Relations between Ben Hunt and St George Illawarra have hit a new low with the star playmaker not wanting to return to pre-season training with the Dragons.
Coach Shane Flanagan conducted media interviews on Friday and some of his comments, including suggestions that Hunt had leaked to the media about his own scathing post-season review, were not lost on the star playmaker’s camp.
“Let me be really clear on the review bit and what was said in the review,” Flanagan told the Herald on Friday. “There were three people in the review: Me, Dean Young and Ben. I can guarantee you, Dean Young didn’t speak to any media and I haven’t spoken to any media about the review. And what’s being said is incorrect. There was no discussion about Ben’s salary and all that sort of stuff. That’s just absolutely rubbish.”
Flanagan also told this masthead it was “a little bit frustrating” to learn publicly that Hunt had endorsed recruitment target Clint Gutherson as an ideal No.6 option, despite Kyle Flanagan, Shane’s son, being the current Dragons five-eighth.
Hunt has tried to keep a low profile and not let the contract drama affect the Kangaroos while he is in camp for the Pacific Championships. He is 18th man for Sunday’s clash against New Zealand in Christchurch. He did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by this masthead on Saturday.
The Kangaroos will break camp next week, but Hunt has told those close to him there is no point rushing home to try to bring the matter to a head with Flanagan, especially after multiple direct requests for an immediate release have already been flatly rejected.
Hunt will instead remain on New Zealand’s south island to holiday with family.
Hunt is due back for pre-season training in early January, but sources with knowledge of the situation but not authorised to speak publicly confirmed to this masthead that Hunt has become so disillusioned with the situation that he has no desire to stay at the Dragons or be coached by Flanagan.
The relationship between coach and captain has become untenable, the same sources confirmed.
There were initial reports that Hunt wanted to return home to Queensland, but the halfback, who turns 35 next year, is open to remaining in Sydney – or playing at any club – if it means securing an early exit.
Hunt was told that he was free to explore his options for 2026 before November 1, but he and his management are yet to receive written permission from the Dragons to test the open market.
When Flanagan was asked if the Dragons were prepared to let Hunt leave if they could secure a suitable player in exchange, he said on Friday: “I don’t want to speculate on all that sort of rubbish. The Ben Hunt story in the off-season has been pretty much saying he’s got a contract here next year. We expect him to be here. The board’s made a decision that they could go to market a little bit earlier if he wanted to. They declined that, so we’re moving forward. When I put my team on paper, Ben Hunt’s No.7.”
Incoming Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf was asked about Hunt last week, and while he said there had been no contact with the representative playmaker, he added: “We are always interested in talking to talented players and Ben Hunt is a talented player.”
If Hunt was to move to Redcliffe, it would be as a five-eighth given that the club is backing Isaiya Katoa as their No.7.
Hunt is still one of the top performers in the NRL, playing for Queensland again in this year’s Origin series and making Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad.
