Disgruntled Dragons skipper Ben Hunt is reportedly willing to pay $150,000 of his own money to leave the club immediately.
Hunt dropped a bombshell on the club over the weekend when his management put a release request in writing after first asking for one two weeks ago.
The veteran halfback has grown disillusioned with St George Illawarra’s front office in the wake of the club sacking coach Anthony Griffin.
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Hunt has until August 7 to make a mid-season move and the 33-year-old has already been linked with the Titans and Bulldogs.
“I’m told that Ben Hunt is so desperate to get out of St George Illawarra that they might even offer a financial settlement to make it more attractive for the Dragons,” Phil Rothfield said on Big Sports Breakfast Radio.
“So they not only get rid of his million-dollar a year contract, but they might throw in some cash, something like $150,000 to get an immediate release.
“That’s the shock of this story, that he wants out straight away and it’s not the end of the year.
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“Clubs are obviously monitoring it very closely and it’s not secret Phil Gould and Cameron Ciraldo have been banging on his door and feel he is the final piece to their buzzle to build a premiership winning side at Belmore.”
But Rothfield believes the Dragons will only release Hunt on personal grounds to allow him to move back to Queensland.
“Look I don’t think St George Illawarra would release him in any way to a Sydney club,” he said.
“If he was to talk about his family and his parents who live in Yeppoon and parents-in-law who live in Toowoomba, it might be a different story if that’s the reason he wants to leave the club.
“Ben Hunt, he’s not angry but he’s really down and out at the moment at the cub, I’m sure he’ll be up Origin but his manager told me it was all about the management at St George Illawarra, the chief executive and the chairman and the Anthony Griffin sacking, Jason Ryles talks, no one turned up to his 300th game dinner, barbecue-gate, three players turned up to the presentation night last year. Player misbehaviour, Junior Amone on charges this year.
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“It’s been so messy and I just think he wants a break from all that.
“I don’t see the point in keeping him. I saw Shane Flanagan at Cronulla at the football yesterday and he’s convinced once he gets the opportunity to properly sit down with him and explain his vision and how things are going to change at the club, he’s very hopeful that he can convince him (to stay) but I’m not so sure.
“There’s only about three months of his salary to pay this year and if he is prepared to throw in a $150,000 in himself to get out, it might be attractive for the Dragons to move him on and start rebuilding, it’s not as if they don’t have other halves options.”
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