Craig Wing has turned up the heat on misfiring St George Illawarra star Ben Hunt, saying it looked as if he gave up in the side's Canterbury flop.
Hunt was among the form halves of the NRL at the start of the season but has come under the microscope as the Dragons have won just two of their past eight games.
They were booed by their fans after Sunday's 38-0 loss to the Bulldogs and following Saturday's clash with Newcastle will limp into the finals with plenty to prove.
Former Sydney Roosters premiership halfback Wing believes Hunt's wayward form is a major factor.
"There's a lot of pressure being put on Ben Hunt's shoulders and rightly so," he told Fox League's Big League Wrap.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"It seemed like he's in a very dark place and gave up (against the Bulldogs).
"Some of his kicks (were) like he didn't really care ... he wasn't getting into the fight, moving up in defence."
Hunt left Brisbane on a deal reportedly worth $1.2 million a season.
"I bet you he'd give every cent of it back now if he could be in the form that he was in at the start of the year," Wing said.
Retired NRL journeyman Michael Ennis agreed with Wing's criticism but said the side's forwards needed to provide him with a better platform.
"When you put your hand out and take that million-dollar contract ... that comes with expectation," he said.
"We've seen the greats thrive in that arena, when you think of (Andrew) Johns, (Johnathan) Thurston, (Cameron) Smith, (Darren) Lockyer, the greats of their clubs thrived in that environment.
"The body language of Ben Hunt yesterday was concerning."
Former Rooster Braith Anasta was more sympathetic of Hunt, calling out coach Paul McGregor's player management.
"The Dragons forwards are really fading and I think McGregor has a lot to answer for, with him not resting his players during the Origin series," Anasta told Fox League's NRL 360.
"Their go-forward is non-existent, there is no real impact or quick play-the-balls.
"He's being asked to carry the team and I feel for Ben Hunt at the moment."
