Ben Hunt, enjoying a few days off from his Kangaroos commitments, was driving a campervan around New Zealand’s south island with his wife and kids when the phone rang on Monday.
The Dragons wanted answers after reading in the Herald over the weekend that their marquee man was contemplating not returning to pre-season training in January despite the coach insisting – publicly at least – that Hunt would be his No.7 to start next season.
It sparked a series of conversations that left club powerbrokers pondering the value in paying close to $160,000 to a player – who was going to be on leave from November 1 until his return-to-training date in January – if he had no intention of returning.
Last Friday, at a club function aptly named “What Makes a Dragon”, chairman Andrew Lancaster spoke to a room of corporate partners, media and key stakeholders about accountability; about characteristics such as courage, connection and passion – some of which were plastered all over the many screens in the room.
It later dawned on those in charge that they couldn’t demand a certain level of accountability from the rest of the team if they weren’t holding the most senior and highest-paid player to the same standard.
Even though the Dragons had a fortnight earlier given Hunt permission to test the market immediately, they maintained a public position that they would not entertain a release for 2025.
Ben Hunt and his teammates haven’t had a happy time of things in recent years.Credit: Getty Images
It is a dance clubs and agents do to gain a position of power in negotiations before they inevitably succumb to the realisation that things have become untenable.
The Dragons reached that conclusion over the weekend. No longer did they want to leverage the situation; they just wanted the circus to end and bring what was inevitably next year’s problem forward by a few months.
They picked up the phone on Tuesday and called Hunt’s agent. They were giving Hunt what he long sought – a release – but only under the condition that he agreed to a mutual termination.
In other words, the Dragons wouldn’t pay him a cent of the $950,000 he stood to earn during the next 12 months.
On the move: former Dragon Ben Hunt.Credit: NRL Photos
On Wednesday morning, during a phone hook-up with outgoing chief executive Ryan Webb and general manager Ben Haran, Hunt agreed to the Dragons’ condition.
His willingness to be unemployed – and potentially forego hundreds of thousands of dollars – spoke to the strength of his desire to remove himself from a situation he told club powerbrokers he was “tired” of.
Few will begrudge Hunt for taking the best part of $7 million from the Dragons during the past seven years – most in his shoes would, and have done, the same.
But what money hasn’t been able to buy in that time is an affinity and connection to the Red V beyond the pay cheque. The writing has been on the wall since the moment he requested to tie his future to that of then-coach Anthony Griffin in 2022.
Ben Hunt has a strong relationship with Anthony Griffin, who was sacked by the Dragons last year.Credit: NRL Photos
Sensing his long-time mentor was on the verge of being chewed up and spat out, Hunt went searching for a safety blanket, which the Dragons refused to throw over him.
The Dragons were smart enough to ensure their best player wasn’t linked to the future of a coach on a sinking ship but didn’t foresee the difficult seas they would have to navigate with a player who only wanted to be there on his terms.
Those terms were that if his coach – as well as the Queensland friends he brought to the club along the way (among them Andrew McCullough and Josh McGuire) – were no longer around, he could leave.
Inevitably the day came that Griffin was marched out the door – with a 38 per cent winning record from 58 games at the helm.
For now the Dragons are just happy they’ve heard the last of Ben Hunt.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Dragons powerbrokers that a month later, Channel Nine’s Danny Weidler was reporting that their No.7 – in Origin camp with Queensland at the time – wanted an immediate release.
At a board meeting at St George Leagues Club after that season, Hunt was told that he wouldn’t be released, and he agreed to give incoming coach Flanagan 12 months to see if he could make the club a more attractive proposition.
All was going well, at least it seemed, with both parties open to an extension to keep Hunt at the Red V in 2026. Flanagan told Hunt that conversations would continue after he returned from Queensland State of Origin commitments.
The Dragons, however, had gone cold on the idea. At first, they wanted to wait until November 1 before making a decision on a potential extension. Then they told Hunt they wanted to wait and see how he started next season.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan (centre) with star players Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax.Credit: NRL Photos
It’s hard to argue with the club’s methodology considering clubs such as the Roosters and Sea Eagles were happy to take it year by year with the likes of James Tedesco and Daly Cherry-Evans. Hunt, however, didn’t see it that way.
According to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity who are close to Hunt, the 35-year-old was already feeling undervalued by the coach due to a belief that he was often made the scapegoat – sometimes in front of teammates – for losses, and rarely praised for his positive contributions. His happiness at the club began to erode.
It led to a disastrous final few weeks of the season during which the Dragons squandered a golden opportunity to return to finals football, which led to a less-than-complimentary end-of-season review from the coach about his halfback.
Hunt again began to look for the exit door.
People at the Dragons often say he never really formed any close bonds with players at the Dragons – apart from those he previously played with at the Broncos and Maroons – and distanced himself from social gatherings with teammates.
They also said he is an introvert by nature; a family man who wanted to spend as little time at training in Wollongong as possible and as much time back in the Shire with his young family.
While the Dragons saw it as an admirable trait as a father and a husband, it was less than ideal as the captain of one of the most iconic brands in Australian sport that was crying out for leadership.
It was also a reflection of a lack of leadership in the football team that there was no one else – apart from Jack de Belin, who was being overlooked because of previous allegations of sexual assault; the charges for which were dropped in 2021 – had what it took to be skipper. Incoming South Sydney recruit Damien Cook is the favourite to take over that honour next year.
The Dragons have already reached out to Clint Gutherson.Credit: Getty Images
Since the story about Hunt’s messy end-of-season exit review with Flanagan and assistant coach Dean Young, both parties have been pointing fingers as to who is talking out of school.
“There were three people in the review: Me, Dean Young and Ben,” Flanagan told this reporter after last Friday’s function at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium.
“I can guarantee you, Dean Young didn’t speak to any media and I haven’t spoken to any media about the review.”
The Hunt camp took that as a shot at the veteran playmaker. So, too, the way the coach responded to the question about whether Hunt’s recent comments – that Clint Gutherson would make a good No.6 for the Dragons – was a shot at his son, Kyle.
The schoolyard games of tit-for-tat finally ended on Wednesday when a WhatsApp message went out to the team from the club informing them of their captain’s departure. Hunt responded with a “thank you” to everyone at the club.
When one circus ends, the next begins. The Dragons didn’t waste any time moving to secure their future, meeting with Eels captain Gutherson some six hours after announcing the immediate termination of their own contract.
The Eels have given him permission to test the market for 2026.
“Well, I’m looking at it immediately,” Flanagan said on Friday – surprising very few with his abrupt response despite not officially having permission to do so (even though the Eels are more than happy for him to do so).
The Dragons haven’t been shy in asking questions. They’re keen on exploring the possibility of luring Cronulla playmaker Daniel Atkinson to the club.
They have explored the potential of Super League Man of Steel Bevan French returning home and learnt that is nearly impossible given his price tag and happiness with the English champions.
Tyran Wishart is a target, but the Melbourne Storm have just taken up a club option for him to remain at the club in 2026, denting the Dragons’ hopes of bringing one of their own back to the south coast.
Wests Tigers utility Adam Doueihi is on the radar and the phones have rung hot since the announcement of Hunt’s termination with agents pitching up their clients.
There’ll be many names thrown up between now and round one, but for now the Dragons are just happy they’ve heard the last of Ben Hunt.
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