St George Illawarra is making moves behind the scenes to extend red-hot club captain Ben Hunt’s contract with a deal that would see the Dragons dynamo play out the rest of his NRL career in the famous Red V jersey.
If the club can secure Hunt’s signature, they may grant Jayden Sullivan an early release.
The plan, The Sporting Base understands, is to extend Talatau “Junior” Amone beyond 2023 to line up with Hunt or Sullivan and lock in a halves combo for the Dragons well into the ’20s.
Club powerbrokers have liked the look of “Bud” Sullivan for some time now, but keeping a veteran star still playing at his best is tempting.
Hunt, 32, has been on fire in the past two years. His scintillating form has seen him take the number nine jersey for Queensland across the last few series and before the Dally M voting went behind closed doors in round 12, the Rockhampton veteran was topping the leaderboard.
St George Illawarra believes Hunt still has several years at his best in him and, if it can shave a little off his $1 million contract—a rich deal that caused ripples around the rugby league world when it was signed in 2017—in negotiations, it could be a bargain steal to keep him mentoring a youngster next to him, and their eventual hooker promotion too.
Opening offers for the Red V skipper may be closer to $700,000 or $800,000 a year.
There’s no guarantee Hunt wants to stay with the Dragons beyond his current deal, which currently wraps up at the end of next season. There is one thing lighting his eyes up: the new crop of juniors that he can play a mentor role with. Now that he’s in the waning years of his career, Hunt says he wants to bring in the next generation for the club.
“I’m definitely open to staying at the Dragons beyond next year, and it’s bloody exciting seeing these kids come through,” Hunt said back in January before the 2022 NRL season began.
“It reminds me of me when I was their age and how I came through with a good core group of players at the Broncos, including ‘Macca’ [Andrew McCullough], Corey Norman, Josh McGuire, and Alex Glenn. These guys now have their chance to make their own mark and set the club up for the future. They hang out together every day, they’re in each other’s pockets, and the few games they all played together last year they were all sniffing around each other for the ball.
“When it’s all said and done, my family wants to get back to Queensland and live in the Sunshine State. I’m not saying I’ll go back to finish playing there. I’m open to wherever my career takes me.
“I had a few years with Wayne, obviously, and we had that grand final and Origin series win. But at the moment, I’m only focused on the Dragons. I want to take us to the finals.
“We also enjoy our lifestyle here and the Dragons have a lot to offer moving forward. I’m happy.”
