Canterbury are considering making a play for St George Illawarra skipper Ben Hunt after a secret meeting between Hunt and the Bulldogs on Friday. It is understood Hunt and his management met with Bulldogs boss Phil Gould on Friday as Canterbury ponder making an offer to the game’s form player when he hits the market on November 1.
Clubs are able to meet with prospective players before the November 1 deadline but they can not agree to any formal contract.
Hunt’s talks with the Dragons have stalled after the club made him a two year deal worth about $1.45 million.
That number will grow once the final salary cap figure is known. The cap is expected to be more than $10.5 million but clubs have been instructed to tentatively work on a figure of $9.4 million. That should see Hunt earn more than $800,000 for the last two years of his career with the Dragons inserting a ratchet clause into their deal to indicate that if the cap figure rises so too does his contract.
Any hope of inserting an Anthony Griffin-clause in Hunt’s contract was rejected by the club.
Hunt is on more than $1 million this year at the Dragons and is still contracted for next year.
The Bulldogs remain on the look-out for a marquee half to partner Matt Burton at the club under new coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Current halfback Kyle Flanagan is off-contract at the end of next season as is Burton but the club is hopeful of locking Burton down to a long-term deal before November 1.
Whatever Hunt decides, his deal will have massive ramifications for the Dragons and Canterbury. The Bulldogs are keen on Hunt’s teammate Jayden Sullivan if Hunt does take up St George Illawarra’s extension.
Sullivan is expected to ask for a release if Hunt stays at the club despite being contracted until 2025.
The Bulldogs are building nicely under Gould’s watch for next season. They have already added Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton.
Canterbury have also been linked with Titans fullback Jayden Campbell.
Clubs are able to meet with prospective players before the November 1 deadline but they can not agree to any formal contract.
Hunt’s talks with the Dragons have stalled after the club made him a two year deal worth about $1.45 million.
That number will grow once the final salary cap figure is known. The cap is expected to be more than $10.5 million but clubs have been instructed to tentatively work on a figure of $9.4 million. That should see Hunt earn more than $800,000 for the last two years of his career with the Dragons inserting a ratchet clause into their deal to indicate that if the cap figure rises so too does his contract.
Any hope of inserting an Anthony Griffin-clause in Hunt’s contract was rejected by the club.
Hunt is on more than $1 million this year at the Dragons and is still contracted for next year.
The Bulldogs remain on the look-out for a marquee half to partner Matt Burton at the club under new coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Current halfback Kyle Flanagan is off-contract at the end of next season as is Burton but the club is hopeful of locking Burton down to a long-term deal before November 1.
Whatever Hunt decides, his deal will have massive ramifications for the Dragons and Canterbury. The Bulldogs are keen on Hunt’s teammate Jayden Sullivan if Hunt does take up St George Illawarra’s extension.
Sullivan is expected to ask for a release if Hunt stays at the club despite being contracted until 2025.
The Bulldogs are building nicely under Gould’s watch for next season. They have already added Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton.
Canterbury have also been linked with Titans fullback Jayden Campbell.
