Ben Hunt cops truth bomb from Gorden Tallis as wife could hold key to immediate Dragons exit
The St George Illawarra captain is on the outer after a brutal end to the NRL season.
NRL great Gorden Tallis has suggested the Dragons would be wise to part ways with captain Ben Hunt after their disastrous end to the 2024 season. Hunt had the most try assists of any player this year, but his form over the last month was lacking and the Dragons fell from eighth to 11th to miss the finals.
St George Illawarra hasn't played finals footy since 2018, and questions are starting to emerge about whether it's time to part ways with their veteran halfback. Hunt was reportedly hit with some harsh truths in an end-of-season review with coach Shane Flanagan, and contract talks for 2026 have been put on hold.
It was revealed earlier this year that Flanagan was keen to extend Hunt into 2026, but contract talks have now been shelved. It was reported last week that the Dragons wouldn't stand in Hunt's way if he could get to another club in 2025, and the Gold Coast Titans have emerged as a potential landing spot.
Tellingly, Hunt and wife Bridget are both from Queensland and are frequently travelling north to see family. Bridget is said to be keen on a move back to Queensland to be closer to family, including father Michael Hagan - who previously coached in the NRL as well as the Maroons in State of Origin.
“It’s smart, isn’t it?" Tallis said on Monday night on NRL 360 about the Dragons potentially letting Hunt walk. "To me Ben Hunt’s (an) amazing player, (he’s) done an amazing job under a lot of pressure at that club. He’s been a one man band, but he looks tired."
Could the Dragons get Tyran Wishart from Melbourne?
The ideal replacement for Hunt would be Tyran Wishart, who is an Illawarra junior and son of Dragons legend Rod. Wishart is currently at the Melbourne Storm behind superstars Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant, but will become a free agent as of November 1 and can talk to rival clubs.
He's contracted to the Storm for the 2025 season, but the club might be willing to let him leave early if he can secure a starting position elsewhere. The 24-year-old Wishart has become one of the hottest prospects in the NRL, and the Dragons will be desperate to get him back on their books after he played juniors for the club before signing with the Storm.
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Ben Hunt's wife could hold key to move to Queensland club
Hunt's wife and kids might hold the key to whether or not he departs immediately or plays on at the Dragons in 2025. Tellingly, he mentioned them earlier this year when discussing whether he'd be keen to keep playing Origin for Queensland in 2025.
"They are the two main ones - how the body is feeling and obviously you're away [from family] for a large period of the year," he said. "I'd like to be with them a lot more, but they are all things I need to think about. I've always said that as long as Billy [Slater] is gonna call, I'd be happy to play. It's always a huge honour, but it's got to come to a point where I will make a decision."
Discussing the situation last week, Andrew Johns said: "Ben Hunt has been (saying) the last couple of years ‘I want to go back to Queensland’. Yeah, I do (think they will let him go).” While Bryan Fletcher said similar on SEN radio. "He's gone," Fletcher said. "It looks like it's coming to an end."
