St George Illawarra Dragons captain Ben Hunt has rejected the club’s latest contract offer and will head into November 1 and the Rugby League World Cup as an off-contract player for 2024.
Hunt had a phenomenal 2022 campaign in which he dragged a disappointing Dragons side to 10th on the ladder, scored the series winning try in State of Origin for Queensland and was rewarded with a third place finish in the Dally M medal with 32 votes.
The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis said the 32-year-old and St George have still not settled on an agreement on how much the playmaker is worth.
“He’ll be a free agent come November 1,” Carayannis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“His management met with the Dragons again this week.
“He has rejected their latest offer which was a slight increase in terms of where the Dragons were and they aren’t too keen to go much higher.
“The Dragons will be around that $850,000 mark and Ben is obviously on a deal worth over a million dollars at the moment.
“He wants to get closer to that $900-950,000 mark and the Dragons aren’t prepared to go there.”
Hunt performed exceptionally well in a side that lacked consistency throughout the year and had frequent off-field drama including claims of favouritsm towards some players from coach Anthony Griffin, and Griffin’s refusal to blood young players into the first grade team.
Carayannis believes that Hunt is worth a seven-figure contract but that it is unlikely to get done at St George.
“I think around $800,000 would be a lot of money for what (the Dragons can afford),” Carayannis added.
“The thing with Ben Hunt and the Dragons is that he is a guy who can deliver a premiership but do you think the Dragons are going to win the competition in the next three years? My answer is no.
“So his worth may be better placed elsewhere.”
Hunt now turns his attention to the World Cup where he is likely to play as hooker for Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos side.