NSW coach put heat on Wallace: Hunt - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

NSW coach put heat on Wallace: Hunt

By Jim Morton 25/06/2009 07:30:44 PM Comments (0)

Queensland back Karmichael Hunt has blamed NSW coach Craig Bellamy for creating the "unfair" pressure Blues halfback Peter Wallace's wilted under at ANZ Stadium.

Wallace is facing the axe for the July 18 dead rubber at Suncorp Stadium following his forgettable Origin II display, which came after a mountain of scrutiny over his starting position.

While Bellamy dismissed a pre-match report from a well-connected journalist he was set to bench the halfback if he didn't fire early, he didn't hide the fact Wallace failed to deliver in game one and also couldn't guarantee starting positions.

But Wallace's Broncos teammate Hunt condemned the Blues coach for a lack of support for the besieged playmaker at ANZ Stadium.

Hunt felt few players - let alone a 23-year-old, relative Origin rookie - would have coped with such pressure to perform immediately on such a big stage.

"From my point of view I was pretty disappointed with the pressure that was put on him by his own coach and the surrounding media," Hunt said in Brisbane on Thursday.

"We've got to remember he's still a young player and all you want to do is go out there and have the vote of confidence of your coach and from your fellow teammates knowing you can do the job because it makes it a hell of a lot easier on the night.

"I think going into the game on Wednesday night, I don't know if he was second guessing himself or what, but having his coach on his back didn't help him at all."

A sympathetic Hunt felt Wallace - who struggled to make an impact and also threw one costly forward pass - had too much weight on his shoulders to produce something extraordinary.

"I think he was taken a bit out of his comfort zone with the pressure put on him," the Maroons utility back said.

"I just thought they didn't give him a fair opportunity to go out there and play his own game.

"Maybe a lot of pressure was put on him to come up with a special play.

"I felt bad for him. Not saying he was the worst player on the park but I thought (NSW's) coaching staff put him under pressure a lot."

A downcast Wallace was tight-lipped as he left the NSW team hotel on Thursday morning.

"I was disappointed but we'll get on with it now," he said.

Hunt plans to speak with Wallace to lift his spirits before Sunday's NRL clash with the Eels at Parramatta Stadium.

"During the week I'll definitely get him aside and have a word to him and hopefully get a bit of confidence back in his own mind," he said.

"He's got the rest of the season to prove the critics wrong. Pete's a real good player.

"The last two performances in Origin weren't probably the best to his standard but previously throughout the Broncos matches this year he's been outstanding and I have no doubt he'll stand up again on Sunday against Parramatta."

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