Weekend Read: Dragons’ hunt for Clunt Gutherson carries real risks for the club
St George Illawarra’s open pursuit of Clint Gutherson risks giving the Dragons’ wantaway star Ben Hunt all the ammunition he needs in his own battle against the club, writes BRENT READ.
The Dragons have made no secret of their desire to speak to Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson about his plans in coming days and weeks.
If they get their way, Gutherson will be with them next year. He wants a contract extension and the Eels aren’t prepared to give him one just yet.
The Dragons will, but it is understood their preference is to get their hands on Gutherson for 2025 when there is still plenty of juice left in his legs.
The quiet whisper is that will be Gutherson’s preference as well if he decides he wants a move, which seems likely.
He wants to play fullback, and the Dragons will give him that opportunity.
He wants an extension, and the Dragons will come to the party.
Here’s the bind though for the Dragons.
If they make it clear that their preference is to get Gutherson straight away, they leave themselves open to accusations of hypocrisy if they stand in Ben Hunt’s way should he get the chance to play elsewhere in 2025 as part of an offer from a rival club.
They can’t happily take Gutherson, who has another year remaining on his deal, off Parramatta’s hands and then tell Hunt he has to honour the final year of his contract.
Coach Shane Flanagan and chair Andrew Lancaster will need to handle their next move delicately, but the more the club’s dirty linen gets aired, the more untenable Hunt’s future becomes at the Dragons.
His interview on the pages of this newspaper last weekend exposed the simmering tension between the Dragons and their captain. In an interview with colleague Michael Carayannis, Hunt made it clear he felt let down by the club.
He thought he would get an extension after talks earlier in the season but the Dragons now want to take their time. He was disappointed with aspects of his end of season review finding their way into the media.
He put himself on a collision course with key powerbrokers and walked a fine line when he claimed the Dragons should sign Gutherson and play him at five-eighth - the No.6 jersey is worn by Shane Flanagan’s son Kyle.
Some have suggested the comment was Hunt’s way of suggesting they let him go, which would mean Flanagan moved to halfback and Gutherson played five-eighth.
Either way, it went down like a lead balloon at Dragons HQ given Hunt is their highest paid player and many would argue he didn’t play to his pay cheque this season.
