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Tyran Wishart delivers dagger to Dragons fans amid doubts over Ben Hunt's immediate future

The Dragons were heavily linked to the talented 24-year-old Storm star.

Tyran Wishart has delivered a brutal blow to the Dragons ahead of the 2025 season having all but confirmed he will stay at Melbourne only moments after the NRL grand final. Wishart played 36 minutes against the Panthers in the NRL grand final defeat having failed to go one better than his father did for the Dragons back in 1999.

Wishart was brought on as a utility in a bid to help Melbourne get out over their own territory, but wasn't able to lift his team in the 14-6 defeat to hand Penrith their fourth straight premiership. Regardless, Wishart's father, Rod, was there to watch him play.

Tyran Wishart has delivered a brutal blow to the Dragons ahead of the 2025 season having all but confirmed he will stay at Melbourne. (Getty Images)
Tyran Wishart has delivered a brutal blow to the Dragons ahead of the 2025 season having all but confirmed he will stay at Melbourne. (Getty Images)

Rod Wishart played for the Dragons in the 1999 final loss to the Storm and hadn't been to a grand final since that day. Plenty has been speculated regarding Wishart's future with the talented back scoring 12 tries this season having taken over the five-eighth role with Cameron Munster out injured for a chunk of the regular season.

Plenty of teams were chasing Wishart's signature with his contract up at the end of next year. The Dragons - his father's team - were potentially a frontrunner with Shane Flanagan looking for a potential long-term replacement for halfback Ben Hunt with his immediate future at the club under a cloud.

While Wishart would have been a huge signing for any team, the talented 24-year-old appears set to remain at the Storm after acknowledging the trust they have shown in him throughout the 2024 season. "I'm signed here for the next couple of years," he told the Wide World of Sports after the grand final. "There was an option in the club's favour and they have chosen to take it on.

"I love this club, they gave me my first opportunity and I'm forever in debt to them for that. When I couldn't crack it, they were the ones to give me that opportunity. The people involved with the club are amazing and it's nice to be part of it."

Tyran Wishart runs the ball.
Tyran Wishart (pictured) has been a revelation for the Storm in 2024.

Wishart has been invaluable to the Storm in 2024 having played halfback, five-eighth, No.9 and off the bench. In his 10 games at five-eighth in Munster's absence, he was victorious in eight.

The talented 24-year-old admitted he was looking to become a starter at Melbourne, which raises the question of where he will play. Halfback Jahrome Hughes just won the Dally M award, while Munster is considered the best five-eighth in the game.

Bellamy could look to use Wishart as a roaming lock next year, but it remains to be seen where he will fit in. For the meantime, he could still continue to feature off the bench.

The re-signing of Wishart is a blow to the Dragons who were heavily linked to the star, who has family ties to the club. Hunt endured a tough end to the season and there are doubts over his future at the club.

Wishart spoke about his father ahead of the NRL grand final. The 24-year-old admitted his father hadn't given him too much advice ahead of the big day, but was comforted knowing he would be at the ground win or lose.

"Dad definitely wasn't at the 2010 grand final when the Dragons won it because we all watched it together, we were on a holiday, so I don't think he's been at one since," the 24-year-old said. "Footy-wise, he's good, he just keeps it simple and I think that's the sort of player he was - he just played to his strengths and that's what I try to do as well.

"He won't be bombarding me with advice, he understands that this club has put everything in place for us to do our best. The coaching staff here, obviously with Craig (Bellamy) at the top, they're unbelievable and us players who haven't been here before can lean on those who have and I think we'll want to make the most of that."

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When asked about his future, Wishart said he father didn't mind if he joined the Dragons or not. And Wishart praised the Storm for their guiding hand over the years.

"I don't think he really would mind to be honest," said Wishart, whose family love close to Wollongong. "I think he would probably like to have me around more and I definitely know mum would. But they do things right here (at the Storm), and that's why I love it here."