It’s the combination that set up Queensland’s Origin triumph, but now the question is whether Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga will follow the Maroons’ blueprint and select both Ben Hunt and Harry Grant in the 17 to face New Zealand on Saturday (AEDT).
With Game III in the balance earlier this year, it was the decision of Maroons coach Billy Slater to put Grant on and shift Hunt to a roaming role that produced a 70-metre series-winning intercept try for Queensland that no doubt had Meninga taking notes.
Both Hunt and Grant are expected to be named as part of the Kangaroos’ 19-man squad to face the Kiwis, along with Daly Cherry-Evans, who came off the bench in Australia’s quarter-final win over Lebanon.
Hunt missed the Cedars game but he hopes both himself and Grant have “done enough” to be picked for the semi-final in Leeds.
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“Mal has indicated to myself and Harry that he enjoys us playing together and keeping us fresher so we can bring a lot of energy,” Hunt said.
“I feel like we’ve both done enough to be in the side and we’re just waiting to find out.”
The 32-year-old previously played a bench utility role for the green and gold in the 2017 World Cup, but after establishing himself in the No.9 jersey for the Maroons this year, Hunt said he relishes the physical responsibility of the starting hooker role.
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“I prefer to start. It’s probably a bit harder and the sting isn’t out of the game but I hate sitting on the bench with nerves,” he said.
“I’d much rather be out there and I definitely think it (interchange) suits Harry a lot better.
“I can go out there and take the sting out of the game a little bit, defend really well and do a few little things and then Harry can come on when there’s a bit more pace around the ruck for him.
“I think that’s what he’s really good at. Just getting out of dummy half and playing quick.”
With James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Joseph Tapine and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves all expected to line up for New Zealand, Hunt expects the physicality of Saturday’s semi-final to compare to that of an Origin match.
“I’m expecting a tough, physical game. They’re really big boys and they’re going to keep coming at us, running hard and I think it’s going to be a really simple game from both teams,” he said.
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“We just need to defend really well and complete our sets, get to the kicks and just keep turning them around.
“I’m thinking of it as a bit of an Origin game. It’s going to be very physical and we’ll have to dominate their forward pack.
"They’re obviously really big and if we want to win, I think that’s where it’s going to be won.”
Such is the forward depth at his disposal Kiwis coach Michael Maguire took the opportunity to play Nelson Asofa-Solomona on an edge in their quarter-final win against Fiji.
Hunt rates the Storm giant as one of his top three toughest players to defend and he says the Kangaroos are under no illusions as to the level of brute force they will need if they are to win their way through to the final.
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“As a smaller player I always get asked who the hardest guy to defend and Nelson's definitely in my top three,” Hunt said.
“I’m pretty lucky in this team, I’ve got some good defenders around me, so I’ll just wait for the boys to get in there and help out.
“I think he’s playing on their right edge so I might find myself on the other side away from him so good luck to our edge out there.”
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