an x-factor among some of the game’s greats and (it would) obviously be a big benefit getting him here if we can.”
The Broncos have reportedly offered Hunt a $1.1 million, two-year offer as well as a job at the club when he retires as an extra incentive in a bid to upstage the Dolphins’ $1.4 million, two-year offer.
If Hunt were to return to the Broncos there’s a chance he could link up with Reynolds in the halves — if Ezra Mam is stood down after being hit with two charges relating to a head-on collision.
Alternatively, Hunt could slot in at hooker given he plays his representative football there.
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Reynolds didn’t want to think too far ahead about where Hunt could play but when asked about partnering him in the halves, Reynolds said: “I’m sure we’d sit down and work out a game plan. We’ve got some smart assistant coaches here who are working in the background figuring all that out now.”
Hunt’s arrival could, however, stunt the development of up-and-coming half Coby Black — the 18-year-old that’s been touted as Reynolds’ successor.
But Reynolds can only see a potential Hunt arrival as a positive because it’ll just push others to be better.
“When there’s competition for seven spot or a nine or a three, no matter where you are if you’ve got competition in the squad it’s going to make you a better player,” he said.
“Ben would add to that if he did arrive here and that’s not to say he won’t make everyone else better in the team as well.
“He’s a competitor, he brings a lot of experience to the game as well and no doubt he’d be a great addition to the squad if we can get him.”
As big of a coup it would be to land Hunt, Reynolds is under no illusion that it would solve all of the Broncos’ problems.
Brisbane have, on paper, one of the most exciting and capable teams in the competition but failed to live up to expectations last season and missed out on finals.
“It’s a collective as a whole team and that’s why we’re doing a pre-season to get through that,” Reynolds said.
“Skill doesn’t go away overnight, it’s very easy to skip over some things when things aren’t going well.
“That’s one thing the coaches have done really well this pre-season is revisit all those effort areas and everything that seemed to fall away last year.
“It’s so important to make sure you keep touching on those sort of bases and the skill will come out after all the nitty gritty stuff.”
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Leading the way at Red Hill in what’s said to be a brutal pre-season is new coach Michael Maguire — a notoriously hard taskmaster.
Reynolds, who won a premiership under Maguire, admitted the training is “certainly different” to what it was under former coach Kevin Walters but he and his teammates are all on board.
“‘Madge’ and the other assistants have their way of getting about things and it’s (up to) us as players to buy into that,” he said.
“I loved my time under Kev — I love Kev — but obviously you’ve got to park that to the side now and move on.
“‘Madge’ brings something different to what Kev did and as a team we’ve just got to buy in and make sure we’re all on the same page.
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“Everyone’s buying in. It doesn’t matter if you’re an 18-year-old or 35-year-old — Marty (Taupau) — everyone’s buying into the culture.
“It’s a great place to be around. We’re all having fun, we’re all enjoying each other’s company and enjoying working hard out there together.
“(Maguire’s) changed a little bit, which is good. He’s obviously learned a fair bit over his time at a few different organisations. He’s a very well-experienced coach now.
“He knows what works, he knows what doesn’t work and it’s us as players that need to have the faith in that and belief in his direction. It’s been a great start to the pre-season, I can’t fault any of it.”
As for Reynolds’ future, the 34-year-old is signed until the end of next season but will “see how the body is feeling halfway through” before making a call on 2026.
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