Dragons to target million-dollar Titan as Hunt talks continue.

[baggygreen man]

the chance to aim for championship glory any time soon.

Therein lies a big hole in your argument. Hunt has been unable to lead us to a final let alone championship glory during his five years. The closest we came was when he had halves partner Gareth Widdop doing most of the heavy lifting.

 

[Mojo]

There's a lot of hate for Ben Hunt here. I don't know why. He hasn't kept anyone out of the side. He hasn't let the side down with his performances on the field. I'd argue he doesn't owe St George anything given how the Board of Directors have managed to gather together a team of uncompetitive numpties for him to captain. He wants more money for playing with the Dragons? So would I if I was in his position. He's not going to get any 3rd party business happening, or the opportunity to play with great players, or the chance to aim for championship glory any time soon.

Fine. Let him see how much teams of competitive numpties are prepared to pay him.

 

[justadragon]

There's a lot of hate for Ben Hunt here. I don't know why. He hasn't kept anyone out of the side. He hasn't let the side down with his performances on the field. I'd argue he doesn't owe St George anything given how the Board of Directors have managed to gather together a team of uncompetitive numpties for him to captain. He wants more money for playing with the Dragons? So would I if I was in his position. He's not going to get any 3rd party business happening, or the opportunity to play with great players, or the chance to aim for championship glory any time soon.

I tend to agree somewhat with what you are saying, but lets not forget the money hunt was on for the first few years being an noncompetitive numpty.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Therein lies a big hole in your argument. Hunt has been unable to lead us to a final let alone championship glory during his five years. The closest we came was when he had halves partner Gareth Widdop doing most of the heavy lifting.

Don't recall Widdop leading us to any glory either. And surely you don't expect Ben Hunt to do it all on his own? You need decent players in key positions. We have a rookie fullback, a rookie five-eight and a well past it hooker. Add to that centres who pass to nobody, slow wingers, and lacklustre forwards. We have a crap team and it's pointless blaming all our woes on our best player.

 

[Mojo]

Don't recall Widdop leading us to any glory either. And surely you don't expect Ben Hunt to do it all on his own? You need decent players in key positions. We have a rookie fullback, a rookie five-eight and a well past it hooker. Add to that centres who pass to nobody, slow wingers, and lacklustre forwards. We have a crap team and it's pointless blaming all our woes on our best player.

But nobody is blaming Hunt. We have a lot of talent in the team. It's the coach who is responsible and accountable - and he's been playing a busted hooker while keeping Hunt at 7, thereby stalling Sullivan's development. It's Hook that is an uncompetitive numpty IMO.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

But nobody is blaming Hunt. We have a lot of talent in the team. It's the coach who is responsible and accountable - and he's been playing a busted hooker while keeping Hunt at 7, thereby stalling Sullivan's development. It's Hook that is an uncompetitive numpty IMO.

No arguement there - the coach and the recruiters bear most of the responsibility for the mess the side is in. Plus the Board for allowing this shambolic state to eventuate, with no obvious signs of a plan to get out of it. As for there being a lot of talent in the team, whatever's there was totally wasted this season.

 

[Gareth67]

Better still make a deal with the Titans for an immediate swap with David Fifita. In this way 2023 won't be a waste, we can have our two halves Sullivan and Amone playing behind a decent pack of forwards to gane experience for a tilt at the 2024 season.

So Fifita for Hunt, and a top-grade prop for Sims. That is 1.8m to spend and it is well within our cap. I'd also consider buying a good backup half as insurance against a Sullivan injury. Flannagan and Clune come to mind.

I would like Fifita also poss. however the dollars need to be at the right price , so as to be able to afford another top line forward .

Our problem for many a season now has been paying overs for quality players and then being hamstrung for quite a few years afterwards as we simply cannot afford anyone else.

Our recruitment really need to have a firm grasp on the club’s wallet , using common sense on just how much they outlay for new recruits .

 

[Parko1310]

But nobody is blaming Hunt. We have a lot of talent in the team. It's the coach who is responsible and accountable - and he's been playing a busted hooker while keeping Hunt at 7, thereby stalling Sullivan's development. It's Hook that is an uncompetitive numpty IMO.

In all fairness Hunt should have been and still should be the halfback. You can't play two rookies in the halves. We had an essentially full strength outfit against a second grade Brisbane team but played two rookies in the halves because hunt was out for origin and lost. I'm prepared to say we win that game if Hunt plays halfback. Once Amone gets more games under his belt, then and only then, can you pair him and sullivan in the halves on a week to week basis.

Everyone seems to want all the young guns chucked into the team all at once, and in starting roles too. Terrible thinking as far as I'm concerned. Lets not forget that when the knights were getting spoon after spoon they had a team absolutely stacked with young juniors. They got battered every week, and tell me where those guys are now. No confidence, no contract. Park footy players.

In regard to McCollough, he is one of the bottom three hookers in the NRL in my opinion. But seriously, who else were you going to play there? Sullivan needs experience as a HALF in reserve grade first of all. And the suggestion of playing a rotation with Mbye and Sullivan is some of the biggest garbage i've ever heard. That would be shocking to watch and the middle defence would be even weaker than it is now. Now, I could accept given that Sullivan has had a bit of reserve grade experience at half that he could be the 14 at some stage next season, but giving him the starting hooker or half role is ludicrous. Liddle should be our starting hooker next year with no questions asked. 14 can be fought for by Sullivan, Mbye and McCollough.

The disrespect for Hunt at times is appalling. Whilst I do agree that if he's asking for more than 850k a year we should let him go, I'd argue that point because then we can stock our forwards up and Amone will be close if not past 50 first grade games by 2024 meaning he is better equipped to partner Sullivan. Without a doubt though, Hunt should be the halfback next season at the very least.

 

[SEAT 1A]

750 was the first offer. Didn’t he just reject 800 - 850 ? it’s ludicrous, move on and give 50 percent games at 7 to Hunt & Sullivan in 03.

Got no issue with the club's first offer and Ben rejecting it, that's business and other clubs will offer more than 850 so, I can't bag Hunt for taking it.

It's time for club to bite the bullet, keep the kids and if Hook isn't prepared to pick them, find a coach that will. I go with one we have.

 

[Walpole]

Dugan said he wanted fullback money to stay at the Dragons then went to Cronulla and played centre. McInnes wanted to play hooker but also went to the Sharks and plays lock. While he might want "halfback money" now, what's the odds that Hunt leaves to play hooker somewhere else?

 

[SBD82]

Hunt is all about Hunt.

If he’s the guy you want playing at halfback and captain, prepare yourself for 3 more years of being in the top half of the bottom 8.

 

[SEAT 1A]

In all fairness Hunt should have been and still should be the halfback. You can't play two rookies in the halves. We had an essentially full strength outfit against a second grade Brisbane team but played two rookies in the halves because hunt was out for origin and lost. I'm prepared to say we win that game if Hunt plays halfback. Once Amone gets more games under his belt, then and only then, can you pair him and sullivan in the halves on a week to week basis.

Everyone seems to want all the young guns chucked into the team all at once, and in starting roles too. Terrible thinking as far as I'm concerned. Lets not forget that when the knights were getting spoon after spoon they had a team absolutely stacked with young juniors. They got battered every week, and tell me where those guys are now. No confidence, no contract. Park footy players.

In regard to McCollough, he is one of the bottom three hookers in the NRL in my opinion. But seriously, who else were you going to play there? Sullivan needs experience as a HALF in reserve grade first of all. And the suggestion of playing a rotation with Mbye and Sullivan is some of the biggest garbage i've ever heard. That would be shocking to watch and the middle defence would be even weaker than it is now. Now, I could accept given that Sullivan has had a bit of reserve grade experience at half that he could be the 14 at some stage next season, but giving him the starting hooker or half role is ludicrous. Liddle should be our starting hooker next year with no questions asked. 14 can be fought for by Sullivan, Mbye and McCollough.

The disrespect for Hunt at times is appalling. Whilst I do agree that if he's asking for more than 850k a year we should let him go, I'd argue that point because then we can stock our forwards up and Amone will be close if not past 50 first grade games by 2024 meaning he is better equipped to partner Sullivan. Without a doubt though, Hunt should be the halfback next season at the very least.

Agree with everything you say Parko, without Hunt we would have come lower than 10th.

Look at the teams below us, Manly had the jersey full out, have no idea what happened to Titans and Knights both had better season before this one, can understand NZ and both Dogs and Wests had problems with coach's and cap.

Our club has been in the same position for many years and was happy to finally sign a top tier half back however, one player can't lift the team into the finals.

There has to be some type of change as whatever the clubs been doing hasn't worked.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Therein lies a big hole in your argument. Hunt has been unable to lead us to a final let alone championship glory during his five years. The closest we came was when he had halves partner Gareth Widdop doing most of the heavy lifting.

I tend to agree tbh.....In all seriousness imo Hunt has only earned the money weve been paying him this season and a bit.....its time to bite the bullet, put Hunt in the hooking role (hes obviously suited there if representative selection is any guide) and give the kids their shot...Im sure Hunt can still retain the captaincy and guide the young brigade around the paddock from that position ..if it takes a few years to get dividends then so beit.....if we are going to grow and become a force again then we wont do it by repeating much of the same and offering our up and comers token opportunities ...its time to stop offering journeymen a place to top up their superannuation

 

[shiloh dc]

A resourceful club would have signed Hunt on $750K and he would have been very happy (wink wink).
But we are not a resourceful club - we are Souths of the 70-00
We are the old aged transit lounge and retirement home.
It wont be till we win a couple of spoons or 2047 (whichever comes first) that we will see a Red/White Knight come along.
Sadly by then we could be a shadow of our previous greatness.

 

[Lindsay Moss]

Don't recall Widdop leading us to any glory either. And surely you don't expect Ben Hunt to do it all on his own? You need decent players in key positions. We have a rookie fullback, a rookie five-eight and a well past it hooker. Add to that centres who pass to nobody, slow wingers, and lacklustre forwards. We have a crap team and it's pointless blaming all our woes on our best player.

I don't think everyone blames all the clubs woes on hunt but i think that after next year we should let him go and spend his money on some forwards i think he is 33 or 34 at the end of next season why pay someone that age $800000 for two more years the future is with younger players after next year IMO.

 

[Dragon David]

A resourceful club would have signed Hunt on $750K and he would have been very happy (wink wink).
But we are not a resourceful club - we are Souths of the 70-00
We are the old aged transit lounge and retirement home.
It wont be till we win a couple of spoons or 2047 (whichever comes first) that we will see a Red/White Knight come along.
Sadly by then we could be a shadow of our previous greatness.

Sadly by then I won't be a shadow, I'll be a ghost of the past and having a few beers with the great ones in the sky!

 

[Dea]

I don't think everyone blames all the clubs woes on hunt but i think that after next year we should let him go and spend his money on some forwards i think he is 33 or 34 at the end of next season why pay someone that age $800000 for two more years the future is with younger players after next year IMO.

I agree. Our problems are bigger than Hunt, but he could become the problem if we pay high dollars for him in the twilight of his career and can’t get some forwards. Also, we have the next generation waiting and risk loosing them only to have to pay overs again for another version of Hunt. We have 2023 for Hunt to play 7 and 9, and Bud to grow into the position. 2024 should see Bud own the 7 and Hunt 9 if he wants to stay - on our terms

 

[since77]

We had an essentially full strength outfit against a second grade Brisbane team but played two rookies in the halves because hunt was out for origin and lost. I'm prepared to say we win that game if Hunt plays halfback

Wrong. We lost that game because the senior players in the team went into it with the wrong attitude and thought it would be an easy game. They’ve actually admitted that. Sullivan made mistakes that game but the forwards were woeful and were bashed by an opposition who took the game more seriously than them. Most of the same senior players who thought have a BBQ against coaches orders was ok. Blame the stench of mediocrity this club has embraced for over a decade for that loss, not a rookie halfback.

 

[Dragon David]

I agree. Our problems are bigger than Hunt, but he could become the problem if we pay high dollars for him in the twilight of his career and can’t get some forwards. Also, we have the next generation waiting and risk loosing them only to have to pay overs again for another version of Hunt. We have 2023 for Hunt to play 7 and 9, and Bud to grow into the position. 2024 should see Bud own the 7 and Hunt 9 if he wants to stay - on our terms

You are so right with this - "risk loosing them only to have to pay overs again for another version of Hunt"

 

[saintmar]

Yes indeed the Dragons certainly need to sharpen their pencil as Brent Read has suggested .

Or better still get rid of the bluudy thing altogether and use a big thick black texta and sign off on his ‘ no longer require his services ‘ paperwork .

Enough is enough ! The dragons signed the man for a damn fortune and the latest offer was , at least in my view , a fair one considering A - his age and B - he has only delivered for 2 out of 4 from his current contract of 5 years .

Time for both parties to move on after season 2023 and finally give our young up and comers their opportunities in the top grade before they go on to greener pastures .

Totally agree.It's time to MOVE ON
We need to dodge this bullet
Signing Hunt will be a DISASTER long term