The Ben Hunt contract saga looks likely to take another surprise twist, with the Dragons’ captain now likely to sign a 12-month contract extension to stay at the Red V.
Back in June last year, Ben Hunt rocked the NRL by requesting a release from the St George-Illawarra Dragons, having only signed a 2-year extension eight months earlier.
Now, however, it appears Hunt has had a change of heart under new coach Shane Flanagan, according to journalist Michael Carayannis.
“It’s tracking that way at the moment,” Carayannis revealed about likelihood of the contract on SEN Breakfast with Vossy and Brandy
“No one has sat down with Ben Hunt or Ben Hunt hasn’t sat down with the Dragons and said ‘I want an extra 12 months’. It’s been intimated, but hasn’t progressed further than that.
“Flannagan was always confident that once he had time with Ben and showed him where they were heading that… he’d see out his contract and now there’s the potential for an extra 12 months.”
After weeks of speculation surrounding the contract future of Zac Lomax, who has officially been granted a release at season’s end, it comes as good news for Dragons fans.
At 34, Hunt had a standout game against the Sea Eagles last week, picking up 6 Dally M votes in a 3-try assist performance that lead his team to victory.
“He’s contracted until the end of next year so there’s no great rush but at his age… if he wants to play on, the best chance of earning significant money is at the Dragons,” Carayannis commented.
“It’s premature to say he’s done a 12-month deal but both parties seem open to it and when that happens usually there is a result at the end of it.”
Hunt and the Dragons currently sit 13th on the NRL ladder and take on the Newcastle Knights tonight.