SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt praised veteran striker Bradley Grobler for his decisive performance against Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium on Friday.

The experienced forward was brought on as a substitute to score the vital goal, showcasing his remarkable finishing abilities.

Hunt playfully mentioned that Grobler seemed to be playing as if on one leg, referencing an injury the striker sustained during the MTN8 quarter-final against Orlando Pirates in August.

Despite his physical hurdles, Grobler’s determination and skill allowed him to significantly influence the match.

“We can’t keep relying on Bradley; he has been performing for, I don’t know how many years now. He had a major operation in August during the (MTN8) quarter-final against Orlando Pirates and was out for a while,” Hunt commented.

“I included him in the squad for the last two weeks, and he was struggling. I told him ‘I’ll leave you out tonight (Friday)’, and then joked, ‘You will come on and score the winning goal’.

“He probably misplaced the ball five times, but his best touch was the goal; that’s classic Bradley for you. He has been an exceptional contributor to the game, a remarkable goal scorer, and a great asset for SuperSport.”

Grobler, who has scored over 100 goals in the PSL, will face stiff competition next year when SuperSport can finally field Samir Nurkovic. The former Kaizer Chiefs player, who was signed a few weeks back, cannot play for the club until January when the FIFA transfer window opens officially.

This situation occurred after Nurkovic was registered by TS Galaxy with the PSL, leading to the termination of his contract once the transfer window closed.

The victory against last-placed Richards Bay lifted SuperSport to eighth place in the Betway Premiership standings with 12 points from 10 matches.

Hunt’s squad will be back in action at home against Carling Knockout Cup champions Magesi FC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday (20:00).