huNter-: Skipping IEM Rio Revealed G2 Teammates’ Potential

G2 captain Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač returned from a leg injury and played in G2’s 2-0 win over Astralis at BLAST Rivals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. The series included strong performances on Dust2 and Overpass as huNter- made his comeback.

HuNter- missed IEM Rio while recovering from a leg problem. He said watching his teammates at that event and reviewing voice comms afterward showed him what they could do without his in-game commands. “I saw what my teammates are capable of,” he said. “I could see what I could expect even more for the future when everybody stepped up without waiting for my calls.”

On the maps, G2 opened with a dominant Dust2 that included a 6-0 start. They followed with a winning Overpass where Astralis staged a second-half comeback but G2 closed out the map. The early leads helped the team’s confidence, huNter- noted, and he emphasized the need to stay focused if they start poorly in future matches.

HuNter- said he is not yet fully recovered and still has swelling in his leg. He described resting the leg during timeouts and half-times but added that he wanted to be back with the team because the atmosphere felt positive.

G2 used academy player Vilius “tAk” Keserauskas at Rio while huNter- was out. The captain highlighted how teammates contributed more in mid-round situations and made calls on their own. He compared the current team mood to G2’s atmosphere when NiKo joined and referred to Guy “NertZ” Iluz’s arrival from Team Liquid as a positive change. He also mentioned that having a close friend, HeavyGod, beside NertZ helped the transition.

HuNter- described an evolving communication style in which players have more freedom to react and offer ideas during rounds. He pointed to examples of teams that mix set plays with flexible defaults and said that when players use that freedom effectively it eases his role as in-game leader. He also acknowledged he needs more events and playoff matches to gain experience in the IGL role.

On individual form, huNter- defended Mathias “sUNny” Højsleth, saying teammates have seen his hard work and improvement since joining G2. He said people criticized the player early on, but he has been supporting him and believes he is playing better.

HuNter- identified consistency as G2’s remaining issue, recalling periods earlier in the year when results did not match potential. He stated the club’s objective is to reach the playoffs at every event and compete for trophies, noting his near seven-year tenure with G2.