Calls to fix flawed system amid ugly Hunt saga; ultimatum to Manly X-factor: Talking Points

The Ben Hunt saga rolls on with the 33-year-old likely to link up with the Broncos this week, and many key figures in the game have expressed their displeasure.

Meanwhile, a rugby league legend has urged a Manly youngster to get ‘his act in order’ in the wake of the season-ending injury to Tom Trbojevic and will Knights coach Adam O’Brien be the next coach sacked?

Read on for all of the biggest talking points out of Round 17.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

CALLS TO FIX ‘FLAWED’ SYSTEM AMID UGLY HUNT SAGA

A host of influential voices have condemned the NRL’s “flawed” contract system amid the unfolding Ben Hunt drama, with the Dragons star’s move to the Broncos looking imminent.

Hunt is publicly pushing for an immediate release despite his lucrative contract running until the end of 2025 and will meet with incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan on Monday.

The veteran backed up from Origin in St George Illawarra’s embarrassing loss to the Warriors on Friday night, but Hunt has almost certainly played his last game for the club.

Wayne Bennett said there was “no accountability” when players are allowed to break contracts, while Billy Slater said clubs can’t have it both ways as Mal Meninga and Cooper Cronk called on the NRL to “fix it” immediately.

Mick Ennis described it as “a stain on the game” and Corey Parker said “it just looks so bad” for Hunt to leave the struggling 15th-placed Dragons for the top-of-the-table Broncos.

“The disappointing thing for me is there’s no accountability with it, that’s the disappointing part for me personally for the game, not just on this incident,” Bennett said.

“We all go and sign contracts, we all go and make deals, I just think there’s got to be something better than what we’re doing right now.”

“It’s untenable and very messy, that’s the thing that upsets every involved in rugby league,” Meninga said.

“We all understand Ben is unhappy at the Dragons and wants to move back home for personal reasons and family reasons.

“Just fix it, get through the next couple of days and have an outcome that both Ben and the Dragons are satisfied with and just move on because it’s become a saga.”

Hunt infamously dropped the ball in golden point of the 2015 grand final which handed the premiership to the Cowboys.

Cronk backed Hunt’s return to Brisbane for the remainder of this season before linking up with the Titans on a two-year deal.

“I think it’s a smart move on Ben Hunt’s part because he’s had a terrific career, 33-year-old, won a World Cup, dominated Origin at stages but one thing he hasn’t done is win a grand final,” Cronk said.

“So going back to Brisbane, where he’s played in one, I think it fits. Obviously Adam Reynolds there but he’d play No. 9 you’d imagine. I think the back-end of this year if you want to achieve the ultimate, I think Brisbane stacks up.

“But I think the whole system that’s in play here needs to be fixed immediately because Ben Hunt is copping a lot of pressure, the Dragons are copping a lot of pressure. The system is flawed and needs immediate addressing.”

Flanagan is reportedly “wasting his time” meeting with Ben Hunt on Monday in an attempt to keep the star halfback from leaving the club.

Meninga, who is a senior advisor at the Titans, said if Hunt joins the club he’ll start at halfback not hooker, where he plays for Queensland and Australia.

“He’s been one of the best No. 7s if not one of the best players in the competition the last three seasons and he’d be a great acquisition for any club,” Meninga said.

“He’d be sensational for the Titans and I think by his presence he’d put them in a situation where they’d be chasing a premiership.”

Queensland coach Billy Slater said clubs can’t have it both ways with players.

“Clubs are allowed to sack people at the drop of a hat so why can’t players sack clubs at the drop of a hat?” Slater said on the Sunday Footy Show.

“You’ve got to have it both ways, but it’s tough because Justin’s obviously put everything into that, because he’s family’s up on the Gold Coast, you live and breathe that job so it’s disappointing for him.

“The Dragons have done it, they let Josh Kerr go last week and he played for the Dolphins and there hasn’t been an uproar about that.

“When a player isn’t performing for a club, they’re asked to leave, when a club isn’t performing for a player, why can’t it be the same case?”

MORE NRL NEWS

BIG HITS: Drinkwater masterclass for resurgent Cowboys; Souths’ Achilles heel in slide

‘LATRELL DOESN’T STOP THAT’: Demetriou accuses Souths of getting ‘comfortable’

NRL RICH LIST: The nine big-name players who lead an exodus from top earners

SCAMMED: Disgraced NRL star Hayne allegedly loses $780k in prison Bitcoin scam

WEBSTER TURNS WARRIORS INTO THE REAL DEAL

The Warriors have transformed themselves from perennial underachievers to a genuine top four contender in the space of one season under Andrew Webster.

Their 48-18 win over the Dragons showed just how much they have improved in both attack and defence since Webster took over the team.

The result meant the Warriors have now scored 30 points or more in three straight games for the first time since 2007.

Cooper Cronk believes Webster deserves plenty of praise for the complete reversal of the team’s fortunes in such a short space of time.

“The Warriors are a completely different team to what they were last year,” Cronk said.

“They defend for high periods of time, normally have high completion rates, they can score points.

“I think Andrew Webster needs a huge rap for what the Warriors are doing because he’s put the foundations in around this team and the players are responding and playing well.”

Cronk noted that so many of the Warriors’ players are in career best form which is a testament to the coach and his staff.

“It’s a good sign for the coach when players are having their career-best years,” Cronk said.

“Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson and Addin Fonua-Blake – there’s a few under Webster – they’re playing at a very high level this year.”

Reborn halfback Johnson had one try, two try assists, a linebreak and 54 metres against the Dragons, while star fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad finished with four try assists, five linebreak assists, one linebreak, six tackle busts and 191 metres.

Prop Fonua-Blake had one try assist, one linebreak assist, three offloads, 173 metres and 28 tackles, while star winger Watene-Zelezniak finished with four tries, one try assist, five linebreaks, six tackle busts and 191 metres.

Greg Alexander believes the Warriors have always had talent, but haven’t found a coach to bring the players together to achieve one goal for some time.

“They’ve been searching for a coach to bring together their players and they’ve finally got one,” Alexander said.

“The Warriors know what they’re doing, they look organised… It’s a tip for Andrew Webster.

“I’m locking them in for a top eight finish.”

Warriors skipper Harris revealed the secret to the team’s success under Webster has been instilling confidence in the players.

“He has been outstanding,” Harris said of Webster.

“Right from day one he has filled the players with confidence in themselves and if you are confident in your own abilities then there is so many more things that you can do and you can take your game to a new level.

“I think that’s what he has brought to us as players. He has filled us with confidence and also taught us the other things we need to know and learn how to be a better player and prepare better.

“But the confidence he gives us as a team and as individuals has been massive right from the first day.”

Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!

O’BRIEN UNDER PRESSURE AS KNIGHTS BLOW IT AGAINST UNDERMANNED PANTHERS

Adam O’Brien could be the third coach sacked this season after the Knights failed to beat an undermanned Panthers side missing all their Origin stars and the injured Nathan Cleary.

James Hooper believes the 20-12 loss to the Panthers has put O’Brien’s tenure at Newcastle on thin ice and floated three coaches that are potential replacements for the under siege Newcastle boss.

“There is no two ways about it they have been bitterly disappointing, particularly against a Panthers side who had decided to rest all five of their State of Origin stars,” Hooper said on Triple M.

“I think Adam O’Brien is a great fella, but unfortunately as we have seen at the Titans and the Dragons this season, you have got to get results.

“Newcastle aren’t getting them at the moment. The roster is better than the results suggest and for that reason his position will be scrutinised and he is under pressure.

“Names I have heard mentioned around possible replacements include Michael Maguire, who won a premiership with the Rabbitohs in 2014 and John Morris, who is one of the Rabbitohs’ assistant coaches.

“Former Dragons’ coach Paul McGregor’s name has also been mentioned as someone who Newcastle are looking at.

“I think we would be delusional to not think that the powers that be at Newcastle are assessing everything at the moment.”

However, Gorden Tallis believes some of the Knights’ star players need to take a good look in the mirror because they are not delivering on their pay packets.

“They haven’t had their best side on the paddock all the time and I think in the halves,” Tallis said.

“I think Kalyn Ponga there is no doubt that he is a fullback. They were trying to get him to play five-eighth and run the footy side and it didn’t work.

“I think they are lacking someone that can steer them around the park. I think Hastings has been pretty good for them, but it is just the halves.

“And their forward pack at times it is just Frizell. I don’t think they have laid the platform at times.

“The Saifiti brothers. They played Origin and he was outstanding and then they go back to club and they don’t go to that next level. He doesn’t turn into that player.

“I think it is a lot of their players aren’t playing to their potential.”

James Graham believes the Knights failed to beat an understrength team for the second match in a row and that spells bad news for the club and O’Brien.

“They played an understrength Roosters team and they should have beaten them and then they played an understrength Panthers team and should have won,” Graham said.

“I know Penrith played exceptionally well and they have great systems and completed 100 per cent in the first half.

“But the Knights should be going there and getting the job done against a team that is so undermanned.”

YOUNG GUN URGED TO ‘IMPROVE’ AMID ‘HUGE TEST’ FACING SEA EAGLES

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Sea Eagles to beat the Storm in Melbourne, especially without star fullback Tom Trbojevic.

However, for the majority of the contest, Manly were right in it.

Led by Trbojevic’s replacement Reuben Garrick, Manly were hard-nosed and made plenty of determined defensive stops up until the 58th minute when the game hung in the balance at 10-6.

That was when the Storm turned on the jets, taking advantage of a second half error count of 7-1 against the Sea Eagles, and scored three tries in the last 22 minutes to seal the game.

While there were some moments coach Anthony Seibold and the Manly faithful would have been pleased to see, including the defensive efforts and the overall play of Garrick, there were also a few disappointing aspects.

One of those was the performance of Josh Schuster, the $800,000 man yet to play close to his price tag this season.

After missing a few weeks earlier in the season due to poor conditioning and copping the ire of captain Daly Cherry-Evans, Schuster has so far had a season he’d like to forget.

His application, which has been questioned at times this season, wasn’t where it needed to be against the Storm with his impact minimal, with the damaging ball runner only recording three runs for 32 metres.

He also missed seven tackles, including a poor attempt which led to a Nelson Asofa-Solomona try.

“Not much effort put in there by the front line of the Manly defence… That was too easy in a game that has given up nothing,” Greg Alexander said on Fox League.

With Trbojevic to miss the rest of the season, Manly desperately need Schuster to show more if they want to play finals footy.

“There’s no point in sweating in Turbo not being there. Reuben Garrick is such a classy number 1 anyway,” Yvonne Sampson said on Fox League.

“It’s a huge test for Manly. They won the pre-season challenge and we thought, OK they are going to be a good side this year, with everything hinging on Trbojevic,” Cooper Cronk said.

“Garrick was solid, Cherry-Evans was game tonight… but I think Schuster can improve. He’s got x-factor.

“He needs to come up with a bit more consistency in his performances. Still have the x-factor, but he needs to contribute more for Manly to be successful.”

NRL great Mal Meninga agreed with Cronk, and strongly believing the Sea Eagles season banks on Schuster’s play.

“Josh Schuster needs to get into the game but first and foremost; he needs to get those errors out of the game.

“He started well tonight, but then he faded out of the game and then when he starts to fade out of the game, he makes some poor decisions and he obviously misses tackles.

“He needs to get his act in order for Manly to have any hope at the end of the year.”

SLOPPY SOUTHS’ STUNNING SLIDE AS DEFENCE DESERTS THEM

Souths were title favourites after six straight wins earlier in the year, but have now lost four of their last five to be on the verge of slipping out of the top eight in a stunning fall from grace.

Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis believe Souths put in their worst performance of the season in their 31-6 loss to the Cowboys.

“As good as the Cowboys were Souths were very poor,” Anasta said.

“They had six wins in a row and now they have won only one of their last five.

“Latrell Mitchell out for a long time now and Cody Walker nowhere near his best tonight.

“The whole team were very ordinary. I would say their worst performance of the year.”

“I have to agree, I thought their kicking game to start the game was dreadful and a number of miss-directed passes particularly in the first half from their key playmakers,” Ennis said.

“Souths have been mesmerising at times over the last couple of seasons, but today they were anything but that.

“The attack was ordinary, but no Latrell Mitchell hurts that, but boy defensively they were really poor today.”

Greg Alexander believes the Rabbitohs need to address their sloppy defence to get their season back on track.

“They have had some points racked up against them over the last month,” Alexander said.

“They have only won one game from their last five. They have given up 30 plus points in all their losses so things aren’t working or ticking over at South Sydney.”

EELS FORM TEAM OF THE COMP AFTER STUNNING RESURGENCE

It’s been quite the turnaround from the Parramatta Eels.

Six weeks ago, last year’s runners-up were languishing towards the bottom of the ladder, having won just four games from 11. They were also one of the worst defensive units in the competition.

At that stage, it had so far been a season of near misses and close results, but coaches and players were confident that things would soon take a turn in their favour – and it has.

Parra have since won five straight games and have remarkably improved from 14th position at the end of Round 11 to be 5th as of the completion of Round 17.

In that span, the Eels have tightened up the screws, letting in just 13.6 points a game and key players like Clinton Gutherson and Mitchell Moses playing inspired footy.

One thing that has stayed the same this season has been their electric attack, and the favourable trend on Saturday when the club recorded a 77-year first against the Dolphins.

The Eels’ 42 first half points was the most in the club’s history. They would only add six more points in the second half, but their 48 for the match would take Parramatta’s 2023 total to 440.

That figure is a whopping 52 points ahead of the second-highest scoring team (Rabbitohs).

With the Eels seemingly getting their defence sorted, they are a scary prospect for any side to face at the moment.

Moses, three nights off a solid performance for the Blues in State of Origin Game II, passed 1000 career points during the Dolphins’ rout. The halfback credited his teammates for bouncing back after a disappointing start to the season.

“We weren’t happy with how we started the year obviously but now it’s the first time we have won five straight in a very long time,” Moses told Lara Pitt on Fox League post-game.

“We weren’t too far off though and now we’ve been putting together some good performances and hopefully we can continue that for the rest of the year.”

Eels coach Brad Arthur also expressed how “proud” he was of his side over the past few weeks as they prepare for some “big games” coming up.

“We’ve won five in a row, we haven’t done that at the club in my time,” Arthur said after Saturday’s win.

“We were in a bit of a hole at the start of the year… So to turn it around and win five straight in this comp is a good effort.

“We have some big games coming up.

“I was proud of the boys for not losing their nerve over the past five weeks, and we’ve stuck to what we want to do and the style of footy we want to play and we’ve come out the other side of it.”