The Rumours Thread

[Dragon David]

But Canberra seems to be able to attract players and it certainly isn't Paris or the Amalfi coast. And Newcastle is nothing special. And Penrith, is it really the center of the world? In the end it is mostly about winning. As we win more, it will beome easier to attract players.

Yep, it is the winning culture that attracts players to a club. It signifies success. No-one likes to lose. Even if the coach is crap but the team keeps winning, players will still want to come. But obviously having a great coach and winning is the absolute.

Johnny doesn't want to come home after a game and say to his mum and dad or his own family that he lost again and again, and again. Just imagine. Or you meet some friends and they ask how is league going and you say it is great but we lose mostly. Just doesn't sound too good does it. So yeah, a winning culture is it. Not the location, not the coach, not the name of the club, it's the winning that matters and when you get paid you know that you deserve every cent.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

But Canberra seems to be able to attract players and it certainly isn't Paris or the Amalfi coast. And Newcastle is nothing special. And Penrith, is it really the center of the world? In the end it is mostly about winning. As we win more, it will beome easier to attract players.

We are winning a lot more than Wests Tigers. It has made no difference.

 

[justadragon]

What Is he smoking , another 2 years

• NRL

View attachment 95377

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt eyes NRL open market as he claims club ‘doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me’​

Ben Hunt has sensationally claimed the St George Illawarra club he captains “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me” as he prepares to hit the open market.
Michael Carayannis
@mcarayannis

3 min read
October 12, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/2024.10.12-05174...44426cd8c40d75dea61a69-1728710278#share-tools

NRL: After a disappointing end to their season, the St George Illawarra Dragons may look to move on veteran Ben Hunt who has been linked to a move to the Gold Coast Titans.
Kangaroos veteran Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1 after the Dragons skipper sensationally claimed the club “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me.”
Hunt’s future is again in the headlines as he prepares to take part in Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign.
The 34-year-old has indicated he wants to play on beyond his current deal which expires at the end of 2025 but is of the belief that the Dragons aren’t rushing to make him an offer meaning he will test the market in just three weeks.
HUNT’S NRL FUTURE
Hunt has committed to see out his contract at the Dragons. But beyond that his future remains unclear.
“At this stage I’ll be there (next year),” Hunt said.
“Nothing has changed. I had to get away and freshen up and not think about footy for a while. Unless something extreme happens I’ll probably be there.”

Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1. Picture: Getty Images
The 334-gamer wants to play for at least two more seasons which will set him up to become the second-most capped player in the game’s history with Hunt on track to go beyond Cooper Cronk’s 372 game mark. Only Cameron Smith has played more.
But Hunt may be forced to look elsewhere after he claimed the Dragons were reluctant to put a new deal on the table.
“I definitely want to play beyond next year,” Hunt said.
“I’m still feeling good in myself and I feel like I can contribute.
“We’ve had that discussion earlier in the year and it went away. They don’t want to offer me anything so I’ll go to November 1 and see what happens.
“I haven’t shut the doors on anything. The Dragons said they were keen to extend me around April and then they said they’d wait until after Origin.
“Now they want to see how I’m playing next year. It’s all gone quiet and they don’t want to do anything. Doesn’t sound like they are overly keen to keep me.
“It may be in Queensland or somewhere else. I’ll just wait and see. “

St George Illawarra Dragons captain Ben Hunt.
END OF SEASON REVIEW
Hunt insists he has no issue with what was said to him during the end of season post-mortem with coach Shane Flanagan and other coaching staff members.
However it was the public fall-out where elements of the meeting were leaked to the media which has stung Hunt.
“It was disappointing the way the season ended,” Hunt said.
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
“We set ourselves up to play finals but we crumbled and I was disappointed in the back end of the year.
“A lot of the stuff that was in the media wasn’t said in my review. I don’t know where it came from but it must’ve been said somewhere.
“It was disappointing that a lot of the stuff from my review got out there. I was in a review with the coaches and then it’s the media within a couple of hours. I can’t control that I guess.
“I didn’t leave the review disappointed. I left thinking that they said things that I was thinking. My defence was the best and I fell away in the last month of the season.
“I played a couple of disappointing games and that’s what they said to me.
“I expected that to be said.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
SIGNING GUTHO
The Dragons have bought some much-needed experience in the likes of Valentine Holmes and Damien Cook to help ease the leadership burden on Hunt.
They are also in the mix to sign Clint Gutherson who was granted permission to talk with rival teams for 2026. Hunt said the Dragons should pounce.
“He would be an asset,” Hunt said.
“He is a great competitor. There’s talk of moving him to centre or five-eighth. I think we could sign him to play six.
“He is a real organiser and an experienced guy who could slot in there.”

Loading…

archive.md

Whats so surprising about this, you've sucked $7-8 Mill out of the club and gave us nothing !!!

 

[Illusion]

Haha, Ben Hunt says we should sign Gutho to play 6!
Surely that’s a crack?
Imagine being Kyle and your halves partner says we should sign Gutho to play 6.
Piss off Hunt you flog.

Completely over the guy , don't care what he thinks or says ....... The sooner he is gone the better , he would have to be one of the worst captains of all time that's put on a Red V jersey ........

 

[TruSaint]

I've never thought Wollongong was that bad, but you've only got to look at the success that Wests Tigers have in recruiting players to see that the Gong is very much an obstacle in a lot of players eyes. Api Korisau, Isaiah Papalii, Klemmer, Justin Olam, Jarome Luai, Turuva, and Royce Hunt . All players I would I have been happy to have when they transferred. That can't all be on our club because Wests Tigers are a bigger basket case than us. Some of it has to be the Gong.

Api is a great player, i grant you that. He went to the Tigers after winning a title on good coin. Same with Luai.

Klemmer has played at how many Clubs ? His days of dominating packs are way gone.
Royce Hunt is yet to be proven in my view. Risky signing. We can't keep paying overs for players of we will end up like the Tigers ( we are not far off btw ). Our contract with our Captain is exhibit A.

 

[TruSaint]

What Is he smoking , another 2 years

• NRL

View attachment 95377

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt eyes NRL open market as he claims club ‘doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me’​

Ben Hunt has sensationally claimed the St George Illawarra club he captains “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me” as he prepares to hit the open market.
Michael Carayannis
@mcarayannis

3 min read
October 12, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/2024.10.12-05174...44426cd8c40d75dea61a69-1728710278#share-tools

NRL: After a disappointing end to their season, the St George Illawarra Dragons may look to move on veteran Ben Hunt who has been linked to a move to the Gold Coast Titans.
Kangaroos veteran Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1 after the Dragons skipper sensationally claimed the club “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me.”
Hunt’s future is again in the headlines as he prepares to take part in Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign.
The 34-year-old has indicated he wants to play on beyond his current deal which expires at the end of 2025 but is of the belief that the Dragons aren’t rushing to make him an offer meaning he will test the market in just three weeks.
HUNT’S NRL FUTURE
Hunt has committed to see out his contract at the Dragons. But beyond that his future remains unclear.
“At this stage I’ll be there (next year),” Hunt said.
“Nothing has changed. I had to get away and freshen up and not think about footy for a while. Unless something extreme happens I’ll probably be there.”

Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1. Picture: Getty Images
The 334-gamer wants to play for at least two more seasons which will set him up to become the second-most capped player in the game’s history with Hunt on track to go beyond Cooper Cronk’s 372 game mark. Only Cameron Smith has played more.
But Hunt may be forced to look elsewhere after he claimed the Dragons were reluctant to put a new deal on the table.
“I definitely want to play beyond next year,” Hunt said.
“I’m still feeling good in myself and I feel like I can contribute.
“We’ve had that discussion earlier in the year and it went away. They don’t want to offer me anything so I’ll go to November 1 and see what happens.
“I haven’t shut the doors on anything. The Dragons said they were keen to extend me around April and then they said they’d wait until after Origin.
“Now they want to see how I’m playing next year. It’s all gone quiet and they don’t want to do anything. Doesn’t sound like they are overly keen to keep me.
“It may be in Queensland or somewhere else. I’ll just wait and see. “

St George Illawarra Dragons captain Ben Hunt.
END OF SEASON REVIEW
Hunt insists he has no issue with what was said to him during the end of season post-mortem with coach Shane Flanagan and other coaching staff members.
However it was the public fall-out where elements of the meeting were leaked to the media which has stung Hunt.
“It was disappointing the way the season ended,” Hunt said.
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
“We set ourselves up to play finals but we crumbled and I was disappointed in the back end of the year.
“A lot of the stuff that was in the media wasn’t said in my review. I don’t know where it came from but it must’ve been said somewhere.
“It was disappointing that a lot of the stuff from my review got out there. I was in a review with the coaches and then it’s the media within a couple of hours. I can’t control that I guess.
“I didn’t leave the review disappointed. I left thinking that they said things that I was thinking. My defence was the best and I fell away in the last month of the season.
“I played a couple of disappointing games and that’s what they said to me.
“I expected that to be said.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
SIGNING GUTHO
The Dragons have bought some much-needed experience in the likes of Valentine Holmes and Damien Cook to help ease the leadership burden on Hunt.
They are also in the mix to sign Clint Gutherson who was granted permission to talk with rival teams for 2026. Hunt said the Dragons should pounce.
“He would be an asset,” Hunt said.
“He is a great competitor. There’s talk of moving him to centre or five-eighth. I think we could sign him to play six.
“He is a real organiser and an experienced guy who could slot in there.”

Loading…

archive.md

Give me the spoon next year as opposed to keeping this fraud. And I mean it. Im fu....ng done with this guy.

 

[Biglance]

Haha, Ben Hunt says we should sign Gutho to play 6!
Surely that’s a crack?
Imagine being Kyle and your halves partner says we should sign Gutho to play 6.
Piss off Hunt you flog.

I actually think Ben is not very smart at all and nothing he says is thought out

 

[VodkaSaint]

I actually think Ben is not very smart at all and nothing he says is thought out

Great Idea, Gutho to 6 and Hunt can F@#$$ off

 

[cussy]

Wollongong is a shit hole and the Steelers Club is the epitome of it.

If you don’t think the things I mentioned matter then why isn’t anyone of note coming unless they are at the backend of their careers?

All the talking up of the Cook & Holmes signings conveniently ignores the point that they were willingly let go by their clubs as is Gutho and they were not priorities for other clubs.

Wollongong slightly in front of England in some players eyes and that’s about it.

So your basing the whole opinion of the Illawarra on the Steelers club….#dumbass

 

[TheRev]

SIGNING GUTHO

“He would be an asset,” Hunt said.
“He is a great competitor. There’s talk of moving him to centre or five-eighth. I think we could sign him to play six.
“He is a real organiser and an experienced guy who could slot in there.”

fmd this guy is a twat.. the media love him, guaranteed story every time.

 

[JubileeJeffro]

What Is he smoking , another 2 years

• NRL

View attachment 95377

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt eyes NRL open market as he claims club ‘doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me’​

Ben Hunt has sensationally claimed the St George Illawarra club he captains “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me” as he prepares to hit the open market.
Michael Carayannis
@mcarayannis

3 min read
October 12, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/2024.10.12-05174...44426cd8c40d75dea61a69-1728710278#share-tools

NRL: After a disappointing end to their season, the St George Illawarra Dragons may look to move on veteran Ben Hunt who has been linked to a move to the Gold Coast Titans.
Kangaroos veteran Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1 after the Dragons skipper sensationally claimed the club “doesn’t seem overly keen to keep me.”
Hunt’s future is again in the headlines as he prepares to take part in Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign.
The 34-year-old has indicated he wants to play on beyond his current deal which expires at the end of 2025 but is of the belief that the Dragons aren’t rushing to make him an offer meaning he will test the market in just three weeks.
HUNT’S NRL FUTURE
Hunt has committed to see out his contract at the Dragons. But beyond that his future remains unclear.
“At this stage I’ll be there (next year),” Hunt said.
“Nothing has changed. I had to get away and freshen up and not think about footy for a while. Unless something extreme happens I’ll probably be there.”

Ben Hunt will hit the open market come November 1. Picture: Getty Images
The 334-gamer wants to play for at least two more seasons which will set him up to become the second-most capped player in the game’s history with Hunt on track to go beyond Cooper Cronk’s 372 game mark. Only Cameron Smith has played more.
But Hunt may be forced to look elsewhere after he claimed the Dragons were reluctant to put a new deal on the table.
“I definitely want to play beyond next year,” Hunt said.
“I’m still feeling good in myself and I feel like I can contribute.
“We’ve had that discussion earlier in the year and it went away. They don’t want to offer me anything so I’ll go to November 1 and see what happens.
“I haven’t shut the doors on anything. The Dragons said they were keen to extend me around April and then they said they’d wait until after Origin.
“Now they want to see how I’m playing next year. It’s all gone quiet and they don’t want to do anything. Doesn’t sound like they are overly keen to keep me.
“It may be in Queensland or somewhere else. I’ll just wait and see. “

St George Illawarra Dragons captain Ben Hunt.
END OF SEASON REVIEW
Hunt insists he has no issue with what was said to him during the end of season post-mortem with coach Shane Flanagan and other coaching staff members.
However it was the public fall-out where elements of the meeting were leaked to the media which has stung Hunt.
“It was disappointing the way the season ended,” Hunt said.
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
“We set ourselves up to play finals but we crumbled and I was disappointed in the back end of the year.
“A lot of the stuff that was in the media wasn’t said in my review. I don’t know where it came from but it must’ve been said somewhere.
“It was disappointing that a lot of the stuff from my review got out there. I was in a review with the coaches and then it’s the media within a couple of hours. I can’t control that I guess.
“I didn’t leave the review disappointed. I left thinking that they said things that I was thinking. My defence was the best and I fell away in the last month of the season.
“I played a couple of disappointing games and that’s what they said to me.
“I expected that to be said.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there
SIGNING GUTHO
The Dragons have bought some much-needed experience in the likes of Valentine Holmes and Damien Cook to help ease the leadership burden on Hunt.
They are also in the mix to sign Clint Gutherson who was granted permission to talk with rival teams for 2026. Hunt said the Dragons should pounce.
“He would be an asset,” Hunt said.
“He is a great competitor. There’s talk of moving him to centre or five-eighth. I think we could sign him to play six.
“He is a real organiser and an experienced guy who could slot in there.”

Loading…

archive.md

I view this as another fishing exercise…we are clearly keen for a suitable option to emerge for us to swap out Hunt. I am sensing Flanno has lost faith in Hunts leadership after his inability to shut out games at the back end of the season.
win those games and we would have extended him.
now it’s up to the titans, dolphins or broncos to find an option, and for us to use the hunt $$ to strengthen the squad with leadership… maybe that’s the Gutho interest after all.

 

[GC Dragon]

I actually think Ben is not very smart at all and nothing he says is thought out

I think in this case he had a think about what he said . Hunt is very good at passing the buck . This was a " Hey coach i am not the problem in the halves " .

 

[Stan Gorton 2511]

Eels have told Gutho he will not be captain why can’t we do the same with Hunt
Again he has waited until he is away from the club to start throwing hand grenades
We need to offload him

 

[Gareth67]

Casting aside all of the unwarranted criticism of Hunt ( which I personally find deplorable ! ) and our best player and undoubtedly one of the Dragons best ever captains

The fact that he will not play anywhere but at halfback for the club , yet he will play at hooker for his beloved Queensland team and if he does goes will more than likely play either role at another club - but not for St.George Illawarra.

He will be 34 next season , he is running on tired legs which probably accounts for the lack of not ‘taking the line on ‘ as other halves do .

Benny just do your team a huge bloody favour and go to the land of cane toads and crawdads where you can whinge and whine all you like .

One final point , this bloke simply should not be offered an extension under any circumstances whatsoever . To do otherwise is sheer bloody lunacy and an insult to all Dragon supporters .

 

[mattw5]

Read on one of the EELS forums a rumour about Sione Finau going to Parramatta he has a link with Ryles from Melbourne if we are serious about JAC can see this happening as Ravalawa can’t be moved.

 

[BLM01]

So your basing the whole opinion of the Illawarra on the Steelers club….#dumbass

I think you were very polite there. Some people need to actually look around sometime before making frivolous statements from a far away dark corner

Api is a great player, i grant you that. He went to the Tigers after winning a title on good coin. Same with Luai.

Klemmer has played at how many Clubs ? His days of dominating packs are way gone.
Royce Hunt is yet to be proven in my view. Risky signing. We can't keep paying overs for players of we will end up like the Tigers ( we are not far off btw ). Our contract with our Captain is exhibit A.

Thats the truth there. Tigers have paid overs and has for years and it is still getting them into trouble and more recently a spoon 3peat

 

[Old Timer]

So your basing the whole opinion of the Illawarra on the Steelers club….#dumbass

Not at all.

For all the Gong supposedly has to offer the Steelers lasted all of 17 years & won 3 spoons and left a shit hole of a club for the members.

If things are as great as you say they are down that way then why is it they attracted very little talent and ultimately folded?

The people of Wollongong and the Illawarra sent you broke and I dare say if not for the strength of St George and its rich legacy and fanatical supporters this franchise would have gone under long ago but the Illawarra has now managed to get it bent over and on its knees ready for a right royal you know what.

The Illawarra is incapable of standing alone because high quality NRL players have avoided it ad nauseaum and many of the best players the vast area has produced have chosen to play elsewhere and that is the very reason that Penrith & Cronulla got included in 66 and why the Steelers ultimately collapsed.







.

I wouldn’t call Wollongong a shit hole, not by any means.
I’ve only been to Steelers club once but from memory it was OK. At least they had the footy on. St George Leagues club is just a poker machine haven, it’s deplorable.

Crush
On the wine list You might get a De Bortoli Spumante if your lucky

 

[BLM01]

Honestly, It may be an issue for some, but I ask myself what a potential player would think if we were a competitive side.

Would the Gong be an obstacle ?

Darius Boyd, Nathan Fein, Jeremy Smith, Nev Costigan, J Saffy all integral in our last title came to the JV at the lure of winning. There were no rumblings of disharmony.

I know Wayne Bennett is good but I doubt he redeveloped the Gong in time to bring in game changes. I am fairly confident that any player worth his salt would jump at a chance if he felt that the Club was poised to succeed.

It's been said at nauseam. We are not a destination Club due to years of neglect by an inept board. If Flanno can turn us around and is given time, players will come. Not all. Some won't leave their safety zone and that's fine.

Sua, Holmes, Widdop and I would even say Cookie dont see it as an obstacle
And when we do make our next notable signing they wont either
Since Bennett left the BOD run the club down the hill faster than a lightning strike

 

[<StGeorgeDragons>]

So just to sum up the 38000 posts on here. We are not signing anyone good. Got it, cheers!

 

[blacksafake]

So just to sum up the 38000 posts on here. We are not signing anyone good. Got it, cheers!

Not until we move