'Path here to success': How Dragons hope to convince Hunt to stay
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Dragons CEO Ryan Webb and incoming coach Shane Flanagan aim to convince Ben Hunt that the club can achieve success during the remaining two years of his contract as they look to strengthen the team’s leadership group.
Hunt formally sought a release from the Dragons on Sunday but his request was immediately rejected and Webb and Flanagan now plan to meet with the St George Illawarra captain after Origin II to discuss his future.
Webb said Hunt had previously raised concerns about wanting to play in winning team, but St George Illawarra officials were taken by surprise when the Kangaroos and Maroons hooker officially asked for a release.
“We had some initial discussions, more around winning and the want to win, and they've been bubbling for a couple of weeks now,” Webb said.
“We understood those and I think there's a couple of other pieces that he wants to talk about, but we haven't had the chance to sit with him face to face and talk those through.
“We just need him to talk and tell us why he feels he's in this position, and why leaving is his best option.
“If we can understand his concerns and understand what he sees as challenges, between myself and Shane, and the rest of the club, I think we can show that there's a path here to success and he's an important part of that.”
The speculation about Hunt’s future emerged at about the same time it became likely St George Illawarra would part ways with Anthony Griffin as coach, but Webb did not believe that -or the appointment of his successor - was a key issue.
The Dragons have a young squad and talent such as Tyrell Sloan, Jayden Sullivan and the Couchman twins, Toby and Ryan, are seen as the future of the club, but there is a lack of experienced leaders, besides Hunt.
Cameron McInnes, Tyson Frizell and Tariq Sims left the club in recent seasons and after Griffin replaced them with the likes of Andrew McCulloch, Josh McGuire and Aaron Woods, the Dragons have been reluctant to sign veterans near the end of their career.
However, that has left a leadership vacuum, with Jack de Belin captaining the team against the Dolphins as Hunt was on Origin duty, Blake Lawrie and Jaydn Su’A were injured, and Zac Lomax had been playing NSW Cup.
“I think leadership is something we're lacking a little of,” Webb said. “There are guys who are probably going to be great leaders in the future and they still need to learn their craft.
“It's definitely something Ben provides - not just his on-field presence, but that leadership presence.
“He's a great player, he's a great person and he's a great leader, so I hope that we can have conversations that firstly keep Ben here, but also keep Ben here because he wants to be here, and I think we can do that with the right conversations and understanding.”
Asked if he was confident the Dragons could turn around their on-field fortunes while Hunt was at the club, Webb said: “I am, very much so”.
“Shane Flanagan is a new coach coming in and [interim coach] Ryan Carr is doing some really good work now,” he said.
“We think there's some really good players in this squad, we think there's plenty of upside in this squad - particularly some young kids coming through - and with a bit more talent dotted in around that we think we can turn things around fairly quickly.”
Webb also defended the management of the club and said the Dragons were headed in the right direction on and off the field.
“I think we do some good things and I think there's lots of things we can do better, so we're far from perfect, but I don't think things are in a state where Ben Hunt should feel like he needs to leave to find somewhere better to perform,” Webb said.
“Our plan is to talk to Ben, understand his concerns, correct things, and get everything back on track.”
