Dragons’ marquee man Ben Hunt wants his halves spot back

Ben Hunt thrived in the dummy half role for St George Illawarra but the club’s marquee halfback has made it clear where he thinks his future lies. FIND OUT WHERE.

Ben Hunt of the Dragons during the Round 5 NRL match between the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, Sunday, June 14, 2020. (AAP Image/Brendon Thorne) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

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Ben Hunt may have thrived in the dummy half role but St George Illawarra’s million-dollar man is adamant his future remains in the halves. Hunt was shifted to the interchange bench in a bid to help spark the Dragons ailing season.

He came on and starred as a back-up hooker against the Sharks to help guide their Dragons to their first win of the season on Sunday. While Hunt is happy to play there to help ignite the Dragons’ year he is certain he wants to return to the halves as soon as he can.

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Ben Hunt starred in the Dragons’ first win of the season. Picture: AAP/Brendon Thorne

“It’s not my preferred position,” Hunt said. “I don’t mind it, I just want to win. I could find myself there for a while.

“Long-term I want to play in the halves. If this is what’s best for the club I’m more than happy to do it. I just want to win some games. It’s been a long, hard trot.

“All week I wanted to enjoy myself and not worry about other blokes roles. I just wanted to concentrate myself and enjoy the game. I felt like I did that. I didn’t overplay my hand.”

It is a role Hunt has filled for the Kangaroos and Queensland in recent years. Knowing his game was well down, Hunt understood his place in the side was on the line.

Ben Hunt wants to return to the halves. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty

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“I have said to (coach Paul McGregor) ‘I’m not playing great’,” Hunt said. “I never told him I don’t want to be picked or put on the bench. It was obvious to everyone and myself that I wasn’t playing good. I never said I didn’t want to be in the team. When he made the decision to move me to nine. I said ‘I understand your decision in doing that, I accept that you’re doing that’.

“I understand the game and how I’ve been playing. I haven’t been playing up to the scratch. I knew there were going to be changes to the team. I wasn’t expecting it but I had a feeling that it might happen. I understood that. I wanted to get on with life.

“(Returning to the halves is) not going to happen overnight. I need to do a lot right at training and games. It’ll happen in the future.”

The Dragons are also hopeful their match against the Titans will be the last without Jack de Belin. De Belin is back in court on Monday and best case scenario he could be cleared to be play the Roosters in round seven.

Hunt said de Belin was “ready to play”.

“He has been training really well and closed to one of our best with the reserves side,” Hunt said. “I feel like he won’t miss a beat. He will be a massive boost. He can change a game.”