Official Royce Hunt

[bort]

If he doesn’t step up this year and hit his potential then it’s time for him to be moved on.

He’s in his 5th year with us next season at 28 years of age. It’s time he delivers. Not just for 3-4 games a year for the whole season.

Same goes for Toby and Uele. If they want to get extended then they need to prove they’re worth the coin they’re asking.

Time to start making some tough decisions for the sake of getting us to our next premiership. Finucane also has this year to get himself together otherwise I’d be looking to move him on from his final year as well.

What coin are they asking?
Maybe they are worth it

The fact some would like to have better props doesn’t mean the ones we have aren’t worth what they are paid

You’ve just potentially ‘moved on’ four of our top 6 or 7 middles! Hope you’ve got some replacements coming, I like the look of Hazleton but not sure he can cover all that

 

[Gumby]

What coin are they asking?
Maybe they are worth it

The fact some would like to have better props doesn’t mean the ones we have aren’t worth what they are paid

You’ve just potentially ‘moved on’ four of our top 6 or 7 middles! Hope you’ve got some replacements coming, I like the look of Hazleton but not sure he can cover all that

It’s a figure of speech mate.

You don’t see sides like the roosters carrying players for 3-4 years if they aren’t getting better each season and reaching their potential on a consistent basis. If they haven’t reached their potential they’re quick to move them on. They very rarely get it wrong. This is how I’d like the sharks to be.

Also it’s called going to market.

 

[BurgoShark]

Something that pops up from time to time is that he doesn't play as well when he starts. I'm not sure that is technically correct.

When Royce has started he has had some fantastic opening stints, but he doesn't bring the same level of involvement after a 60 minute sit-down.

I'm thinking that maybe it's not the starting that doesn't suit Royce, but rather the "play the first 20 and then the back end of the game" rotation. I reckon you could mount an argument that "first 20 and then a short stint early in the second half" is the best way to use him in games he starts.

 

[Sparkles]

Something that pops up from time to time is that he doesn't play as well when he starts. I'm not sure that is technically correct.

When Royce has started he has had some fantastic opening stints, but he doesn't bring the same level of involvement after a 60 minute sit-down.

I'm thinking that maybe it's not the starting that doesn't suit Royce, but rather the "play the first 20 and then the back end of the game" rotation. I reckon you could mount an argument that "first 20 and then a short stint early in the second half" is the best way to use him in games he starts.

Even though he's an 'impact player' I feel like he does better when working himself into the game... Is he a starting forward with longer minutes to match?

 

[bort]

Even though he's an 'impact player' I feel like he does better when working himself into the game... Is he a starting forward with longer minutes to match?

I think sometimes he comes off the bench a bit too frantic to make an impact, which doesn't happen as much as when he starts. However I do prefer him as an impact player.
But he gets starts when BHU is out as he is next in line for that role.
Hoping BHU has a good run next season and that will keep Hunt working on his impact role.

I think roughly

8 Finucane/Rudolf/Williams/Kaufusi*/Colquhoun - 2 from this list
10 BHU/Hunt/Hazelton/Kaufusi/Colquhoun/THT - 2 from this list (or 3 if 4 forward bench)
13 Finucane/McInnes/Williams/Colquhoun - 2 from this list
Finau and Bradbury not included

*Kaufusi jumps Williams if needed to start, also only in the list for the 10 as I think from an overall depth perspective he would get picked ahead, I wouldn't personally have him there. If he was in this 'role' he could potentially also start.

(Hazelton may well start season ahead of Hunt based on the trajectory he was on)

 

[Sparkles]

I think sometimes he comes off the bench a bit too frantic to make an impact, which doesn't happen as much as when he starts. However I do prefer him as an impact player.
But he gets starts when BHU is out as he is next in line for that role.
Hoping BHU has a good run next season and that will keep Hunt working on his impact role.

I think roughly

8 Finucane/Rudolf/Williams/Kaufusi*/Colquhoun - 2 from this list
10 BHU/Hunt/Hazelton/Kaufusi/Colquhoun/THT - 2 from this list (or 3 if 4 forward bench)
13 Finucane/McInnes/Williams/Colquhoun - 2 from this list
Finau and Bradbury not included

*Kaufusi jumps Williams if needed to start, also only in the list for the 10 as I think from an overall depth perspective he would get picked ahead, I wouldn't personally have him there. If he was in this 'role' he could potentially also start.

(Hazelton may well start season ahead of Hunt based on the trajectory he was on)

Yeah, he's an awkward type. Good but not great motor. Good and occasionally excellent impact. Biggish and can move pretty well. If he could ballplay you'd think me might make a decent lock.

 

[BurgoShark]

Royce Hunt - 2023
Poster child for short stints. The more he plays, the less he does.

- tackle % was good no matter what
- overall defensive involvement went down dramatically the longer he played (~35-40% down)
- involvement inside 40 was similar to Kaufusi. Solid with a slight trend down if he played longer
- overall attacking involvement went down the longer he played (almost identical to Hazelton)

Royce is the perfect player to have on your bench to come on and put the foot on the throat when you have a large possession share. He's a beast on kick returns and inside the attacking end and is good for an offload or two most games. Perfect guy to have as the 4th forward on your bench in games you want someone playing that 15 minute role.

In the games he started he had some amazing first stints, but he would struggle to get involved in his second stint.

In terms of attacking involvement the finals game was his best as a starter. Round 9 vs the Cowboys was his best overall output in terms of attack + defence + minutes played. Was just hitting his straps and then had to start the following week (just like Kaufusi, the loss of Rudolf and BHU really hurt him).

 

[Art Vandelay]

geez

 

[Sparkles]

@Sir Chadley , you're forwarding these to Fitz, yeah?

 

[JimBob]

Not exactly the way I was hoping he’d start 2024…

With BHU coming back someone needs to lose their spot, and while I felt Kafusi was investable, that’s tenfold better than the reasons I noticed Hunt.

 

[bort]

Not exactly the way I was hoping he’d start 2024…

He sacrificed himself to break the round 1 curse
That’s what we’ll tell ourselves

 

[beaver2233]

After that 3rd error late in the game he did up his defensive effort, but yeah very rough game from him.

 

[Thresher]

Think he felt the pressure from being our leading big bopper and tried too hard to be a game breaker.

Slot him back to the bench for short stints with a simple role.

 

[MMsharks]

Think he felt the pressure from being our leading big bopper and tried too hard to be a game breaker.

Slot him back to the bench for short stints with a simple role.

agree

late in that game one great bullocking run up the half

thats what we want from him
damage the defensive line, put a dent it in at those moments

 

[bort]

Don’t get me wrong I’m real down on Royce right now but

But he was bugger all away from two offloads to a waiting sharks player and a penalty for being stripped/tackle going on

They were sooooo close to being fine

But they weren’t fine, they were ****ed
Don’t just blindly throw it

 

[apezza]

Cause we won I will put his lapses down to first round whoopsies.

Happy to give him another chance. He has huge potential.

 

[Flanno]

Yeah **** start but it’s one game - we know he isn’t a consistent player. Will be a mixed bag with him

 

[HaroldBishop]

Stop ****ing passing with your back to the defence ffs

 

[MMsharks]

Stop ****ing passing with your back to the defence ffs

those two were coach killers!

 

[Shortfin Mako]

He almost cost us the game tonight.