Clint Gutherson has only been a Dragon for a couple of days, but already the messages from his former Parramatta teammates have started.
“A couple of boys have already texted me and said, ’I can’t wait to scream down from the kick return and get into you,” Gutherson said with a chuckle.
After 206 games for the Eels – where he has been the fullback, captain and heartbeat of the club – Gutherson is embracing a change he believes “had to happen.”
Speaking for the first time about shift to St George Illawarra, “The King” opened up about the prospect of captaining the Red V, a potential shift into the halves and why he bears no ill will over his departure from Parramatta.
“It’s just the way the club wanted to go with their direction,” Gutherson said. “There’s no hard feelings; it’s the way rugby league and the business world works. I went there and said, ‘What are your plans?’ and that’s how it all happened.
“One thing led to another, and we’re here.”
The Eels informed Gutherson they planned to move Penrith rookie Isaiah Iongi into the No.1 jersey that he had made his own, and weren’t prepared to provide an extension anywhere near as long as the three-year contract tabled by the Red V.
“Honestly, it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “It’s one of those things, it had to happen. You’d love to stay there and help the team out, but they wanted to go in a different direction and had different plans.
“You have got to respect that. I’m going to give Rylesy [Eels coach Jason Ryles] a call in the next couple of days and wish him the best – there are no hard feelings.
New St George Illawarra recruit Clint Gutherson tries on his new colours.Credit: St George Illawarra Dragons
“I’ve got nothing ill towards anyone at the club and never will. I’ll be forever grateful for what they have given me. They just wanted to move into a new direction, and I wasn’t going to be a part of that. It’s just one of those things you have to deal with. There is not a single bit of ill feeling in my body towards anyone at that club.
“I can’t wait to play them and get into a couple of mates.”
There is not a more wholehearted performer in the NRL. When long-time coach Brad Arthur was sacked by Parramatta, he provided a statement to the media. This line resonated: “I don’t want to single out any players, but it would be unfair to not thank Clint Gutherson for the years of torture he put his body through for me.”
Gutherson intends to bring that same passion and effort to his next challenge.
“No matter where I’m playing, I’m going to be doing that,” he said.
“I had a job to do at Parramatta, I felt I did that and did everything I could to get that team and club better. I left no stone unturned, and I’m super proud of what I did there, the way I left the club.
“I respected what they built as a club as well and helped them get better. It’s just one of those things. I wanted to leave the place better, and I felt I did that.
“BA [Arthur] was a massive part of that, and I would have done anything for him and any coach I play for. I’ll do the same now – that’s not going to change until I stop playing.”
Where he plays remains uncertain. Dragons coach Shane Flanagan would have no hesitation playing Gutherson at fullback, despite also having talented custodian Tyrell Sloan on the books.
Clint Gutherson feels the time was right for a change.Credit: St George Illawarra Dragons
However, the departure of Ben Hunt has left a halves and captaincy void that Gutherson would be prepared to fill, if it’s what is best for the team.
“I think I’m the utility off the bench,” he quipped.
“To be honest, I’m not sure yet, we’ll have to wait and see. We didn’t talk about where we are going to be, it was more about the type of people we want at the club. It was more about the direction with the people and the culture and where he wants it to go.”
Asked whether he had considered playing in the halves alongside Kyle Flanagan, the 30-year-old said: “Honestly, I haven’t, but it does appeal.
“There is not a single bit of ill feeling in my body towards anyone at that club. I can’t wait to play them and get into a couple of mates.”
Clint Gutherson on his Eels exit
“I played there earlier in my career; it’s another position exactly like fullback these days. The game is that quick, you’re just playing and a lot of teams have multiple fullbacks and halves in their team who just go out and play.
“With the game today, you’ve just got to get on the front foot and roll and all of those positions are pretty similar.
“You might need to make a few more tackles [in the halves]. I haven’t really thought about it yet. I’ll start training next week, see where the staff and Flanno want to take it.”
Flanagan is expected to choose between Gutherson and fellow recruit Damien Cook for his new skipper.
“Obviously being captain for so long, you think you are pretty good at it and do a job,” he said.
“But we haven’t spoken about it at all, it’s up to the staff. There are a lot of players who have been there for a long time and have deserved to be in that leadership discussion.
“I haven’t paid it any thought at the moment, I haven’t even started training.”
In an indication of how keen he is to buy into what Flanagan is building at the Dragons, Gutherson will relocate to Wollongong.
“I’m going to move the family down, enjoy a change of scenery,” he said. “I’m in Manly now and I’ll still be on the water down there, which is nice.
“The family are excited to head down and have a change and see what is outside the Manly bubble.
“This will give me a chance to really buy into what they’re doing and be close to training and all the boys. I really want to build on what they started last year and see what they can do.”
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