Ben Hunt to escalate release request after Origin series
June 30, 2023 — 7.45pm
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Ben Hunt’s management will wait until the end of the State of Origin series before again escalating their request for the Dragons skipper to be released from the rest of his contract.
Having had his first attempt to exit the Dragons rebuffed by incoming coach Shane Flanagan and St George Illawarra officials, Hunt is prepared to play the long game and will have his representatives again contact the club after the Origin finale in Sydney.
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Craig Bellamy's name has been thrown up as a possible replacement for Brad Fittler. The Storm coach has responded.
The 33-year-old told the Dragons on Monday he didn’t want an immediate release from his deal despite the Broncos registering interest on a short-term contract, hoping to propel Kevin Walters’ side to a drought-breaking premiership.
But according to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the confidential talks, Hunt’s management plans to revisit the issue within the next fortnight in a bid to prise him out of his deal for 2024.
The issue is set to cloud the rest of the Dragons’ season, which is fast imploding after the club conceded a combined 100 points in heavy losses to the Warriors and Sharks in the past two weeks.
Hunt battled the flu in the Dragons’
local derby pummelling at the hands of Cronulla on Thursday night, and interim coach Ryan Carr tried to end speculation about the captain’s future by saying the halfback was committed until the end of the season.
Dragons captain Ben Hunt.CREDIT: GETTY
But having stated his
desire to return to south-east Queensland after the Maroons
wrapped up the Origin series last week, Hunt is expected to again request to be freed from the final two years of his deal.
Hunt has said he’d be comfortable to continue in the captaincy, but the Dragons will need a big form reversal to avoid their first wooden spoon since 1938.
While the future of their star player remains a hot topic, Flanagan has been busy building his support staff with Andrew Gray and Dan Lawson this week agreeing to deals to join the Dragons next year.
Physical performance manager Gray worked alongside Flanagan when the Sharks broke their premiership drought in 2016, while State of Origin physiotherapist Lawson has formerly worked under Flanagan and has had experience at the Dragons.
He is currently employed by the Titans, who last week announced Des Hasler would take over in 2024 after the
brutal sacking of Justin Holbrook.
Gray, in particular, will be tasked with improving the Dragons’ dismal second-half efforts this season with both the Warriors and Sharks running in a flurry of tries as their rivals tired.
Meanwhile, Sharks forward Dale Finucane is facing another ban for a dangerous tackle after being charged by the match review committee following the win over the Dragons.
The former NSW forward is bracing for a two-week ban if he accepts an early guilty plea – or three weeks if he unsuccessfully fights it at the judiciary – after being issued with a grade-one dangerous throw for a tackle on Blake Lawrie.
Finucane was suspended earlier this year for a hip-drop tackle on the Warriors’ Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
Dragons winger Tautau Moga will escape with a $1000 fan for a grade-one careless high tackle on Jesse Ramien
IF BEN HUNT HAS A DICTIONARY THE PAGE WITH MORALS AND LOYALTY MUST HAVE BEEN TORN OUT
