And now are you glad we have signed Ben Hunt ?

[Dragsters]

Bennett is looking for a scapegoat because the donkeys arent travelling as well as he would like.

He dumps hunt (only because he wont be there next year) to send a message to the rest of the team just like he did with hodges.

Classic Bennett move.

Who here really cares?

I for one don't...

 

[getsmarty]

St George Illawarra Dragons signing Ben Hunt dropped to Queensland Cup but Paul McGregor not worried
Andrew Parkinson
9 Jun 2017, 7 a.m.

Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennet has dropped St George Illawarra's marquee 2018 signing Ben Hunt to Queensland Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Paul McGregor believes Wayne Bennett’s decision to drop Ben Hunt to reserve grade is “strange” but has no doubt he is the halfback to lead St George Illawarra next season.

Hunt will join the Dragons on a lengthy deal reportedly worth almost $1 million a season in 2018 but will play Queensland Cup for Ipswich this weekend after he was dropped from Brisbane’s first grade team to play South Sydney.

Kodi Nikorima will play halfback for the Broncos with former Dragons five-eighth Benji Marshall named on the bench.

Hunt, who has only recently returned from a hamstring injury, faces an uphill battle to regain his place in the side with Nikorima, Marshall and Anthony Millford competing for spots in the halves.

Appearing baffled by the news, McGregor was adamant the 26-year-old was still the right man for the red V.

“He’s not in my colours in ‘17 and he's a great acquisition for the club going forward in ‘18. But I find it quite strange,” he said.

“He’s not going to help us this year. Going forward he’s a definite player that we think will take the club in a good direction.

“I watch all games of footy on the weekend whether it be having a barbecue at home with the family or with my son or whether I’m coming up playing against an opposition. And certainly when I’ve seen Ben Hunt play up until his injury he was playing really well. I saw the game he played against the Warriors and I thought he played well.

“And we’ve seen this year with the players that have come to our club with Cameron McInnes and Paul Vaughan who didn’t finish in first grade the previous year playing the best footy of their careers.

“So I’ve got no doubts when Ben comes to our environment he’ll play good footy.”

http://www.theleader.com.au/story/4...o-reserve-grade-but-mary-not-worried/?cs=3833

 

[BringTheNoise]

We won't know if it's stupid money until he starts playing for us. If he makes us a perennial top 4 team and wins us a comp in his time with us, I'd say it's money well spent. Time will tell. And Millward has come out and said the reported million dollar figures per year are inflated. So no one really knows what the real dollars are?

We haven't had a proper halfback since the late 1970's so I for one am happy we have a bona fide rep calibre half joining us next year. We've shown what we can do with a NSW cup half this year so I for one am excited to see how we go with a top line half.

And Hunt's form has hardly been poor, he was close to the Broncos best player before he got hurt.

And LoL at Bennett trying to convince us that dropping Hunt for Benji f**king Marshall isn't a dig at Hunt for signing with us next year.

Of course Millward says the figures are inflated, I forgot he signed with us cos Mary rode a jet ski...

Like I said, when you look across the league at how much other players in Hunt's position are earning we definitely paid overs no matter how you choose to spin it.

A lot of people on this forum will change their tune very quickly when Hunt comes.

 

[getsmarty]

Of course Millward says the figures are inflated, I forgot he signed with us cos Mary rode a jet ski...

Like I said, when you look across the league at how much other players in Hunt's position are earning we definitely paid overs no matter how you choose to spin it.

A lot of people on this forum will change their tune very quickly when Hunt comes.

The Figure quoted by the media is inflated. We didn't pay anywhere near the amount quoted. Millward came out and stated this in a recruitment update as have other sources. We basically paid a "very Fair" price for Hunt considering Broncos didn't want to let him go. People who bag the signing, what is your alternative? McCrone ? Hutch ? Nona ? He is a specialist half who has rep honours therefore an obvious upgrade.

 

[monsterkev]

If hunt was staying at the Broncos he would not be dropped
Bennett just being an asshole
There's no other explanation
Next year he will be with us and we should be happy to have a quality half unlike what we are persisting with at the moment

 

[Slippery Morris]

Not as if Bennett owes the Dragons any favours. I Mean after he got punted from the Bronco's he resurrected his career at Saints and won a comp then left the Saints in a mess and went to Newcastle and did the same to them?

Bennett has 3 quality halves in MILF, Nikorema and Benji. Surely he can give Hunt a release.

How good would that be? But it won't happen. Bennett needs every bit of help he can to get the Bronco's to the top 4, why would he give a team in the top 4 any favours.

 

[BringTheNoise]

The Figure quoted by the media is inflated. We didn't pay anywhere near the amount quoted. Millward came out and stated this in a recruitment update as have other sources. We basically paid a "very Fair" price for Hunt considering Broncos didn't want to let him go. People who bag the signing, what is your alternative? McCrone ? Hutch ? Nona ? He is a specialist half who has rep honours therefore an obvious upgrade.

So because Millward said it I just have to believe him? Even if he speaks the truth he hasn't even suggested by how much it was inflated. The media could be a mere $50k off the mark and that would still be considered "inflated". It's widely acknowledged that Hunt's salary will be in the vicinity of $1 million a season. I haven't heard a single source refute the claim other than Millward (who I have zero faith in at this point). The fact that Brisbane with their TPA power couldn't match our offer speaks volumes.

My alternative is a recruitment team that is effective and efficient. We've paid overs for Hunt simply because we couldn't land an alternative. Have a look at the list of players who knocked us back before we decided to make Hunt a millionaire. We are literally paying twice as much for Hunt than what Cronulla are paying for Maloney. How is that value for money?

To suggest it's a good signing simply because he's an upgrade from McCrone is such a naive, short sighted and poor argument. He has rep honours? He played a few tests as a utility over 3 years ago FFS.... Benji had "rep honours" too... That's like offering Will Chambers a million a season and saying it's a good signing because he's an upgrade on Aitken....

Like I said, well done to Hunt's management. They've done an excellent job.

 

[BrissyRedV]

And LoL at Bennett trying to convince us that dropping Hunt for Benji f**king Marshall isn't a dig at Hunt for signing with us next year.

Funny how Benji gets praised for 2 average passes but nothing is said of the missed tackle on Manu that led to the first try or about the well timed ball from Hunt that gifted Benji his try. Also, no mention of the atrocious drop from Kahu that gifted another try, but of course, if Hunt had of run the ball more because their pigs were dominated, they would have won...

 

[BrissyRedV]

A lot of people on this forum will change their tune very quickly when Hunt comes.

And we are hopeful you are humble enough to admit it...

 

[The Damo]

So because Millward said it I just have to believe him? Even if he speaks the truth he hasn't even suggested by how much it was inflated. The media could be a mere $50k off the mark and that would still be considered "inflated". It's widely acknowledged that Hunt's salary will be in the vicinity of $1 million a season. I haven't heard a single source refute the claim other than Millward (who I have zero faith in at this point). The fact that Brisbane with their TPA power couldn't match our offer speaks volumes.

My alternative is a recruitment team that is effective and efficient. We've paid overs for Hunt simply because we couldn't land an alternative. Have a look at the list of players who knocked us back before we decided to make Hunt a millionaire. We are literally paying twice as much for Hunt than what Cronulla are paying for Maloney. How is that value for money?

To suggest it's a good signing simply because he's an upgrade from McCrone is such a naive, short sighted and poor argument. He has rep honours? He played a few tests as a utility over 3 years ago FFS.... Benji had "rep honours" too... That's like offering Will Chambers a million a season and saying it's a good signing because he's an upgrade on Aitken....

Like I said, well done to Hunt's management. They've done an excellent job.

If Maloney were 4 years younger and had his contract up for renewal what do you reckon he'd get?

 

[Life's Good]

So because Millward said it I just have to believe him? Even if he speaks the truth he hasn't even suggested by how much it was inflated. The media could be a mere $50k off the mark and that would still be considered "inflated". It's widely acknowledged that Hunt's salary will be in the vicinity of $1 million a season. I haven't heard a single source refute the claim other than Millward (who I have zero faith in at this point). The fact that Brisbane with their TPA power couldn't match our offer speaks volumes.

My alternative is a recruitment team that is effective and efficient. We've paid overs for Hunt simply because we couldn't land an alternative. Have a look at the list of players who knocked us back before we decided to make Hunt a millionaire. We are literally paying twice as much for Hunt than what Cronulla are paying for Maloney. How is that value for money?

To suggest it's a good signing simply because he's an upgrade from McCrone is such a naive, short sighted and poor argument. He has rep honours? He played a few tests as a utility over 3 years ago FFS.... Benji had "rep honours" too... That's like offering Will Chambers a million a season and saying it's a good signing because he's an upgrade on Aitken....

Like I said, well done to Hunt's management. They've done an excellent job.

It's fair that you question what Millward says about the $$ value and how true it really is. I think in a way you may have touched on something with the Broncos TPA. Let's face it, if they really wanted to keep Hunt they would have found a way with $$ being of little consequence because they have that available. No other club went after Hunt(to anyone's knowledge)so an offer from us is what he took. Unless the real value is known then no one can say it is overs or not.

 

[BrissyRedV]

It's fair that you question what Millward says about the $$ value and how true it really is. I think in a way you may have touched on something with the Broncos TPA. Let's face it, if they really wanted to keep Hunt they would have found a way with $$ being of little consequence because they have that available. No other club went after Hunt(to anyone's knowledge)so an offer from us is what he took. Unless the real value is known then no one can say it is overs or not.

The Eels apparently made a significant offer to Hunt. I recall Sterlo saying as much and that he was disappointed that the Eels did not get him.

 

[hewi]

If Maloney were 4 years younger and had his contract up for renewal what do you reckon he'd get?

Million plus easy?

 

[Life's Good]

The Eels apparently made a significant offer to Hunt. I recall Sterlo saying as much and that he was disappointed that the Eels did not get him.

Now that is a club which would know about paying overs - Watmough, Moses

 

[ALSGI]

So because Millward said it I just have to believe him? Even if he speaks the truth he hasn't even suggested by how much it was inflated. The media could be a mere $50k off the mark and that would still be considered "inflated". It's widely acknowledged that Hunt's salary will be in the vicinity of $1 million a season. I haven't heard a single source refute the claim other than Millward (who I have zero faith in at this point). The fact that Brisbane with their TPA power couldn't match our offer speaks volumes.

My alternative is a recruitment team that is effective and efficient. We've paid overs for Hunt simply because we couldn't land an alternative. Have a look at the list of players who knocked us back before we decided to make Hunt a millionaire. We are literally paying twice as much for Hunt than what Cronulla are paying for Maloney. How is that value for money?

To suggest it's a good signing simply because he's an upgrade from McCrone is such a naive, short sighted and poor argument. He has rep honours? He played a few tests as a utility over 3 years ago FFS.... Benji had "rep honours" too... That's like offering Will Chambers a million a season and saying it's a good signing because he's an upgrade on Aitken....

Like I said, well done to Hunt's management. They've done an excellent job.

Millward said it's "no where near that amount" which sugests it's no where near that amount. Unless they go public with an actual figure none of us will ever know except that it is a multi million dollar contract.

He is not just an upgrade he is a massive upgrade and can make a massive difference if we can maintain our forward dominance and high spirits.

Can't believe the negativity on here by some before he's even here.

 

[blaza88z]

If Maloney were 4 years younger and had his contract up for renewal what do you reckon he'd get?

Lol, you can't really answer that..

In the past 4 years he has been instrumental in every side he's played in, one of those guys who has gotten better as he's gotten older, I would say the Sharks got an absolute bargain. If he was shopped around now, he'd easily be among the million dollar category, especially if Ben Hunt is.

 

[possm]

Uncle Wayne is use to getting what uncle Wayne wants, especially when it comes to lining his own pocket. He wanted Hunt to stay, Hunt didn't. Uncle Wayne didn't get his own way. Is there going to be bad blood between them of course there is, Even if the move comes back to bite him on the arse, nothing will happen because it is Uncle Wayne. I bet Des is wishing he was Uncle Wayne at the moment

Yes your right! I remember him wanting a five year deal at 750k p/a as coach of the Dragons but Doust was saving his pennies and only offered a 3 year deal.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Now that is a club which would know about paying overs - Watmough, Moses

That they do, but Sterlo is a good judge of player and if he wanted him at the Eels, then that speaks volumes to me.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Millward said it's "no where near that amount" which sugests it's no where near that amount. Unless they go public with an actual figure none of us will ever know except that it is a multi million dollar contract.

He is not just an upgrade he is a massive upgrade and can make a massive difference if we can maintain our forward dominance and high spirits.

Can't believe the negativity on here by some before he's even here.

It's all about subjectuve sensationalism and making something out of nothing. Papers and journalists are experts at getting the click bait going hence Ben Hunts contract figure being bandied around. Add to this, the managers of other players trying to add fuel to the fire to get better deals for their clients and this sensationalism all of a sudden becomes fact!

 

[SBD82]

Now that is a club which would know about paying overs - Watmough, Moses

This post needs more sandow.