NRL 2023: Ryan Carr opens up on Dragons role, Ben Hunt’s future

Ryan Carr has been grilled by a large media scrum as he spoke for the first time since being handed the reins at the Dragons following Anthony Griffin’s sacking.

Ryan Carr would like to remain at the Dragons once his tenure as interim coach is over

Ryan Carr hasn‘t shut the door on taking over at St George Illawarra, as the interim coach revealed star halfback Ben Hunt is “100 per cent” committed to staying at the club.

Speaking for the first time since being handed the reins after Anthony Griffin was axed on Tuesday, Carr was greeted by a large media scrum at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.

Carr was reluctant to categorically put himself in the running for the side‘s vacant head coach role, that Sydney Roosters assistant Jason Ryles is the favourite to land in 2024.

But the rookie coach did not rule himself out either.

“I‘m at captain’s run today. I’m just going to go one week at a time. I don’t want to look too far ahead because again all that stuff, I can’t control. All I can control is to do the best for our players. It’s about them,” Carr said.

“I don‘t want to make it about me. It’s about the players and I care about them. All I want is to see them happy and playing good footy. You do that by getting good wins and celebrating with each other.”

St. George Illawarra Dragons interim coach Ryan Carr faces the media at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.

Ryles has another season to run on his deal at the Roosters but has been told his time at Bondi will come to an end this year.

It paves the way for the assistant to take over as Griffin’s full-time replacement from 2024.

It’s understood Ryles will consider bringing in former Dragons greats Ben Hornby and Dean Young as his assistants.

Carr indicated he would like to remain at the Dragons once his tenure as interim coach was over.

While Carr refused to play up his head coaching ambitions, the coach viewed his move to the Dragons “as an opportunity” to grow his career.

But he never expected to get the opportunity under such circumstances.

“It’s not something you can foresee coming, I never wanted that to happen to a mate like Hook. But the club has asked me to do a job and all I can do is my best and get them ready for tomorrow night,” Carr said.

There was speculation that Griffin‘s sacking could cost the club Ben Hunt, with the skipper suggesting he would rethink his deal, which runs until the end of 2025, if the coach was shown the door.

Hunt has since been linked with a move to Canterbury but Carr said the halfback would see out his deal.

“Hundred per cent. I have a really good relationship with Ben. We have become really close since I have been at the club and he is 100 per cent committed to the Dragons,” Carr said.

“He‘s on contract and you can see by the way he plays and how hard is trying, I don’t think he is going anywhere.”

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Ben Hunt’s future has been questioned following Anthony Griffin’s departure from the Dragons. Picture: Getty Images

In recent weeks, Hunt had been used as a dummy half, the role he plays at representative level, by Griffin.

Carr confirmed the playmaker would play in at halfback against the Roosters on Friday night at Netstrata Jubilee Oval but said he could slot back to hooker over the course of the season.

“He’s a world class nine and seven. The good thing about Ben is he is a leader and he is selfless and does what‘s best for the team,” Carr said.

“He’s going to play halfback this week for us because that’s what he was signed for at the club but what the future holds I don’t know.”

Only hours after Griffin was sacked, Carr also recalled star centre Zac Lomax and hooker Jacob Liddle into the NRL side for Friday night’s game.

Lomax and Liddle had fallen out of favour with the old coach and were demoted to NSW Cup.

But Carr insisted the move to name the duo was not a ‘backflip’ on Griffin’s team choices.

“Team selections got spoken about well before what happened on Tuesday. These were discussions that were had straight after the game against the Cowboys. We’d planned to bring them back in regardless. It’s not like a “backflip” on everything,” Carr said.

Ryan Carr would like to remain at the Dragons once his tenure as interim coach is over.

Carr also said he would not hesitate to make a similar call to Griffin and demote players that were out of form.

“We put out the 17 players we think can do the job this week. Next week, we’ll see what happens. Those two boys had a good attitude and played well in NSW Cup,” Carr said. “That’s the message we are trying to send. You play well, you‘re in the team. If you don’t, you have to work on some things in NSW Cup.”

The Dragons will be looking to snap a six-game losing streak on Friday night when they take on the Roosters in front of a home crowd at Kogarah.

Carr is expecting a bounce back in form despite the disrupted build-up to the clash.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to go out and put our DNA out on the field and show who we are as a team,” Carr said.

“We’re trying to come together really tight as a team. I have so much belief in them. I genuinely feel like we have everything we need right here. We don’t need anything else. The answers are here with us. We need to stop worrying about the outside noise.”

WHO IS THE NO-NAME DRAGON TAKING ON NRL’S TOUGHEST GIG?

By David Riccio

A former Wests Tigers and South Sydney lower grade halfback, who once coached NFL superstar Jordan Mailata, has been thrust into the toughest job in the NRL.

Ryan Carr, 34, has been promoted from the role of assistant coach to St George-Illawarra interim coach, following the sacking of Anthony Griffin.

It is the biggest moment in the rookie coach’s career. A first-up assignment against triple premiership-winning Roosters coach Trent Robinson on Friday night.

Carr is well-travelled as a former player and coach.

Ryan Carr takes charge of his first training session as interim coach of the Dragons. Credit: Supplied.

Those who have worked alongside and been coached by Carr describe him as a serious and intense character.

A talented playmaker for the Tigers junior representative sides, he moved to Souths in 2012 with an ambition to replace Chris Sandow as the Bunnies starting No.7.

Injury ultimately thwarted Carr’s NRL dream, which led him to immediately stepping into the coaching ranks.

Stints as an assistant coach in the Sharks and Rabbitohs lower grades led to his appointment in 2016 as NYC (under-20’s) coach of the Bunnies.

It was there that he mentored the likes of Mailata - the Philadelphia Eagle offensive lineman - and current NRL stars Campbell Graham and Keaon Koloamatangi.

Carr continued to expand his resume by coaching Mounties - feeder-club to the Raiders - into the second week of the finals in 2018, before moving to the UK to coach second-division side Featherstone.

Carr guided the Rovers to the Championship final that season, losing 24-6 to Toronto Wolfpack for a place in Super League.

Ryan Carr has a tough job ahead of him. Credit: Supplied.

Former NRL hooker Cameron King played under Carr at Featherstone and in March this year, spoke of the aspiring coach‘s ability to lead the Dragons.

“If the Dragons are looking towards the future for a coach, I’d be looking no further than assistant coach Ryan Carr. He’s a young, quality coach who’s had success. He’s ready to be an NRL coach in my opinion,” King said.

Prior to joining Saints as Griffin’s assistant at the beginning of this season, Carr worked at the Eels as their NSW Cup coach - finishing third in 2021 - and also as an assistant to head coach Brad Arthur.

He will have the next four months to prove he belongs in the NRL as a full-time head coach.