An early favourite has emerged for Ben Hunt’s signature as the Dragons halfback confirmed his management has reached out to St George Illawarra to request a release.
Incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan emphasised Hunt won’t be released after news broke on Saturday night that the halfback wants out of the club immediately.
Flanagan was this week appointed St George Illawarra’s next coach but that hasn’t been enough to persuade Hunt to stay.
Fox League contacted Flanagan for comment and the premiership-winning coach said it was his belief the release request was made weeks ago.
Flanagan also told The Daily Telegraph that 33-year-old Hunt, who is currently in Maroons camp, will not be released from his contract which runs until 2025.
“He’ll be captain and our halfback and we’ll move forward,” Flanagan said.
“He’s got a contract. I haven’t bothered him because he’s in Origin camp but we’ll chat after the game.”
HUNT CONFIRMS DRAGONS FANS’ FEARS IN TEXT MESSAGE
Hunt officially confirmed the news on Sunday morning in a reply to a text message from The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield.
Speaking on Sky Sports Radio’s ‘Big Sports Weekend’, Rothfield said he has been told Hunt wants an immediate request, although he added the halfback did not confirm that part of the story.
“No one had official confirmation that Ben wanted out,” Rothfield said.
“It’s been the game’s worst kept secret for a few weeks now. He was obviously disappointed over the sacking of his great friend Anthony Griffin as coach.
“Ben texted me this morning and confirmed the stories. I’m told it’s immediate. Ben didn’t say that in the text but he wants to go and play for another club this year.”
THE ‘EARLY FAVOURITE’ FOR HUNT’S SIGNATURE
While the Bulldogs had already been linked to Hunt earlier in the year, it seems like Queensland teams will have a distinct advantage with an early favourite already emerging.
Channel 9’s Danny Weidler, who first broke the news, said Hunt’s manager told the club on Saturday his client wants an immediate release and that the Titans are “early favourite” for his signature.
“There are already clubs signing up to try and sign Ben Hunt, the Titans are the early favourites but some Sydney clubs are sure to weigh into that situation,” Weidler said.
Rothfield, meanwhile, also reported the Titans loom as a likely landing spot for Hunt and that it may only cost the Gold Coast $250,000 to take him for the remainder of this season.
“I have a feeling that Ben Hunt will not be at Canterbury,” Rothfield said on ‘Big Sports Weekend’.
Why? Well, Rothfield reported that Hunt wants to move back to Queensland to be near family living in Yeppoon and Toowoomba.
“His camp will play the family card,” Rothfield added.
“I know that the Gold Coast Titans might even have the money this year to make that happen. They’ve got until August 7 not June 30 for player transfers.
“So if the Titans were to sign him, it’s not a million-dollar signing. It’s probably a $250,000 signing because the rugby league financial year pulls up at the end of October.
“So, St George have already paid him for three quarters of the financial year. Look, if I was St. George I would probably stand firm, but who wants a disgruntled player around?”
THE FINAL STRAW BEHIND HUNT’S REQUEST
While Hunt’s dissatisfaction at the club has been reported for months now, The Sydney Morning Herald claims the final straw was when he and teammates were left to answer questions from the media in the wake of Anthony Griffin’s sacking.
Fox League’s James Hooper reported at the time that Hunt was “understandably fuming at the way the club handled the situation”.
“At the same time as Griffin was being told the board had made the hard line decision to end his tenure, St George Illawarra players were arriving at training for an 8.30am scheduled media session,” Hooper reported at the time.
“Whoever’s got control of the Red V steering wheel and thought this was a good way of handling the day has clearly got no idea.
“Supposedly there were going to be eight Dragons players fronting the cameras for the routine media session – in reality it ended up being Jack de Belin and Ben Murdoch-Masila who were left to be peppered with questions about what was going on with Griffin.
“Behind-the-scenes, Dragons captain Ben Hunt was privately rightfully asking what the hell was going on.”
Rothfield said similar on radio on Sunday, pointing out the fact Hunt even went public with his request spoke volumes to how much of a gulf there is between him and the club.
“Ben hunt is a gentleman,” Rothfield said.
“He’s very level-headed, non-controversial type of person. For him to go public that he wants out means he has serious deep-set issues at that club. He wouldn’t do it otherwise. I think the issues go a lot deeper than who’s going to coach the club this year.
“Look, I wrote the story... not one official turned up to his 300-game dinner. Not the CEO, not the chairman, no one from the club turned up.
“When they sacked Anthony Griffin there was no media plan on how they should handle it. The media just turned up and bombarded the players. Why didn’t the club have something organised?
“He’s sick and tired of the way that club is being run.”
FLANAGAN TO ‘FIGHT LIKE NOTHING ELSE’ TO KEEP HUNT
In saying all of that, Rothfield also said on Sunday that he is confident Flanagan won’t let Hunt walk without putting up a considerable fight.
“He’s on a million bucks a year and they’ve paid him a lot of money over a long period of time. I can understand that Shane Flanagan will fight like nothing else to keep him there as their leader, their halfback and their captain next year,” said Rothfield.
Earlier on Saturday, Flanagan said on radio he would not be releasing the club’s star halfback,
Hunt has reportedly received an informal approach from the Titans who are willing to table a mammoth $900,000-per-season offer.
Gold Coast high performance advisor Mal Meninga said the club would “certainly be interested” in Hunt but emphasised only if he became available.
“It’s all hearsay, he’s got to ask for a release and we don’t know (if he’ll do that),” Meninga said on Fox League.
“Flanno has made it very clear that he wants him to stay so it’s going to be a conversation that will take place when Ben’s back from his Origin commitments, when he goes back to the club.
“If I’m Flanno I’m saying I want him to stay, he is contracted to the club as well. It’s going to be an interesting watch this space for the next few weeks.
“I sort of represent the Titans and we’d certainly be interested in talking to Ben Hunt if he became available, it really is that simple.”
Hunt is contracted until the end of 2025 and Flanagan revealed he had already sat down with his halfback and he “won’t be letting him go”.
“Well, from a club’s perspective Ben Hunt will be there,” Flanagan said on 2GB.
“He’s got a contract, I spoke to Ben before I actually signed because I didn’t want to obviously become the Dragons coach and then our halfback wanting out of the club, and he was fine with all that if I was to get the job.
“He’s in Origin camp at the moment obviously, and I’m not going to worry him while he’s in there, I’ll get to him next week and I’m sure that’s okay.
“But from the club’s perspective, he’s our captain, he’s our halfback and we need him, I won’t be letting him go anywhere.”
Flanagan has previously worked in the club’s recruitment and retention department before joining the Sea Eagles as an assistant coach.
Now the former Sharks coach is set to mastermind a Dragons rebuild and explained he will utilise Hunt’s connections to sign players.
“I met with him and spoke to him about our relationship and how I need the captain of the club to help me with recruitment and retention,” Flanagan said.
“Playing Origin, conversations that he has with potential players to come to the club are very useful.
“Recruitment and retention, I’ll be doing that behind the scenes.
“I’m lucky that I have had a bit of an insight in to the roster, 18 months or two years ago and it hasn’t changed a great deal.
“I’ll work hard and when I’ve got time away from Manly, I’ll get all those things in place.
“The first thing I have got to do is make sure I get the right staff around me, really important our high performance area and all my staff, strength and conditioning is in place.
“I have got to get the best in the business.”
Meanwhile, Flanagan also paid tribute to the Manly club for giving him an opportunity in a coach role once again.
Employed Anthony Seibold’s assistant coach, Flanagan explained he will still be making sure the Sea Eagles make a deep finals run.
“I probably wouldn’t be in this position if I didn’t work at Manly this year to be brutally honest,” Flanagan said.
“Going there and having a really defined row with Anthony Seibold, I think it’s helped me get this next opportunity.
“My main focus is at the moment making sure I don’t drop the ball with Manly.”
