Ben Hunt savaged by Michael Ennis over Dragons saga: 'Stain on the game'
The Dragons captain has been ripped over his desire to leave the club.
Michael Ennis has ripped into Ben Hunt and his messy contract situation at the Dragons after St George Illawarra were crushed by the Warriors in a 48-18 drubbing on Friday night. While Hunt was spared the hostile reception many had predicted from the home fans at WIN Stadium after requesting a release from the club, the Dragons captain was ineffective in his side's latest poor performance.
Forty-eight hours after helping Queensland seal a second straight State of Origin series win over NSW, Hunt was totally outplayed by his Warriors opposite Shaun Johnson. The Warriors half produced his 16th and 17th try assists for the season, as well as crossing for one himself, to send St George Illawarra crashing back to the bottom of the table with the 30-point thumping.
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The situation with the wantaway Dragons captain dominated discussions before and after the match, following confirmation the halfback wants to move back to Queensland where his family is from. There are suggestions Hunt has played his last game for the club and the 33-year-old was far from committal about his future after the game.
"I'm keen to get it sorted out. I'll have a meeting with the club this week and we'll get to the end of it," Hunt said during a surprising post-match press conference appearance. "I'm still the captain of the team and I'll always show up for my role. Until that's changed, I'll keep coming.
"I'm more just disappointed in not turning up for Jack De Belin in his 200th game. He's a good mate and he deserves better than that."
Michael Ennis fumes over Ben Hunt situation
Speaking on Fox League, former premiership winner Ennis called the Hunt saga a "stain on the game" and said if players demand a release from their contracts, they should not be able to play for another NRL club that season. It comes after reports the ladder-leading Broncos could be interested in securing the halfback's services.
“The fact that players in this modern day can still stick their hand up, midway through a season and say they want out … We have to change that," Ennis said. “The game has to step in at some point. We can’t keep doing this where they (players) can say they want out and then a week or two later the player ends up being let go.
“Can the game not step in and say, OK no worries, if Ben Hunt wants out and wants to go home, but he’s not playing for another club this year. “How is it fair if he turns around and goes to a side like the Broncos who are sitting first?”
Ben Hunt may have played his last game for Dragons
August 7 is the cut-off date for mid-season player transfers in the NRL and while Ennis agrees that players should be allowed to move between clubs in some situations - such as if they're off-contract next season - that is not the case with Hunt. The Dragons captain did of course re-sign with St George Illawarra until the end of 2025, only last year.
“If there’s a player off-contract and their current club isn’t going to re-sign them, or there’s someone in reserve grade who could be playing first grade for another club,” Ennis said. “But when it’s your marquee halfback and captain of the club, it’s hard to swallow.”
Ennis' co-panelist Greg Alexander said he couldn't see Hunt playing for the Dragons again. “I think this is the last game Ben Hunt plays for the Dragons, I really do," he said. “I don’t see any point in (the Dragons) keeping him for the rest of the season.”
Dragons interim coach Ryan Carr denied the Hunt saga was to blame for his side's shocking display. "Look, there's excuses everywhere if you want them," Carr said.
"But it wasn't an excuse before the game so why is it an excuse after the game because of the result? It had nothing to do with it. We were extremely disappointing and embarrassing tonight so apologies to our fans who turned up here tonight. It definitely was not up to standards and not up to the standard that we've been playing to for the last month."
with AAP
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