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Message: [QUOTE="Super Freak, post: 2697918, member: 8536"] [B]BRISBANE legend Allan Langer has called for Ben Hunt to be the Broncos’ next captain. [/B]Langer’s endorsement came as Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said the audition process to succeed retiring skipper Justin Hodges was about to begin. Hodges’ revelation last week that he will quit the Broncos at season’s end raised issues on dual fronts for Bennett. Not only must he find a replacement at right centre, but more critically Bennett must find a new captain for the second consecutive year. The master coach will assess the merits of several contenders, including veteran lock Corey Parker, fullback Darius Boyd, former skippers Sam Thaiday and Alex Glenn and rugged hooker Andrew McCullough. [IMG]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/article/sport/nrl/broncos-legend-allan-langer-says-ben-hunt-should-be-next-captain/story-fni3gv4u-1227484911085?t_product=HeraldSun&t_template=s3/chronicle-component/relatedstories/templates/index[/IMG] But Langer, who skippered Brisbane to their maiden premiership in 1992, believes Hunt has earned the respect to be crowned the Broncos’ 13th captain. “The captaincy wouldn’t be a problem for him,” said Langer, the Broncos’ greatest halfback who played 258 games for the club. “I see Benny Hunt developing into a real leader. Wayne will consider Corey Parker but if he is looking for a longer-term option, you have to look at Ben Hunt or Andrew McCullough. “Whether Benny wants that extra workload I guess is up to him, but he would handle it.” Brisbane’s longest-serving captains have traditionally been backs. Six of the club’s 12 skippers to date were from the backline — Langer, Kevin Walters, Gene Miles, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer and Hodges. Back-rowers Gorden Tallis and Thaiday held permanent roles, while forwards Glenn, McCullough, Petero Civoniceva and Parker have enjoyed cameos. Parker shapes as the obvious successor to Hodges but he turns 34 next May. McCullough, 25, made his captaincy debut against Newcastle in May during the Origin period, but there is a push for Hunt, also 25, to be blooded after his maturation at the scrumbase in the past 18 months. “We’ve got seven months to go before the (2016) season starts so I’m not rushing into any decisions yet,” Bennett said. “But the audition process (for the captaincy) is already underway — every day I’m watching them,” Hunt, who made his Test debut last year, flagged his interest in the Broncos captaincy last October when he signed a two-year upgrade. “To be captain of this club would be a massive achievement,” he said. “If that occasion ever arose down the track, I’d be ready for it.” Langer said he had no concerns over Hunt’s ability to juggle halfback and captaincy duties, just as the pint-sized Maroons icon did in his decorated career. “I wasn’t really a vocal sort of captain, I just believed in leading by example and hopefully my mates followed,” Langer said. “Ben has developed a lot and the beauty is he has more improvement in his game.” [URL]http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/broncos-legend-allan-langer-says-ben-hunt-should-be-next-captain/story-fni3gv4u-1227484911085?sv=ac8edea55604c931837017098b0ed7dc[/URL] [/QUOTE]

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