Brisbane have moved on from St George Illawarra’s decision to deny Ben Hunt an early release to relocate to Queensland, insisting they are perfectly satisfied with their current roster.
The Dragons met with Hunt for formal talks on Monday morning, and for a second time denied the halfback a release from the final two-and-a-half years of his contract.
The 33-year-old had been seeking an early exit after the Dragons’ recent coaching upheaval, with Shane Flanagan set to take the reins from 2024 following the sacking last month of Hunt’s close confidant Anthony Griffin.
A mid-season switch to the second-placed Broncos had appeared the perfect fit for Hunt.
The Rockhampton-born State of Origin representative would have had the chance to return home to Queensland and play for a maiden premiership ring before switching clubs to Gold Coast in 2024.
Ben Hunt. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Broncos already have a world-class fullback and halfback in Reece Walsh and Adam Reynolds. Deploying Hunt at hooker, the position he plays for the Maroons, could well have been the final piece in their premiership puzzle.
But the Broncos insist they are not dwelling on the Dragons’ decision to put paid to their mid-season sugar hit.
“I had one conversation with (Dragons chief executive) Ryan Webb over the weekend where, after seeing public comments in the media, I enquired as to Ben’s availability,” Brisbane’s chief executive Dave Donaghy said.
“Ben is contracted to the Dragons and we respect that and we move on.
“We are really happy with the squad we have here at the Broncos.
“They’ve been doing a great job and our focus as a club is solely on this week’s battle against Redcliffe at the Gabba.”
The move means Billy Walters will remain Brisbane’s first-choice hooker. The club have no shortage of other options at dummy half, with Cory Paix, Blake Mozer and Tyson Smoothy all on the books.
© AAP
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