{"id":64084,"date":"2025-08-13T03:09:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T03:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/64084\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T03:09:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T03:09:10","slug":"exclusive-darren-lockyer-excited-by-side-effect-of-crippling-broncos-injury-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/64084\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Darren Lockyer ‘excited’ by side effect of crippling Broncos injury crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Brought<\/p>\n

Brought to you by TAB.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

Brisbane<\/a> icon Darren Lockyer<\/a> is “excited” to see Ben Hunt<\/a> get a crack at leading the Broncos in the wake of an injury crisis at Red Hill.<\/p>\n

Hunt has been named in the No.7 jumper<\/a> for the first time since moving back to the club this year.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Manly legend ‘leading the charge’ in plan to oust Seibold<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE: ‘Big change’ as Supercars legend Lowndes joins new team<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE: Lyon rips ‘Port Adelaide nuffie’ over ‘half baked’ Saints claim<\/a><\/p>\n

The veteran playmaker has jumped between five-eighth and hooker in his 14 games throughout the campaign, but is now the halfback after hamstring injuries floored Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam<\/a> during a loss to Melbourne last week.<\/p>\n

Last year Hunt led the NRL in try assists, registering 30 in 26 games while playing halfback for the Dragons – four more than Dally M winner Jahrome Hughes.<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old now has the chance to replicate that attacking class and lead the Broncos to victory against the Dolphins in a local derby that could have ramifications for NRL finals.<\/p>\n

\"Billy<\/p>\n

Billy Walters and Ben Hunt will play in the halves for the Broncos.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

“I think this is a bit of an opportunity, or a challenge that we will see get the best out of Ben Hunt,” Lockyer told Wide World of Sports’ QLDER<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“That’s what I’m excited about.<\/p>\n

“He is now the main man in that team and that will bring the best out of him, I hope.”<\/p>\n

Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Given both first-choice halves are sidelined – Mam likely for the rest of the season – Billy Walters will come in to partner Hunt in the halves, with Cory Paix starting at hooker.<\/p>\n

Brisbane’s premiership credentials crashed in the immediate aftermath of last week’s double injury blow, but Lockyer believes the team can continue to play a similar game style despite the absence of Reynolds and Mam.<\/p>\n

\"Ben<\/p>\n

Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds of the Broncos.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

“I don’t think their game will change too much,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I do think Reece (Walsh) will inject himself in the game even more.<\/p>\n

“Billy (Walters), what I’ve liked about him is he’s thinking run first, and that is Ezra’s game, right.<\/p>\n

“Ben has to manage the team around the park, get his kicking game in order, bring Reece into the game, but then Billy can just focus on getting his running game right. I think that’s the key.”<\/p>\n

The Broncos sit sixth on the NRL ladder but can still drop out of the top eight depending on results over the coming month.<\/p>\n

The Dolphins are also fighting to play finals, sitting eighth but coming off a horror 64-12 loss to the Roosters in round 23.<\/p>\n

With an injury crisis potentially crippling the Broncos, Lockyer says Saturday’s game could determine their finals fate.<\/p>\n

“This game against the Dolphins is big, in the context of a few things – the table, but also their confidence and mindset,” Lockyer said.<\/p>\n

“Everyone is sort of saying because of the injuries that they can’t win it, and so they want to prove people wrong.<\/p>\n

“If they come out and play well and beat the Dolphins that will give them a huge shot of confidence.<\/p>\n

“Win this week, I think guaranteed top eight. Lose this week and I guess there’s a lot of nervousness around where they finish.”<\/p>\n

Following this week’s derby, the Broncos face the Knights, Cowboys, and Storm again on the run home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brought to you by TAB.\u00a0Nine Brisbane icon Darren Lockyer is “excited” to see Ben Hunt get a crack…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-64084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}