Hunt has asked for a release

[Gareth67]

Good lawd I am sick of this Hunt saga , it’s dragged on for as long as ‘ These are the Days of our Lives ‘ and that went for bloody decades I kid you not .

How do I know you may ask ? Because the missus never missed a damn episode . Every day at noon I would hear “ Like the Sands through an Hourglass so are the Days of our Lives “ . It was enough to send a man down the pub for a few ales .

But back to Hunt , as financially hard as it may be he needs to be sent packing . Either that or come down hard on him for his lack of leadership and heart in every performance early on in the season in the hope that he may walk himself .

It absolutely astounds me to think that Flanagan ( if the media reports are indeed factual ) cannot as yet see that he is a roadblock to the Dragon’s future success .

 

[Dragon David]

Good lawd I am sick of this Hunt saga , it’s dragged on for as long as ‘ These are the Days of our Lives ‘ and that went for bloody decades I kid you not .

How do I know you may ask ? Because the missus never missed a damn episode . Every day at noon I would hear “ Like the Sands through an Hourglass so are the Days of our Lives “ . It was enough to send a man down the pub for a few ales .

But back to Hunt , as financially hard as it may be he needs to be sent packing . Either that or come down hard on him for his lack of leadership and heart in every performance early on in the season in the hope that he may walk himself .

It absolutely astounds me to think that Flanagan ( if the media reports are indeed factual ) cannot as yet see that he is a roadblock to the Dragon’s future success .

I'm sure he sees Hunt as being a roadblock in more ways than one and the detours that have to be put into place by Flanno may not be as easy as this way and that. Hunt is still under contract, he is on top range money, he has been tested in the SOO and Test arenas and came through with good marks because of the players around him. His leadership has failed him and this particular role just isn't his forte and having this pressure taken away from him might be the answer to him playig more freely without any additional burden.

There are other half backs coming available after Nov 1, some even now, but Flanno has the task of making the right decision for the future progress of the club and cannot just jump into signing someone just for the sake of it. Hunt can be a great half back, but needs to not be captain and also to show more enthusiasm on game days and desire to win so that it rubs off onto the other guys who tend to rely on him too much.

Preference for us is that he signs elsewhere for next year and we get someone who can manage a game and be the spark to get us wins.

 

[Jubilee]

All I want for Christmas is an organizing halfback with good long and short kicking. Someone pls tell Santa.

 

[RedVee]

Good lawd I am sick of this Hunt saga , it’s dragged on for as long as ‘ These are the Days of our Lives ‘ and that went for bloody decades I kid you not .

How do I know you may ask ? Because the missus never missed a damn episode . Every day at noon I would hear “ Like the Sands through an Hourglass so are the Days of our Lives “ . It was enough to send a man down the pub for a few ales .

But back to Hunt , as financially hard as it may be he needs to be sent packing . Either that or come down hard on him for his lack of leadership and heart in every performance early on in the season in the hope that he may walk himself .

It absolutely astounds me to think that Flanagan ( if the media reports are indeed factual ) cannot as yet see that he is a roadblock to the Dragon’s future success .

I think Flanno is trying to build the road for the bypass before moving on the roadblock.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I was honestly surprised you didn’t sack him on the spot after his media campaign running down the club to every media organisation he could. Waagh!

He could have kept it personal and basically blamed himself but he went on a relentless hysterical tirade against the club that made him a multi.

A pig of a human and an utter disgrace to your jersey, he degrades and denigrates it every time he wears it.

If I was Webby, I’d make sure every jersey he gets, I’d get the gear steward to make sure there’s a small tear in it somewhere before it puts it on.

A symbolic gesture that he doesn’t deserve a true or proper one.

Hard core SGI, certainly back in the day, dragons supporters. They’d drape a jersey or flag over their coffins. Ashes spilt at Kogarah.

The way he defiled and denigrated their memory was honestly….f**king disgusting.

You can knock and pay out on the club privately, but you can’t disrespect it. It’s the same with us. I hate players who disrespect clubs they play for. They can f**k off.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

What’s it going to take for the players to effing realise, we are only supporting and happy with them because they wear our colours.

Them as individual people, no matter how gifted and whatever, they will never, ever be greater than the club.

Ex League junior at work who played footy with and knows Hosty. Thinks the world of him. Once he left for South’s, all good but hell would freeze over before he wished him a good game v dragons.

Once you waver in your loyalty, put a mate before your club….well look at what happened to Albert.

And Albert lost his way, putting his mate Finchy before the club overall.

And after he resigned, he said he would do it again. Scary?!

It’s tough when peoples values fall a cliff.

And SGI owed nothing to Brett and his foul drug fuelled benders. Cretin

 

[Jubilee]

What’s it going to take for the players to effing realise, we are only supporting and happy with them because they wear our colours.

Them as individual people, no matter how gifted and whatever, they will never, ever be greater than the club.

Ex League junior at work who played footy with and knows Hosty. Thinks the world of him. Once he left for South’s, all good but hell would freeze over before he wished him a good game v dragons.

Once you waver in your loyalty, put a mate before your club….well look at what happened to Albert.

And Albert lost his way, putting his mate Finchy before the club overall.

And even where at the time he erred, he said he would do it again.

It’s tough when peoples values fall a cliff.

And SGI owed nothing to Brett and his foul drug fuelled benders. Cretin.

I think it was using the club letter head that screwed Young. I get the impression that he is not very smart.

 

[saintmar]

I think Flanno is trying to build the road for the bypass before moving on the roadblock.

He could have released Hunt last year and had the chance to build a highway,instead he chose the cul de sac and kept him
Now that lightning has finally struck him,he is looking to send Hunt on the road but not that easy out from a dead end.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I think it was using the club letter head that screwed Young. I get the impression that he is not very smart.

Yes, but when you think about it he was definitely smarter in other areas of club life or he simply wouldn’t have made it to chairman.

I recall he tried to blame it on the lawyer and of course Brett’s Lawyer couldn’t have cared less about Albert. He wanted Alberts good name and position in the club.

But using the club letterhead, it does make it official and the club resiled from lending it’s good name to a pedo of any kind.

Albert could have written a reference without the letterhead and said that he was chairman and played origin or whatever.

Now I understand that afterwards, Albert said words to the effect that his friendship with Rob was more important than his position at the club.

If he’d handled it properly, he may have been able to keep both. But if anyone at the club had found out he even cited the clubs name and his role, that may have been enough to doust him.

From what I know, the judge was more interested in whether or not Brett was a genuine and authentic pedo and he found that he wasn’t. He looked at reports and all kinds of things.

As we know, the judge makes a legal finding only -that’s his commission, he doesn’t go beyond that.

But that alone is enough for people and the media to make their own call.

And the judge was about the best draw by happy accident for Brett Finch.

He could have drawn badly and after a warning, got his sentence increased.

@the phantom menace is up to speed on these things if he feels so inclined to interpose a comment.

It’s part of the SGI folklore now. Just like at wests tigers, so much unnecessary waste, spillage and misjudgment in play. We specialise in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Slow learners. If there’s a worst way of doing things, we are into it like a rat up a drainpipe.

 

[Gareth67]

I was honestly surprised you didn’t sack him on the spot after his media campaign running down the club to every media organisation he could. Waagh!

He could have kept it personal and basically blamed himself but he went on a relentless hysterical tirade against the club that made him a multi.

A pig of a human and an utter disgrace to your jersey, he degrades and denigrates it every time he wears it.

If I was Webby, I’d make sure every jersey he gets, I’d get the gear steward to make sure there’s a small tear in it somewhere before it puts it on.

A symbolic gesture that he doesn’t deserve a true or proper one.

Hard core SGI, certainly back in the day, dragons supporters. They’d drape a jersey or flag over their coffins. Ashes spilt at Kogarah.

The way he defiled and denigrated their memory was honestly….f**king disgusting.

You can knock and pay out on the club privately, but you can’t disrespect it. It’s the same with us. I hate players who disrespect clubs they play for. They can f**k off.

Undoubtedly you are the type of chap that calls a spade a spade ! We could use you Silverdale on our board of directors and would you believe there just happens to be a vacancy at the moment !

Of course you would have to ditch those ‘orrible bloody Tigers .

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Well your the type of chap that calls a spade a spade ! We could use you Silverdale on our board of directors , there just happens to be a vacancy at the moment.

Of course you would have to ditch the ‘orrible bloody Tigers .

Thanks for the invite, but I’m cursed and hate myself too much to follow another club at the moment.

But I like SGI, always a bit going on, never a quiet day.

Such a bummer you didn’t reach the 8.

Flanno was cross with that outcome, even when in the pre-season he scoffed and giggled at the idea when it was put to him ( Volkswagen interview).

I think he’s easily coach of the year.

Lomax should be on his knees praying trying to hang around, gimp.

And you visit the eels forum, a lot of them are expecting the old Lomax to turn up, not the rebuilt turbocharged Flanno one lol.

 

[Tim.butler]

I'm sure he sees Hunt as being a roadblock in more ways than one and the detours that have to be put into place by Flanno may not be as easy as this way and that. Hunt is still under contract, he is on top range money, he has been tested in the SOO and Test arenas and came through with good marks because of the players around him. His leadership has failed him and this particular role just isn't his forte and having this pressure taken away from him might be the answer to him playig more freely without any additional burden.

There are other half backs coming available after Nov 1, some even now, but Flanno has the task of making the right decision for the future progress of the club and cannot just jump into signing someone just for the sake of it. Hunt can be a great half back, but needs to not be captain and also to show more enthusiasm on game days and desire to win so that it rubs off onto the other guys who tend to rely on him too much.

Preference for us is that he signs elsewhere for next year and we get someone who can manage a game and be the spark to get us wins.

Agree 100% DD that the team will be best served next year if Ben is not the captain.
I believe Ben needs to accept that the captaincy has not sat well with him.
Clearly he has been one of our best players whilst in the Red V, despite the angst our supporters can at times feel for him, but it’s time to have a leader who the players will truly follow to the end of the earth.

 

[the phantom menace]

@the phantom menace is up to speed on these things if he feels so inclined to interpose a comment.

It’s part of the SGI folklore now. Just like at wests tigers, so much unnecessary waste, spillage and misjudgment in play. We specialise in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Slow learners. If there’s a worst way of doing things, we are into it like a rat up a drainpipe.

Are we talking the Brett Finch case?

Finch pleaded guilty to a charge of 'making child abuse material available via a carrier service' (or similar). The judge accepted Finch's argument that his paedo-like messaging activity was all a way of somehow sourcing drugs to which he had become addicted, rather than through any desire to sexually interact with children...

In sentencing Finch the judge imposed a two-year community service order (including being placed on the Child Protection Register for a number of additional years, being of good behaviour, reporting to police station regularly etc) instead of a jail term.

I recall Craig Young's character witness statement (on letterhead) for Finch - which resulted in the end of Young's position with St George - that was probably sought and offered in support of Finch's case for a lenient sentence following his original guilty plea.

I agree that Young must've been pretty dumb to offer the character reference under those circumstances on letterhead without gaining say Board approval to do so, rather than simply providing a personal character reference stating his history and involvement in the game and knowledge of Finch through that.

Side note - in 2024 Finch was convicted for an instance of failing to meet his requirements to report to police - again no jail term.
Source: https://mcgirrassoc.com/news-1/paul...nch-in-breach-of-reporting-obligations-charge

 

[Slippery Morris]

I think the last 3 games where Saints needed to beat bottom 8 sides and Hunt's handling of those games would turn teams off his asking price. Or at least offering a halfback spot. It was poor at best in terms of his leadership, performance and management of the game. His value would have dropped big time.

For Ben's sake, he needs to give up the captaincy and retire from Origin and just concentrate on the final year or 2 to put in consistently good performances if he wants to win a comp. Seems like he has a choice to play under Hasler, Flanno or Woolf. Probably would suit a Hasler style of play but I can see Dessie putting him at hooker to sharpen up his spine as the halves and fullback are sorted. Woolf has Marshall-King so would probably play him at half at the risk of losing Katoa. Geez, I would love that to be the case and he lands in our lap. Katoa is the perfect half to build a Flanno style team around. If Hunt stays with Saints, getting Cook on board with Liddle, I cannot see Hunt playing hooker. That was the only thing that worried me about the Cook signing as I was hoping Hunt will play his last years at 9 and help the up and coming halfback ease into the 7. Hunt I still feel is the best No.9 in the comp just ahead of Api and Grant. He would be an ideal player to help make a half look good. Cook will do a great job as well but I think Hunt is better than Cook.

Hunt's insistence of being halfback is what I think cost him winning a comp if he does not win one. If he just played hooker and we had Amone/Sullivan at the time come in when they were coming through, Saints we would have a really good spine by now but as it turned out the halves Saints groomed for big things went off the rails due to really bad coaching. Under Cleary/Robbo/Bellamy and Bennett those 2 would have played to their potential and been in the 3rd-4th year of the Saints NRL spine.

 

[jeffdragon]

I think the last 3 games where Saints needed to beat bottom 8 sides and Hunt's handling of those games would turn teams off his asking price. Or at least offering a halfback spot. It was poor at best in terms of his leadership, performance and management of the game. His value would have dropped big time.

For Ben's sake, he needs to give up the captaincy and retire from Origin and just concentrate on the final year or 2 to put in consistently good performances if he wants to win a comp. Seems like he has a choice to play under Hasler, Flanno or Woolf. Probably would suit a Hasler style of play but I can see Dessie putting him at hooker to sharpen up his spine as the halves and fullback are sorted. Woolf has Marshall-King so would probably play him at half at the risk of losing Katoa. Geez, I would love that to be the case and he lands in our lap. Katoa is the perfect half to build a Flanno style team around. If Hunt stays with Saints, getting Cook on board with Liddle, I cannot see Hunt playing hooker. That was the only thing that worried me about the Cook signing as I was hoping Hunt will play his last years at 9 and help the up and coming halfback ease into the 7. Hunt I still feel is the best No.9 in the comp just ahead of Api and Grant. He would be an ideal player to help make a half look good. Cook will do a great job as well but I think Hunt is better than Cook.

Hunt's insistence of being halfback is what I think cost him winning a comp if he does not win one. If he just played half and we had Amone/Sullivan at the time come in when they were coming through, Saints we would have a really good spine by now but as it turned out the halves Saints groomed for big things went off the rails due to really bad coaching. Under Cleary/Robbo/Bellamy and Bennett those 2 would have played to their potential and been in the 3rd-4th year of the Saints NRL spine.

Our halves have always been an issue.

 

[Wolfgang90]

Imo Flanno will see how Hunt gels with cook & holmes before re-committing to him. If they all gun it then he'll be signed for 2026.

 

[Saints Forever]

He is too slow to play in the halves

Demands 90% of the ball

Makes our attack very predictable

Hence sides that move up quickly in defence, easily nullify our attack

The only real variable we have in attack is Liddle running from dummy half. Much faster than Hunt.

Bigger more powerful forwards would certainly help with quick play the balls, but I feel Ben is well past it and is really a bottom 4 team half.

 

[dungay dragon]

Imo Flanno will see how Hunt gels with cook & holmes before re-committing to him. If they all gun it then he'll be signed for 2026.

His cards are now marked
All the indicators have been used , inc the mates in the Media , selectively leaking sensitive info
Once a player swap or financial agreement in place will be back in Qld
Our side appeared more organised and streamlined when he was away on Origin Duty
We need a complete reset and redirection
Hunt Footy too slow and predictable

 

[Dragon David]

His cards are now marked
All the indicators have been used , inc the mates in the Media , selectively leaking sensitive info
Once a player swap or financial agreement in place will be back in Qld
Our side appeared more organised and streamlined when he was away on Origin Duty
We need a complete reset and redirection
Hunt Footy too slow and predictable

Yep, Punt the Hunt.

 

[be55]

If Hunt ends up being re-signed till 26, that would be just about enough to push me over the edge.

I've had to stomach his dreck for the last seven years, I can't possibly stand another two.

For God's sake, kick his overhyped arse to the curb and move on...