Poor Ben Hunt

[VodkaSaint]

MSN

 

[Illusion]

MSN

Can someone get a contractor in to open up the doorway so both Hunt and Hook can both fit through the exit at the same time ...... What a wank .....

 

[rasaint]

I hope Ben stays on say $750k and plays hooker with Sullivan to get his chance 2023.

id be happy if the total sum of 3rd parties to each club was disclosed not necessarily individual players. At least fans know the total sum available to each club to buy the players.

 

[Walpole]

I hope Ben stays on say $750k and plays hooker with Sullivan to get his chance 2023.

id be happy if the total sum of 3rd parties to each club was disclosed not necessarily individual players. At least fans know the total sum available to each club to buy the players.

That's really the only acceptable outcome. Letting the club be held to ransom by an aging halfback who won't do what's best for the team and a coach who's out of touch with the modern game are a sure fire path to a wooden spoon.

 

[Crush]

Hunt isn’t going to play 9, not under Hook at least.
Can we just move Sullivan to 9 permanently if that’s the case? He’s a massive upgrade on McCulloch, if McCulloch ever starts at 9 again for us then someone needs to lose their job.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Pretty clear Ben Hunt wants to play halfback, he knows that'll happen while Hook is coach, no guarantees thereafter. I'm sure the club has made him what they consider a reasonable offer in monetary terms, with his playing position to be determined by whoever the coach is at the time. That's probably all the club can do. I can't blame Hunt for wanting Hook as coach. At least Ben knows what he's going to get. With St George there's every chance the next coach will be some numpty with no clue experimenting with players in unsuitable positions.

Ben Hunt is still far and away our best halfback, so I'm happy for him to remain there while his form is good. I've seen a few good halves turn to crap though when they got too old. I remember Terry Campese in a game for Canberra at the end of his career, and it was just sad to watch. So if the club decides someone else is the long term halfback, and Ben Hunt decides to leave on that basis, well I'm comfortable with that too.

 

[shiloh dc]

I am sure the NRL published 3rd pary payments by each club a couple years ago. While this provides some transparency, i am sure not all dodgy deals are logged with t

To publish 3rd party payments in one isolated year can be incredibly misleading as they could have been manipulated into the previous year or the following year. This needs to be published each year - at the end of the current season. Then one can compare the the list against the final NRL ladder to see who is over/under performing.

If Hunt signs elsewhere - we run the risk of him being disinterested next year - us having a really poor year and then offloading him midway into the season when our season is cooked.

 

[denis preston]

I also hope our offer is only until October , so if he is testing the market after Nov 1st we may get him for 600k ! If he gets a better offer then play out your existing contract or your new club can pay us 500k to play for them in 2023. That way we are 1.6 or 1.7 million a head for a season , which would help us buy a very good forward or 2.

 

[Sloth]

We will not be winning a comp in the next 2 years with or without Hunt if he is not willing to move to Hooker. Even that is a stretch as our current forwards just don't have it in them to produce a title challenge. Although I think they will improve with a smarter / faster Hooker.

The only benefits to keeping Hunt on is to attract some decent signings and to mentor the young halves. Honestly if you are a decent edge back rower or starting prop would you sign with a club that has 2 rookie halves and a well past it hooker in M'Cullah if Hunt is not around?

If we don't keep Hunt past next year we seriously needed to be recruiting gun forwards now as I doubt we will attract anyone decent next year for 2024. Bud and Amone in the halves with either Ramsay or Sloan at the back and ???? as Hooker at this stage doesn't sound like a premiership spine. (Could change in a couple of years obviously with more first grade) In short, unless recruitment is improved in the off season we are at least 3 years away from making a push to the later stages of the finals.

 

[Illusion]

This is easy for me , Hunt can stay , but if it's to lose Bud , then it's a no from me ..... It's like this as long as Hunt and Hook are happy f**k the rest of them .....

 

[saintmar]

I hope Ben stays on say $750k and plays hooker with Sullivan to get his chance 2023.

id be happy if the total sum of 3rd parties to each club was disclosed not necessarily individual players. At least fans know the total sum available to each club to buy the players.

Benny and Hook not required.

 

[saintmar]

I find it amazing that the pundits can accuse Saints of low-balling a 33 year old player with an offer of $700K, as good as he can be on his day.
Considering he was paid overs in the first place and we've made the semi's just once during his tenure - and that was in tandem with Gareth Widdop and a stronger forward pack than we have now.
I find all this "I'll only stay if he can stay" crap totally disingenuous and selfish and if we were to lose a player like Jayden Sullivan in order to keep a player and coach both at the back end of their careers I'd seriously consider renewing my membership.
Besides, Hunt's most successful seasons at the Broncos were under Bennett, not Griffin - under whom he has achieved precisely diddly squat at club level despite playing some quality football on occasion.

Spot on

 

[This Year?]

I love the irony of the thread title.

 

[Dorothy the Winowhore]

Spoke with my Broncos source this morning. He is the one who told me a couple of weeks ago that the $1.35 mil offer was for 2 years, not per year, as the anti Dragons media ran with to stir things up.

He said today that Hunt is open to playing 9, if required, but Hook refusing to play him there. Hunt also doing his bit on convincing Bud to not ask for a release, and how much another year playing 9 or 14 will benefit his desire to be an NRL halfback. Jumping now to a promise of the 7 jumper in 1st grade at another club could ruin his career, if he is not ready.

Also, heard nothing on the reports of Hunt trying to synch his extension with a Hook extension. But, not to be surprised if Hunt goes once Hook is gone. Titans offer still higher than ours.

And I am still trying to get my source to convince Flegler and Robati to move to the Gong, but no luck, yet.

 

[Trifili13]

Adam Reynolds is rumoured to be on about 800k at the Broncos and similar age to Hunt. I would have Adam well before Hunt as he manages games much better, is arguably the best tactical kicker in the game, makes players around him better, is a cool head and kicks goals for fun. So for the similar dollars being talked, I would choose Reynolds every time over Hunt. It's not as if we are losing a premiership winning half back if Hunt doesn't agree to the clubs offer. We always have Bud as an option who everyone says could turn out to be our long term solution.

 

[justadragon]

Dragons reject Hunt request to have contract extension tied to Griffin

The St George Illawarra captain wants to stay with the Red V – and his representatives briefly floated the prospect of him signing a new deal aligned with the current coach.

www.smh.com.au

2 areas of concern here, firstly " the sum is significantly higher than $700k and secondly he has asked for the extension to be aligned with Hook " major issues, how much is he really being paid ???? and if the club eventually caves in to the request they will rue that decision for years. He is still on great coin next year and FFS he will be nearly 35 and still on great coin. To say that we would end up getting shafted on this deal would be an understatement. I'm happy they are refusing, stop allowing players and managers to hold a gun to the club. For god sake if you think you havent had a fair go the previous years , then go, see yah, have some pride and respect for the organisation that has paid you millions over the last years, and what has the club achieved, a big fat 0.

 

[dragon thomo]

After next year it's time to let Hunt go.
As Bennett always says it's better to let a player go a year early than a year late.
We need to spend good coin on quality forwards.

 

[slippery5]

Can someone get a contractor in to open up the doorway so both Hunt and Hook can both fit through the exit at the same time ...... What a wank .....

I've been saying, he is a selfish prick. All he wants is the glory by playing half in a shi# team. Nothing in his DNA says he would do what's best for the team...

 

[Illusion]

I've been saying, he is a selfish prick. All he wants is the glory by playing half in a shi# team. Nothing in his DNA says he would do what's best for the team...

Time will tell , let's see how it pans out the part that gets me the most is if true he will sign if Hook stays ......

 

[BLM01]

I've been saying, he is a selfish prick. All he wants is the glory by playing half in a shi# team. Nothing in his DNA says he would do what's best for the team...

C'mon it is his managers doing the negotiating not him
Wants wrong with wanting to play under a certain coach who prefers him in his preferred spot where he gets paid more.
No one is holding the club to ransom. The manager trying to get things for his players way.
Besides the club said no.