‘Stop the Hunt’: Titans urged to abandon pursuit of disgruntled Dragons star

Wantaway Dragons star Ben Hunt is being strongly linked with a move to be the halfback at the Titans next year. The club has been told they’ve already got a Ben Hunt in their line-up.

Tanah Boyd. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Tanah Boyd has vowed to fight for Gold Coast’s No. 7 jersey as the Titans were urged to abandon their pursuit of Queensland Origin star Ben Hunt.

Hunt’s mooted move from the Dragons to Gold Coast has hit a crossroads, with incoming St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan refusing to release the club’s best player.

The initial firestorm surrounding Hunt’s release request has died down and he will lead the Dragons into Thursday night’s wooden spoon showdown with Wests Tigers at Wollongong.

Hunt is seeking a return to Queensland to finish his NRL career, with speculation surfacing the Titans were open to discussing a three-year contract.

But current Gold Coast halfback Boyd believes he is the club’s long-term playmaker and won’t surrender the position without a fight.

Boyd said he was determined to retain the halfback role amid the Hunt uncertainty and was constantly working on his game.

Tanah Boyd is in the best form of his career. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty

“I’m trying to always get better and work on my game any way I can,” he said.

“I’ve got to keep focusing on my game and ways I can better to help the team. I’ve got to stay positive and worry about my performances.

“If I’m doing my job I know I can contribute to the team and get the result.”

Boyd, who turns 23 next week, is one of only three Titans players (Jayden Campbell and Isaac Liu the others) to not miss a game this season heading into Saturday’s showdown with the Roosters at Cbus Super Stadium.

He was shattered to miss a crucial field goal in last Sunday’s 25-24 loss to Parramatta and had another illegally charged down by offside Eels defenders.

Former Titans coach Justin Holbrook handed Boyd the Titans’ No. 7 jersey at the start of the year and showed faith in him, with veteran five-eighth Kieran Foran also a huge fan of the diligent playmaker.

Ben Hunt has been heavily linked with the Titans. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

And Boyd’s manager said he was the long-term solution at halfback for the Titans instead of 305-game veteran Hunt in the twilight of his career.

“They don’t need Ben Hunt – they should stop the Hunt (pursuit), they’ve got their bloke,” said Tas Bartlett.

“I see similarities in Tanah’s start to his career to when Ben Hunt started his career. In and out of first grade, playing the utility role, coming in and out of your position.

“He’s now been given the keys this year and is having more good games than bad games.

“If he gets more reps in his position he’s only going to get better. As you get more experience, the game in the NRL slows down.

“A 23-year-old Tanah is a better option than a 33-year-old Ben Hunt.”

The Titans recently released out-of-favour halfback Toby Sexton to the Bulldogs and have the salary cap space to sign Hunt.

It remains to be seen what incoming coach Des Hasler thinks of Boyd, but Bartlett said he was coping well with the Hunt speculation.

“He has been good. If it happened two or three years ago he would have let it affect him with the head noise,” he said.

“The reality is Tanah can only control what he can control.

“Right now he knows he’s the starting halfback for this year and next year. He is under contract and the Titans haven’t asked for him to be moved or told me he is surplus.

“He is trying to win games of footy for the Titans at the moment. He is concentrating on being the best he can be, which he has shown at various stages this year.

“Foran has got a massive rap on Tanah and he’s been around long enough to know a good footballer when he sees one.”

After beating the Broncos in round 17, the Titans have lost three close contests with the Raiders, Dolphins and Eels by a combined seven points.

They have a daunting finish to the season and a win against the Roosters is crucial to keep their faint finals hopes alive and remain out of the bottom four.

“We’re showing good signs we can hang in there and putting 80-minute performances in,” Boyd said.

“It is (frustrating to lose), but in the back of your mind you know you’re not far off.

“That is the positive. I’m sure it’s going to come around. The boys are pretty eager to get a win.

“Surely soon we’ll get some luck and get a result. We’re not far off and we know that.

“We’ve just got to keep working hard. It’s a good test for us against the Chooks.”

Originally published as ‘Stop the Hunt’: Titans urged to abandon pursuit of disgruntled Dragons star