The article in the couriermail:
Ben Hannant back with the Brisbane Broncos on $1.4m, four-year deal
- Peter Badel
- From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
- May 16, 2010 12:00AM
BACK IN THE FOLD: Ben Hannant in 2008 playing for the Brisbane Broncos before he switched to the Bulldogs. Picture: David Kapernick
Source: The Courier-Mail
BEN Hannant is back at Brisbane. The homesick Maroons prop will sign a $1.4 million contract as part of his plan to be a Bronco for life.
Hannant's signature is a major coup for the Broncos, who missed out on Petero Civoniceva during the week.
Breaking his silence, Hannant spoke of the strain on his family in Sydney and hit back at claims his shock decision to seek an early release from the Bulldogs two months ago was motivated by greed.
The 25-year-old quit the Broncos at the end of 2008 after the club lacked the funds under the salary cap to compete with the Bulldogs' offer, worth about $350,000 a year.
But Hannant is on the verge of announcing a return to the Broncos from 2011.
Hannant will sign off on a four-year deal and says he wants to finish his career at Red Hill.
Hannant's manager George Mimis has entered the final stages of negotiations with Brisbane powerbrokers that will see the prop secured until the end of 2014.
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"I'd be happy to go back to the Broncos for good," Hannant said.
"I played a lot of footy there (with Brisbane) ... and won a premiership. I know the fans, I know the structure they play so my preference is to go back to the Broncos. I'd still live on the Gold Coast and travel up like I used to.
"I don't want to move again, I just want to go to a club, stay there for the long haul and give back to the community. I'll be giving 100 per cent for the Bulldogs as long as I'm here but hopefully I can sort something out with them (the Broncos) this week."
Hannant said he was left gutted by speculation he wanted out of the Bulldogs to chase a more lucrative deal. He said his thirst for money came a distant second to the needs of his wife Emma and their three young children.
"Some things said have hurt and upset me," he said. "I'd give up my job in a heartbeat if it was hurting my family.
"The stuff that I'm chasing money and being money hungry is not true. It's got nothing to do with that, it's to do with my family and wanting to go home.
"I wanted the opportunity go back home and there's a certain lifestyle I want to give my kids. There are schools I want them to go to, I want family around them for support. "It's tough raising kids in Sydney without a support network. I want them to have a big backyard with horses and cows and ride motorbikes if that's what they want. It's not fair on my kids to deprive them of a lifestyle just for me to make more money."
Hannant defended his decision to leave the Broncos in the first place.
"I had no option to stay at the Broncos, they know that," he said. "I was told the cap was full. They had a lot of superstars like Darren Lockyer and to keep their stars some of us younger blokes had to move on. "The Bulldogs' offer was a good one so we had no option as a family but to accept the deal.
"But I don't regret it for a second, The Bulldogs have been a great club and I'll be giving them everything for the rest of the year."
Hannant, who had knee surgery in April, revealed he could be fit in time for Origin I.
"I hope to play Origin," he said. I got told I'd miss three to four weeks, so I could be a chance. I'm doing everything I can to get back.
"It's a big honour to play for your state so I'll be doing everything to get back for Origin I."
