Nice Beaver
First Grade
- Messages
- 5,920
Hahaha struck no nerve at all.
$500k he's on.
In a salary cap of $10 million next season I'm not too concerned having to carry that nuffy.
And the S&C bloke doesn't take too much out of the cap
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Brisbane Broncos halfback Ben Hunt is set to join St George Illawarra Dragons
MATT LOGUE, The Daily Telegraph
January 20, 2017 2:20pm
THE Broncos have lost the battle to keep Ben Hunt, with the Dragons trumping Brisbane with a massive $6 million deal for five years, with a one-year option.
Brisbane simply could not match the Dragons deal, and Hunt reportedly told the Broncos on Friday he would be heading to Sydney at the end of the season.
With a galaxy of stars to appease under the salary cap, the Broncos’ hands were tied in a bidding war against St George Illawarra, who are desperate to attract some high-profile playing talent after a couple of poor seasons.
Representative players Josh Dugan and Tyson Frizell are the Dragons’ two highest-profile players, and coach Paul McGregor had been banking on young halfback Drew Hutchison to lead a revival this season by joining Gareth Widdop in the halves.
But Hutchison tore his ACL in pre-season training, ruling him out for the year, leaving the Dragons light on for play-makers after Benji Marshall departed for the Broncos this season.
Hunt will not arrive in time to rescue their 2017, but Dragons officials believe he is the man to build the club’s future around and were prepared to pay him as their marquee star.
Brisbane simply could afford to do that, with big-name stars Anthony Milford, Darius Boyd, Corey Oates and Adam Blair all free agents at the end of the year.
The Broncos see Milford as their main man after two stellar seasons as the club’s five-eighth, and his terrific form will demand a pay upgrade to keep potential poachers at bay.
Hunt’s imminent departure will place enormous pressure on Brisbane’s depth in the halves, and potentially put them on course for a tug of war with the Gold Coast over the Titans’ pair of young halves, Ash Taylor and Kane Elgey.
Taylor was released early from his Broncos contract at the end of 2015 so he could chase an NRL opportunity with the Titans — ironically because Hunt and Milford stood in his way at Brisbane.
An injury to Elgey meant Taylor had to be thrown into the spotlight last season, and he excelled — winning the Dally M Rookie of the Year award and leading Gold Coast to their first finals appearance since 2010. Taylor extended his contract late last season, tying him to the Titans until the end of 2018.
Although he missed all of last season, Elgey had a similar breakthrough year in 2015, and the Titans held off a poaching bid from Manly to keep him at Robina until the end of 2018.
That leaves Brisbane with the prospect of going into 2018 without a recognised halfback to partner Milford.
Hunt was honest about his future at Brisbane before Christmas, saying he would test his value on the open market. He also admitted he was in no rush to sign a new deal with the Broncos as he confronts the most important contract of his career.
“You have to look around,” Hunt said. “I have to make the best decision for myself and my family.
“I love the club and the Broncos have been really good to me. If this is where I am in the future, then that’s it, but I’m going to take my time this time and make the best decision for my family.”
He has already endured a coach who had no idea and tried to turn him into a 9 while Peter Wallace played in the halves. Henjak
