Weekend Read: Dragons’ hunt for Clint Gutherson carries real risks for the club

St George Illawarra’s open pursuit of Clint Gutherson risks giving the Dragons’ wantaway star Ben Hunt all the ammunition he needs in his own battle against the club, writes BRENT READ.

Life is rarely boring as a St George Illawarra fan, but their club may be painting themselves into a corner as they look to strengthen their squad for next season.

The Dragons have made no secret of their desire to speak to Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson about his plans in coming days and weeks.

If they get their way, Gutherson will be with them next year. He wants a contract extension and the Eels aren’t prepared to give him one just yet.

The Dragons will, but it is understood their preference is to get their hands on Gutherson for 2025 when there is still plenty of juice left in his legs.

The quiet whisper is that will be Gutherson’s preference as well if he decides he wants a move, which seems likely.

He wants to play fullback, and the Dragons will give him that opportunity.

He wants an extension, and the Dragons will come to the party.

Here’s the bind though for the Dragons.

There’s plenty of tension between (L-R) Ben Hunt and coach Shane Flanagan at the Dragons.

If they make it clear that their preference is to get Gutherson straight away, they leave themselves open to accusations of hypocrisy if they stand in Ben Hunt’s way should he get the chance to play elsewhere in 2025 as part of an offer from a rival club.

They can’t happily take Gutherson, who has another year remaining on his deal, off Parramatta’s hands and then tell Hunt he has to honour the final year of his contract.

Coach Shane Flanagan and chair Andrew Lancaster will need to handle their next move delicately, but the more the club’s dirty linen gets aired, the more untenable Hunt’s future becomes at the Dragons.

His interview on the pages of this newspaper last weekend exposed the simmering tension between the Dragons and their captain. In an interview with colleague Michael Carayannis, Hunt made it clear he felt let down by the club.

He thought he would get an extension after talks earlier in the season but the Dragons now want to take their time. He was disappointed with aspects of his end of season review finding their way into the media.

Clint Gutherson of the Eels is a key target of the Dragons. Picture: Getty Images

He wears his heart on his sleeve and it makes him a media darling because you always know what Ben is thinking. He is honest to a fault.

Yet that doesn’t always align with what the Dragons are thinking and inevitably it causes friction.

If you’re a Dragons fan or official, his comments at the weekend were alarming.

He put himself on a collision course with key powerbrokers and walked a fine line when he claimed the Dragons should sign Gutherson and play him at five-eighth - the No.6 jersey is worn by Shane Flanagan’s son Kyle.

Some have suggested the comment was Hunt’s way of suggesting they let him go, which would mean Flanagan moved to halfback and Gutherson played five-eighth.

Either way, it went down like a lead balloon at Dragons HQ given Hunt is their highest paid player and many would argue he didn’t play to his pay cheque this season.

Shaun Lane busts through a Ben Hunt attempted tackle

His form over the closing weeks of the season, with so much on the line, was tough to swallow for the Red V. His defence at times was feeble.

You only have to go back to the Parramatta game and watch his miss on Shaun Lane in a game that the Dragons desperately needed to win.

Hunt is the barometer for the Dragons. He sets the standard.

On that day, it wasn’t good enough.

Yet he also makes them a better team and if they can make him happy and add Gutherson to their ranks, next season will start with plenty of promise.

The problem is if they land Gutherson, Hunt will have every right to ask why he shouldn’t be allowed to walk. It might be just the ammunition he needs.

It’s quite the pickle.

*****

When Wayne Bennett was Great Britain coach and Jackson Hastings was in his ranks, they didn’t initially see eye-to eye.

Hastings turned up for camp with a mullet and Bennett wasn’t exactly a fan.

The seven-time premiership winner made it pretty clear that Hastings wouldn’t play for Great Britain unless he got a haircut.

Bennett sets standards for his football teams and Hastings’ choice of hairstyle didn’t sit well with him. So he was given an ultimatum. Clean yourself up or watch from the stands.

Wayne Bennett and Jackson Hastings didn’t initially didn’t see eye to eye in Great Britain camp. Picture: Getty Images

The morning of the first Test, Hastings turned up for breakfast and he still had the mullet.

Bennett made it clear again - the team was being named that day and if Hastings wanted to be in it, he needed to get the haircut.

A few hours later Hastings turned for up the naming of the team with a short back and sides, got selected and played Test footy for Great Britain.

The point of all this is that Hastings can be a stubborn bloke. He is happy to push a few buttons, and history suggests it sometimes rubs people the wrong way.

Yet that stubbornness has also served him well in his football career as Bennett can attest - he never had an issue with Hastings, hence the rumours this week that he may be headed to South Sydney as part of a swap deal involving Lachlan Ilias.

Hastings playing for Great Britain in 2019 after Bennett made him get a haircut. Picture: NRL Imagery

The deal would have potentially been a win for all parties, only Ilias is a popular figure at Souths and his teammates were keen for him to stay. Ilias himself had no particular desire to depart, especially when there was no offer of an extension as part of the deal.

As for Hastings, his future is likely to be one of the stories of the summer.

He is on big money in his final year at the Knights and the club has indicated it isn’t in position to offer him an extension.

He finished last year in NSW Cup when there was a view in some quarters that the Knights would have benefited from having him on the field in their finals loss to North Queensland in Townsville.

Hastings’ experience and kicking game may have helped get them over the line.

Ilias, meanwhile, was nursing a broken leg at the end of last season, which he suffered in NSW Cup.

The Rabbitohs have bought Super League star Lewis Dodd over the top of him and he has a challenge to win back his No.7 jersey.

Hastings has been around a while, played at a few clubs and shown he has something to offer. Ilias has only tasted first grade at Souths but he too has ability.

At some point, they’ll both find a home. It just won’t be as part of a swap deal.

Originally published as Weekend Read: Dragons’ hunt for Clint Gutherson carries real risks for the club