‘It’s over’: Writing on the wall as shock club enters Ben Hunt stakes

As St George Illawarra continue to cling to their wantaway star as a shock suitor joins the chase, it appears already it will be a fruitless endeavour.

Ben Hunt is as good as gone. Photo: NRL Photos

The New Zealand Warriors have thrashed the St George Illawarra Dragons 48-18, but all the football world was interested in was the future of Ben Hunt.

Hunt captained the Dragons in Friday night’s clash, despite asking the club for a release.

Hunt’s demand went public last weekend while he was on Origin duty, with the Dragons holding firm on not releasing the 33-year-old.

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Fox Sports’ Matt Russell said Hunt wasn't jeered as he led the Dragons onto the field after Jack de Belin, who was celebrating his 200th match.

While the Dragons responded to an early try, the side went down 20-6 at halftime before the Warriors ran away with the big win in the second half.

But with plenty of other clubs circling, including the Broncos entering the mix on Friday, it appears the writing is on the wall.

It comes after Hunt told the Sydney Morning Herald that he wanted to return to Queensland.

“I’d like to come home. That’s what we’d like to do. It’s for family reasons. There’s a whole lot more to it — other things — but that’s the main reason,” Hunt said.

“I have missed the support networks with family, and the weather is always nice.

“Myself and my partner (Bridget), our families are here and my family is in central Queensland, so being in Sydney, we’re a long, long way (away).

“We’ve enjoyed our time in Sydney but we’re ready to come home.

“I have a meeting with the club on Monday and Flanno. I’m just hopeful they listen. We’ll see how we go.”

Hunt wants to go back to QLD. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters admitted the Broncos would look to return Hunt to the side if he becomes available, joining the likes of the Gold Coast Titans, Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters and Dolphins as clubs who have been linked to his signature — although it appears as though the Sydney clubs have already been taken out of the running.

“He has obviously been a really good player here in the past and I’m sure most clubs would love to have Ben’s calibre of player and personality on their books,” Walters said on Triple M.

“At this stage, we’ll sit back and see what happens with the process at the Dragons and be respectful of that contract without committing too much.

“I’m sure all the Queensland clubs, maybe with the exception of the Cowboys, would be interested in Ben’s services. You could throw Redcliffe in there as well.”

The other club in the running is the Dragons who will continue to try and appease their wantaway star in a meeting on Monday but it’s believed Hunt is as good as gone from the club.

Flanagan is facing an enormous conversation. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Speaking on Fox League, Greg Alexander said he believed Hunt would play his final game for the Red V against the Warriors on Friday night.

“Once he stepped over that line of making it public that he didn’t want to be at the Dragons, I think we’re at the point where he’ll meet with Shane Flanagan on Monday but unless Flanno can produce a minor miracle and convince him to stay, I think this could be the last game Ben Hunt plays for the Dragons,” Alexander said.

“Once they realised he wants to leave, I don’t think there’s any point in keeping him for the rest of the season.”

Asked if the Dragons should hold him to his contract, which he had signed a two-year extension on as of late 2022, Alexander said: “For how long have we been saying contracts don’t really mean anything these days. They don’t.

“Coaches get sacked, paid out. Players want to leave, they leave. They’re always in the strongest position. If the club wants someone to go, they can do that, they can push them out the door. Contracts don’t mean much these days.

“How you ever seen a club convince a player after he’s said he wants out? No, it hasn’t happened.

“I think he’ll get a release because I think Shane Flanagan will think ‘why do I want to see Ben Hunt, if he’s not going to be here next year, why do I want to see him in a Dragons jersey for the remaining 10 games’?”

Will he stay or will he go? Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Michael Ennis agreed, saying since Hunt had played his card, there was not much the Dragons could do.

“Once that card’s played, it’s over, it’s over,” Ennis said.

Alexander called the weather quip a “poor choice” of words, saying it was “denigrating the Dragons jersey, the fans and everyone else”.

Ennis said it was disappointing the way that Hunt handled the situation, as the story broke while he was in Queensland camp for Origin II.

“The fact that he wasn’t there to have a face-to-face conversation with the new coach or the club, I think that could have been handled better,” Ennis said.

“The fact that players in this modern day can still stick their hand up midway through a season and say they want out, I think it’s a stain on the game.

“We have to change that. The game has to step in at some point.

“Can the game not step in and say ‘if Ben Hunt wants out this year and wants to go home, he can go home. But he’s not playing for another club this year.

“How is it fair if he then turns around in three or four weeks and goes into a side, if he goes to the Broncos, who are sitting first?”

Originally published as ‘It’s over’: Writing on the wall as shock club enters Ben Hunt stakes