huNter- Explains G2’s r1nkle Adaptation at ESL Pro League Season 24

Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač has explained how G2 are attempting to unlock Artem “r1nkle” Moroz without completely rebuilding the team's Counter-Strike system around their young AWPer.

Speaking to HLTV during ESL Pro League Season 24, the G2 in-game leader said the team is incorporating positions and ideas that suit r1nkle while preserving parts of the structure it previously used with Álvaro “SunPayus” García. The broader goal is not simply to make r1nkle more aggressive, but to help him recognize when patience can create greater impact later in a round. 

The comments provide one of the clearest explanations yet of G2's post-SunPayus tactical transition — and why r1nkle's adaptation cannot be judged solely by his fragging numbers.

 

Quick Summary

 

What Did huNter- Say About r1nkle?

G2 in-game leader Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač explained how the team is adapting its system to accommodate r1nkle without completely rebuilding its approach.

 

The important part of huNter-'s comments is that G2 are pursuing a compromise rather than a complete tactical reset.

G2 signed r1nkle to replace SunPayus in June. The change gave the lineup a younger and potentially more aggressive AWPer, but it also meant introducing a fundamentally different player into an established tactical framework. 

According to huNter-, G2 are now combining concepts that suit r1nkle with elements retained from their previous system.

“We cannot change everything to make r1nkle comfortable fully.”

The G2 captain added that the team is nevertheless trying to “implement his things” and listen to what its AWPer wants to do. 

That distinction matters. G2 are not asking four players to reshape their entire game around the sniper, but they are also not forcing r1nkle into an unchanged SunPayus role.

Instead, the process appears to be about finding the overlap between the two.

 

huNter- Wants Patience From G2's AWPer

Artem “r1nkle” Moroz brings an aggressive AWP style to G2, but huNter- believes patience can make the Ukrainian even more dangerous in late-round situations.

 

Perhaps the most revealing part of the interview concerned r1nkle's decision-making rather than his mechanics.

huNter- explained that the Ukrainian does not always need to produce something during the opening minute of a round. Holding utility or maintaining a passive position can leave the AWPer alive for the 4v4 and 3v3 situations where his weapon becomes especially influential. 

huNter- pointed to m0NESY and ZywOo as examples of elite AWPers who can remain effective without constantly forcing an early duel.

The comparison should not be interpreted as huNter- claiming r1nkle is already at their level. Rather, he was describing the type of patience and late-round understanding that G2 want their AWPer to develop.

Tactical impact: aggression does not mean constant aggression

This creates an interesting tactical problem for G2.

Coach Eetu “sAw” Saha previously explained that G2 specifically wanted “something more aggressive” when moving away from SunPayus. He described r1nkle as an AWPer capable of taking space and creating opening picks for a roster that otherwise lacked a natural entry player. 

But aggression without timing can become predictable.

G2 therefore appear to be trying to preserve r1nkle's natural willingness to make plays while improving the selection of those plays.

In practical terms, the desired evolution looks something like this:

raw aggression → selective aggression → preserved late-round AWP → greater round-winning potential.

That is analysis rather than a confirmed tactical formula, but it fits the development areas independently described by both huNter- and sAw.

 

 

Why Ancient and Inferno Are Important

huNter- specifically mentioned Ancient and Inferno when discussing the difficulty of creating individual AWP opportunities.

In his view, opponents are prepared for many of the obvious aggressive sniper plays on those maps. That can leave an AWPer performing more supportive tasks rather than constantly searching for opening kills.

G2 are still attempting to build selected rounds where r1nkle can become more active, even on those maps. 

This provides useful context for evaluating his performance.

A quiet opening minute does not necessarily mean the AWPer has been removed from the game. G2 may deliberately preserve him for a later stage of the round.

 

r1nkle's Numbers Show the Adaptation Challenge

HLTV highlighted the unusual statistical profile behind the discussion.

At the time of the October 5 interview, HLTV reported that r1nkle had survived 43% of rounds during his G2 spell while producing 0.57 kills per round. 

HLTV's displayed three-month player panel also listed him at a 0.98 Rating 3.0 across 52 maps, with 0.63 KPR and 0.57 DPR. 

Those figures help explain why the conversation is more complicated than simply asking whether r1nkle should become more aggressive.

G2 already know what his mechanical ceiling can look like.

At BLAST Open Porto, for example, r1nkle produced 32 kills and a 1.86 rating on Anubis during G2's victory over Aurora. HLTV described his impact in that comeback as an example of the explosive potential his style can provide. 

The challenge is making performances of that type more reproducible inside G2's broader system.

 

Background: Why G2 Signed r1nkle

G2 brought r1nkle into a roster featuring huNter-, NertZ, HeavyGod and MATYS as the organization searched for a more proactive AWP presence.

 

The current experiment began on June 25, 2026, when G2 announced r1nkle as the replacement for the benched SunPayus.

r1nkle arrived from Ninjas in Pyjamas after his own difficult period. HLTV reported that he averaged a 1.02 rating against top-50 opposition during NIP's poor start to 2026 before being benched following the organization's failure to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major. 

His move to G2 represented an opportunity to restart at tier-one level.

In August, r1nkle said he was significantly happier but acknowledged that he was still learning G2's system and was not yet “100%” comfortable. 

That makes huNter-'s latest comments part of a longer adaptation process rather than a sudden concern arising at EPL Season 24.

 

Timeline: r1nkle's Road to G2's Current System

G2 Current Roster

HLTV listed this five-player lineup and sAw as coach alongside the October 5 interview. 

 

Key Details

 

Why huNter-'s Comments Matter for G2

There are two competing objectives in G2's r1nkle project.

The first is preserving the quality that justified the roster move.

sAw wanted more aggression and an AWPer capable of producing an X-factor. Removing that freedom completely would undermine one of the reasons G2 signed r1nkle in the first place. 

The second is making that aggression compatible with tier-one team structure.

An AWPer who takes every available opening duel may occasionally dominate a map, but G2 also need their sniper available in advantageous late-round situations.

huNter-'s comments suggest the team sees development in terms of decision quality, not merely additional firepower.

That could be the difference between r1nkle being an unpredictable individual player and becoming a sustainable part of G2's tactical identity.

 

Historical Comparison: SunPayus vs. r1nkle

G2 replaced SunPayus with r1nkle in June 2026, trading a familiar AWP setup for a younger player with a more proactive profile.

 

The change from SunPayus to r1nkle was never designed as a straightforward one-for-one replacement.

sAw described SunPayus as a player whose qualities were already well understood inside G2. With r1nkle, the organization accepted more uncertainty in exchange for a potentially different ceiling and a more aggressive profile. 

That explains why some old G2 structures remain.

Rather than discarding everything developed during the SunPayus period, G2 can retain functioning rounds and selectively introduce situations designed for r1nkle.

The result is essentially a hybrid system still under development.

 

Tournament Impact: G2 Need the Adaptation to Work at EPL S24

The timing gives the tactical discussion immediate importance.

ESL Pro League Season 24 runs from October 3-11 in Katowice, with 16 teams competing and the playoffs scheduled for the Spodek Arena. 

G2 began the tournament with a 0-2 defeat against Natus Vincere. 

huNter- acknowledged that G2's level had not been good enough during the opening portion of the tournament and said the team would have to improve substantially if it wanted to compete against the strongest opposition and reach the arena. 

That turns the r1nkle discussion from a long-term roster question into an immediate tournament problem.

 

Ranking/VRS Context

G2 entered ESL Pro League Season 24 as the No. 8 seed in ESL's player-voted seeding process.

HLTV reported that this represented a one-position drop relative to the relevant VRS ordering used for comparison in the seeding announcement. 

No specific VRS points change resulting from huNter-'s comments or r1nkle's individual performance can be established from the provided information, so no projected ranking movement should be inferred.

 

Impact Analysis

For r1nkle: the immediate challenge appears to be balancing his instinct to create plays with the patience required by G2's structure.

For huNter-: integrating a proactive AWPer creates another layer for his developing work as an in-game leader. He must decide when to give r1nkle freedom and when the team's existing structure takes priority.

For sAw: the coaching staff needs to build repeatable situations that exploit r1nkle's strengths without disrupting the positions of HeavyGod, MATYS and NertZ.

For G2: the potential upside is significant. If r1nkle can provide selective early-round aggression while remaining dangerous in late-round scenarios, G2 gain a different dimension from the one offered by their previous AWP setup.

The final point remains a tactical projection rather than a confirmed outcome.

 

What Changes Now?

Do not expect G2 to suddenly hand r1nkle complete freedom.

huNter-'s interview instead points toward incremental adjustments: selected AWP plays, map-specific setups and greater consideration of positions that the Ukrainian prefers.

At the same time, r1nkle is being asked to adapt himself.

That two-way process may be the most important takeaway from huNter-'s comments. G2 are changing for their AWPer, but the AWPer must also change for G2.

 

What to Watch Next

The first indicator will be how r1nkle is used on G2's T sides, particularly on Ancient and Inferno. Watch whether his early-round utility responsibilities increasingly transition into planned AWP opportunities later in halves.

The second is his late-round survival and conversion. huNter- specifically emphasized patience, 4v4s, 3v3s and clutch situations, making those scenarios more informative than raw opening-duel volume alone.

Third is G2's overall form. huNter- argued that r1nkle's best Counter-Strike will emerge when the entire team is functioning properly, meaning his individual numbers should not be evaluated independently of G2's team performance. 

Beyond EPL Season 24, HLTV's current event calendar lists PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 (October 24-31) and IEM Beijing 2026 (November 2-8) among G2's upcoming events. 

 

FAQ

What did huNter- say about r1nkle?

huNter- said G2 cannot change its entire system solely to make r1nkle comfortable, but the team is listening to the AWPer and introducing some of the positions and plays he prefers. 

Why did G2 sign r1nkle?

G2 signed r1nkle in June 2026 after benching SunPayus. Coach sAw later explained that the team wanted a more aggressive AWPer who could make plays, take space and generate opening opportunities. 

What does huNter- want r1nkle to improve?

Patience was one of the clearest themes. huNter- wants r1nkle to understand that he does not always need to force action early and can become extremely valuable in later 4v4, 3v3 and clutch situations. 

Is r1nkle struggling in G2?

His output has been inconsistent rather than uniformly poor. HLTV's October 5 article highlighted relatively modest overall numbers, but r1nkle has also produced standout maps such as his 32-kill, 1.86-rated Anubis against Aurora at BLAST Open Porto. 

What is G2's next event?

G2 are currently competing at ESL Pro League Season 24. HLTV's event calendar subsequently lists PGL Masters Bucharest 2026, scheduled for October 24-31.