'Would do it differently': Hunt admits contract 'regrets'

Ben Hunt has conceded there are "regrets" over how he managed a release request from St George Illawarra last year. In one of the biggest off-field stories of 2023, the veteran halfback tried multiple times to break his lucrative Dragons deal amid a period of turmoil at the club. The club axed coach Anthony Griffin in May, leaving Hunt without the man he had publicly supported for the past 18 months. That triggered a desire in the 33-year-old to pack his bags and head home to Queensland, and he was linked to several northern clubs. Even the appointment of Shane Flanagan to the coaching chair wasn't enough to quell Hunt's festering distrust of club management. It took Flanagan several conversations to convince the halfback to stay. "There's regrets about parts of it," Hunt told 9News of the saga. "In a way I'm happy there were some things that came to a head. "It definitely could have been handled better, that's for sure. "It's been a long couple of years and it all sort of compounded into a couple of little things that ticked it off at the end. "If I could take the time back I would do it differently." Hunt remains contracted to the Dragons for the next two seasons, and looks committed to at least seeing out 2024.

Who really needs to go before 'train wreck' can improve

Where to start with this train wreck of a club?Like the Tigers, this joint venture still has factions and is very much a club divided between those in Wollongong and those in Kogarah.The administration is out of touch with the fan base and has little idea of how to create a winning culture - yet somehow they survive.The Dragons improved slightly after they finally sacked Anthony Griffin - probably a year too late - and Ryan Carr did a good job trying to pick up the pieces.Ben Hunt was the Dragons' best player - so much so that without him they may not have won a game - yet he has made it clear he wants nothing to do with the place in a stinging rebuke to management.He wasn't the only player who wanted out during a troubled year - classy fullback Tyrell Sloan and half Jayden Sullivan were also vocal in their demands to leave, the latter going to the Tigers next season.Apart from Hunt, there were few positives - winger Mikaele Ravalawa had a superb season in a poor side, bagging 20 tries, while prop Blake Lawrie, hooker Jacob Liddle and centre Zac Lomax had their moments.It's now up to incoming coach Shane Flanagan - a controversial choice given his past indiscretions - to try resurrect a club in desperate need of a makeover.But the Dragons have signed just one player to date - forward Hame Sele from the Rabbitohs - and they need much, much more to avoid another season of failure.

Coach's savage move after 'diabolical' Dragons flop

After a performance branded "diabolical" by Andrew Johns, stand-in St George Illawarra head coach Ryan Carr delivered his first spray in the role.The Dragons' interim answer to the axing of Anthony Griffin pointed to the door as he led a review of the club's 48-18 thrashing at the hands of the Warriors last Friday night.Anyone not on board should use the door, Carr told his troops."That's what I believe in, that's the way I coach," Carr said in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald."It was nothing new from me to them; I'm honest with them. They know that. There's real clarity about what our standards are and what our accountability is towards our job. We didn't meet that."I was just calling out what is what. It's not about reacting and going over the top and going outside of what we believe in."I'm not a big ranter and raver — gone are the days of that."I was a bit disappointed in letting our standards go and putting out something we weren't proud of."It's about being honest."I take the good with the good, the bad with the bad. I'm never really high or really low, it is what it is."The Dragons' showing against the Warriors was a reflection of their shambolic season off the field.Griffin was sacked after round 11, Jason Ryles rejected the Dragons after appearing certain to take the vacant coaching job, and the tension that's long divided the board at the joint venture has spiked dramatically.The club has also been rocked by skipper and champion halfback Ben Hunt, who requested a release with two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract. The Dragons stood firm, rejecting Hunt's request.The Queensland State of Origin playmaker will remain captain despite no longer wanting to don the famous Red V."The Dragons last week against the Warriors — after a while they just turned their toes up," Johns said on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth.

Joey torches Dragons over Ryles road block

League icon Andrew Johns says "questions need to be asked" over what led to Jason Ryles' 11th-hour backflip on joining the Dragons as their new head coach.Ryles was widely expected to be the full-time successor to Anthony Griffin, but backflipped at the last minute, instead joining the Melbourne Storm as an assistant.Speaking on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth, Johns was highly critical of the Dragons for losing out on Ryles, suggesting he should've been given whatever he required in order to sign as the club's next coach."He was going to sign, something is wrong there," he said."He wanted something in the clause ... He's the boss, whatever he asked (for) he should've been given, whether it was about his staff or his recruitment or whatever."Questions have got to be asked from within the Dragons how they buggered this one up."Jason Ryles played for the Dragons, he lives down there, he wanted to do it. How they stuffed up this one, questions need to be asked."I think he pretty much agreed; that's what it looks like from the outside. He's then gone in and said to them, 'Well, I want this', and they've said, 'You're not getting that'."To make matters worse for the Dragons, talisman Ben Hunt could leave the club if he's forced to play the No.9 role full-time.Johns said he understood where the 33-year-old was coming from."Ben Hunt is 32. Does he want to play the last two years of his career playing hooker? No chance," he said."At this stage of his career, you look at Origin footy and his rep career, hooker is his spot, (but) at clubland playing 26 rounds week-in, week-out at 32, that's a big, big challenge."

Three Dragons stars could walk after Griffin axing

The Dragons now need to show several disgruntled players some love following the Anthony Griffin debacle - or risk their roster imploding.Wide World of Sports has learned that at least three players - star utility Jack Bird, tryscoring ace Mikaele Ravalawa and talented forward Jaydn Su'A - are disillusioned with the direction the club has been taking over the past couple of years.While Griffin's departure solves some of the concerns, the players are still unhappy with the club's dithering management, poor recruitment and lack of results on the field.Bird has denied in recent days that he wants out - but rival clubs tell a different story.

Dragons sack coach after dismal start to season

Embattled Dragons coach Anthony Griffin has been sacked, effective immediately.Dragons CEO Ryan Webb confirmed the news in a statement released Tuesday morning."These decisions are never taken lightly and on behalf of the club I want to thank Anthony for all his hard work during his time at the Dragons," Webb said."Unfortunately our performances over the first 10 games of this season have not met the club's expectations so it was decided he should finish up his duties this week."Griffin's future at the club has been under the microscope for much of the past 12 months due to poor results.After finishing 10th on the ladder last season, the Dragons languish in 16th on the ladder, above only the Tigers on for and against.Assistant Ryan Carr will take over as interim coach.Earlier Tuesday morning, Griffin was spotted leaving training at WIN Stadium in Wollongong not long after arriving.Former Dragons player and current Roosters assistant Jason Ryles is favourite to take the reins at Kogarah. Although contracted at Bondi until the end of 2024, it's understood the Roosters would not block Ryles' departure for a head coaching role.Coincidentally, the Dragons will take on the Roosters at WIN Stadium on Friday night.Also in the Dragons sights is Ben Hornby.

Griffin to be axed imminently as Dragons lose patience

St George Illawarra will cut ties with coach Anthony Griffin on Tuesday, reports Nine's Danny Weidler.Griffin, who is off contract at the end of this season was earlier this year told he would be forced to reapply for his job, with the Dragons going to market to look at other options.With his team in 16th spot on the ladder and coming off six straight losses, the club now looks to be out of patience, with a definitive call on Griffin to be made at a board meeting on Tuesday night, Weidler reports."I think it will be made official tomorrow, unless there is a sudden backflip by the board, it will be announced tomorrow that Anthony Griffin will no longer be the St George Illawarra coach," Weidler reported on 9News' 11.30am bulletin on Monday."It's not a huge surprise, he's just been hanging on for quite some time now and the Dragons realise it's their time to really try and get ahead for next year to find a new coach and also probably to start the whole recruitment process, so in a lot of ways it's a smart move to make the decision now by the Dragons board, but not a surprise to a lot of rugby league people."

Don't know much - Jack Bird backtracks on awkward criticism of Dragons fans

Dragons star Jack Bird has apologised to St George Illawarra fans for disparaging comments he made about them at a media conference.Bird fronted the media on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the club's game against the Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday.The Dragons have slipped to 16th on the ladder on the back of five straight losses, with only points differential keeping them off the bottom of the table.Embattled coach Anthony Griffin is seemingly facing the axe as soon as next week, bringing to an end an unhappy two-and-a-half years in charge.When questioned about Griffin's future, Bird took aim at the club's supporters."Fans don't really know too much about footy I don't think. They've got a lot to say about people on the field," he said on Wednesday."I don't think they have ever played a game of footy. I am just speaking from first-hand stuff that I have been copping. I feel sorry for Hook [Griffin]. It is us [players] out there playing, so we should be the ones [fans] are baying for."Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Bird backtracked on his criticism."I want to say sorry to the fans for upsetting them," he said. "In no way, shape or form did I mean to make comments coming at the fans personally, I was just trying to stick up for my coach."What I said is not what I meant, I just wanted to clarify it. It came out the wrong way, I got tripped up a bit in the way I expressed myself, I didn't mean it in that way."I just want to clear everything up. Hook is not just my coach, he's my friend as well."Bird said his comments came out the wrong way as he tried to support Griffin."When you have a coach, you always try to back them, no matter what. He's obviously under a lot of pressure and I don't want to dog my own coach or see other people talk shit about him. I was just sticking up for him."I'm fine with stuff coming my way. But people don't understand that with Hook going through a rough patch with football, he may be struggling with stuff outside of footy as well. That can push somebody over the edge."It wasn't that fans don't know what they are talking about, it was that they may not know what's going on behind the scenes in someone's personal life."

Anthony Griffin 'jealous' of Cameron Ciraldo during their Penrith days

A report claims former Penrith coach Anthony Griffin "didn't rate" Cameron Ciraldo when the latter was Griffin's assistant coach at the club.Griffin's St George Illawarra Dragons will take on Ciraldo's Canterbury Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon in what will be the first time the two coaches have squared off against one another.Ciraldo was viewed as a rising star in the coaching ranks at the Panthers and was promoted from his role as the Penrith under-20s coach in Griffin's second year at the club, but the two did not mesh.The Sydney Morning Herald report claims Ciraldo tried to quit his role as Griffin's assistant not once but twice, only to be convinced to stay by ex-Penrith general manager Phil Gould, who is now at the Bulldogs.The report claims there was also a breakfast in which Griffin opened up to his fellow coaches and asked them how he could improve.But once his assistants began to offer suggestions, the Herald reports Griffin was more inclined to focus on his breakfast rather than listen to what was being said."He (Griffin) didn't listen to Ciro," an anonymous Panthers official told the publication."He didn't rate him. Hook was old school but Ciro was this new-age coach."Hook was also jealous of the relationship Ciro had with Gus, but also the players in that team."Instead of using that to his advantage, he shut Ciro out."Ciraldo has since left the club and moved to the Bulldogs to take up his first head coaching role in the NRL.Since Griffin was sacked by the Panthers in 2018, he moved to the Dragons but seems to be on the chopping block and was reportedly asked to reapply for his job should he wish to stay.

Dragon urges board to make call on Griffin quickly

Josh Kerr has implored St George Illawarra officials to make a decision on Anthony Griffin, admitting he fears for his coach's mental health amid intense media scrutiny.Griffin's future has remained in limbo for the past month, after he was told in the pre-season the Dragons would begin canvassing options for next year.Off-contract at the end of this NRL season, Griffin has watched his Dragons go 2-4 to start the year with three crucial matches ahead possibly determining his own future.The club's board met earlier this week, but will hold off interviewing any potential replacements until a decision is made on whether Griffin will be re-signed."He is going through a bit of a rough start to the year with personal issues as well," Dragons forward Kerr said."Having this news dropped on him, he is coming in every day willing to work and doing the exact same job every day."No one should be going through what he is going through at the moment."He has handled himself really well, I don't know if I could do that. Be slandered by the media and then come in and try and do a great job."Kerr admitted he was worried about the load it was putting on Griffin as he awaited a decision, while constantly being questioned by the media on the subject."He is only human at the end of the day," Kerr said.

Dragons' Mbye says future's not tied to fate of coach

Moses Mbye says conjecture over Anthony Griffin's job will not impact any decisions on his own future with the utility one of 10 St George Illawarra players off contract.Mbye is in a unique position after close to 200 games in the NRL, off contract for the first time in his 10-season career after years of extending well in advance.First signed on a big-money deal at Canterbury in 2014 before his debut, Mbye was given another extension in 2016 before he left for the Wests Tigers midway through his deal.His Tigers stint also ended early in 2021, when he sacrificed part of his big-money contract to head to the Dragons."I don't ever remember being off contract," Mbye told AAP."I don't even know what to say about it, because it's never happened to me before. What am I supposed to say? I'll leave it to my manager."I haven't even thought about it, to be honest. It might have played on my mind if I was a bit younger."But for me, I am just focused on now. Next year sorts next year out. If you're in good shape playing best footy, then there will be an opportunity."The Dragons' roster situation comes with Griffin's future likely to be decided within the next month.Captain Ben Hunt remains vocal in his support of the coach, but Griffin can ill afford losses in the next month with games against Canberra on Sunday followed by the Sydney Roosters, Canterbury and Wests Tigers.If Griffin was to be moved on, any new coach would have some room to move, given up to a third of the Dragons' roster have contracts expiring this year.Mbye can see why the uncertainty could be a concern for some off-contract players, but said it wouldn't stop him from making a decision on his future."For me, no it doesn't. For a lot of people I can understand why," Mbye said.

Griffin adamant Dragons aren't distracted by his future

Anthony Griffin insists the pressure mounting on him is not a distraction for St George Illawarra's players, or an extra weight on his own shoulders, with his job as an NRL coach on the line.The Dragons took another hit on Friday with five-eighth Jayden Sullivan ruled out of Saturday's clash with the Dolphins with a minor shoulder injury. Talatau Amone has been recalled.In better news for the club, Jack de Belin is expected to make his long-awaited return from a calf injury from the bench in Wollongong.The Dragons have lost two of their opening three games, and the situation feels particularly pressing given their 40-8 flogging at home to Cronulla last week.Captain Ben Hunt admitted afterwards he felt sorry for his coach, who was told in the pre-season the club were canvassing their options for possible replacements next year.But regardless, Griffin was adamant when asked if he had to address players to ensure the situation does not snowball."Not really. We just had a bad performance which we weren't happy with," he said."Cronulla probably had their best performance of the year and they were too good for us."We had a really good week of training this week, and we are looking forward to getting out there tomorrow."The short turnaround is a benefit for us, it has been a short week."Griffin also disagreed with comments from halfback Moses Mbye this week that the team's year was already at a crossroads.The coach insisted he had not been impacted by suggestions he is a "dead man walking" in the final year of his contract."It doesn't weigh on me at all. It's got nothing to do with me," he said."At some stage in the season you have one or two real stinkers - and we had one last week."You have two or three good games where you don't know where they came from either. There is no panic, it's just about getting back to what we do."Griffin rejected concerns over the Dragons' culture, after Moses Suli claimed this week he did not want to join the club when he moved in late 2021.Suli said on Wednesday his situation was similar to that of forward Viliami Fifita, who left Manly to join the Dragons this week."It's not a worry. We didn't arrest him. We didn't force him to come here," Griffin said.

Dragons at risk of throwing NRL season away: Mbye

Moses Mbye has conceded St George Illawarra are at risk of throwing away their NRL season, with the team at a crossroads and coach Anthony Griffin's job under threat.Griffin's future remains the hottest topic in the NRL, after the Dragons capitulated for a second straight week when beaten 40-8 by Cronulla on Sunday night.That performance came days after Dragons players learned their off-contract coach had been told the club was considering its options for next year.Questions have been asked about the club's decision to extend Griffin's contract in February last year through to the end of 2023, after they missed the finals in his first year and before they finished outside the eight again last season.The chief concern is that if Griffin is sacked in the opening months of this season, 2023 would immediately become a wasted year."We get to make that decision, if it's going to be a throwaway year or not," Mbye said ahead of Saturday's clash with the Dolphins."It's got to start this week. It is only early, we're only going into round five."But we are at a crossroads, you need to win more games than you lose to be in the mix come September."We are at a crossroads and this week we need to make a decision as a group what way we want to go, and that's just the reality of it."The hooking utility has previously played in teams with coaches under pressure at Canterbury and Wests Tigers, and most Dragons players have been in a similar situation before."Players are pretty resilient to that talk now. It's so common," Mbye said.

Dragons axe key Griffin staffers in coaching overhaul

St George Illawarra has reportedly sacked both its assistant coaches as it looks to reset for the 2023 season.The Sydney Morning Herald reports that coach Anthony Griffin has told both Peter Gentle and Mathew Head that they won't have a job after this year.Gentle is the side's defence coach, while Head looks after attack."We're looking for the right structures supporting our coach in 2023," Dragons boss Ryan Webb told the Herald.Griffin's position has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, despite the fact he's contracted until the end of the 2023 season.That decision in itself was controversial, given Griffin's deal was extended before a ball had been kicked in anger this year."I have no idea, absolutely no idea why they would extend," Immortal Andrew Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth earlier this year. 

Dragons board meeting reveals Griffin's true battle

There were some glum faces yesterday at the Dragons' monthly board meeting. A review of the football department revealed that after 41 games in charge, Anthony Griffin has the worst record of any coach in the joint venture's history.And the club has had some pretty ordinary coaches since being founded in 1999.Griffin has won just 16 games, losing 25. Compare that to the club's lone successful coach, Wayne Bennett (30 wins, 11 losses) and it makes for grim reading.Even the much maligned Paul McGregor (20-21), Nathan Brown (20-21) and Steve Price (17-24) boasted better records than Griffin.The embarrassing 54 points conceded to an injury-ravaged Roosters side last weekend - the second highest tally the club has ever conceded - also got a mention.As did the fact that the club has conceded more points at this stage of the year than in any other season in the club's history.Several senior players are 'off' Griffin, but the club is continuing to back him … for the moment. But they are certain to closely monitor results over the latter stages of the season.

Tyrell Sloan May Leave Dragons

Don't be surprised if talented young Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan - touted as the next big thing at the Dragons at the start of the year - quits the club.Sloan had strips torn off him by coach Anthony Griffin recently and has told friends he believes he has no future at the club.His confidence is badly shaken and with Cody Ramsey starring at fullback last weekend, Sloan won't be back in the top grade any time soon.The youngster has already been dropped twice in the opening 11 rounds of the season and shapes as an ideal signing for Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins.

Dragons find new No-1

Cody Ramsey solved one of Dragons coach Anthony Griffin's biggest headaches in Saturday's hard-fought 24-18 win over the Warriors.The key fullback position has been a worry for the Dragons throughout the opening rounds, with Ramsey the third player used there after Moses Mbye and Tyrell Sloan.But in a dynamic 80 minute showing against the Warriors, Ramsey secured the number one spot with a classy performance.

Griffin call coming back to bite Dragons

Football clubs are renowned for making dumb decisions - but the Dally M Medal for 2022 can already go to the Dragons board.After losing their last eight straight games in 2021, the Dragons extended Anthony Griffin until the end of 2023. Why? Did they think the Storm were about to sack Craig Bellamy and pinch Griffin?Now 2022 has started the same abysmal way last season ended - the Bulldogs and Tigers have awful records as well of late - but not as bad as the Dragons' one win from their last 13 games.And some at the Dragons are already starting to think it might be time for a change of coach. Dumb, just dumb.

Glaring frailty jeopardising Dragons' season

After a disappointing finish to 2021, the St George Illawarra Dragons have been busy on a recruitment drive, bringing in a decent mix of veterans and youth.They finished 2021 in eleventh position and struggled on both sides of the ball, scoring under 20 points a game while conceding almost 26.They scored a comeback 26-22 trial win over the Eels on the weekend, in positive signs for coach Anthony Griffin.2021 finishing position: 11thGains: Jaydn Su'A (Rabbitohs), Francis Molo (Cowboys), George Burgess (Wigan), Moses Mbye (Wests Tigers), Moses Suli (Sea Eagles), Aaron Woods (Sharks), Jack Gosiewski (Sea Eagles), Tautau Moga (Rabbitohs).Losses: Cameron McInnes (Sharks), Matt Dufty (Bulldogs), Jordan Pereira (Broncos), Adam Clune (Knights), Paul Vaughan (Bulldogs), Kaide Ellis (Wigan), Brayden Wiliame (French rugby), Corey Norman (retirement), Gerard Beale, Billy Brittain, Hayden Lomax (all released).Best 17: 1.Tyrell Sloan, 2. Mikaele Ravalawa, 3. Zac Lomax, 4. Moses Suli, 5. Cody Ramsay, 6. Jayden Sullivan, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. Josh McGuire, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Jack de Belin, 11. Tariq Sims, 12. Jaydn Su'A, 13. Jack Bird. 14. Moses Mbye, 15. Josh Kerr, 16. Aaron Woods. 17. Blake Lawrie.

Flat-Footed Dragons Need More Oomph

Injuries and suspensions have seen the Dragons' good run come to a grinding halt in the last couple of weeks. But even with the players missing, their lacklustre effort against the up-and-down Tigers was a major concern. Chief worry was the lack of thrust up front - not a single Dragons forward managed to break the 100 metres running mark. Tariq Sims came closest with 81 metres but coach Anthony Griffin will demand more fire power from his big men in coming weeks. Hooker Andrew McCullough also needs to get more involved - his three runs for just nine metres against the Tigers was a major problem as the Tigers dominated the forward exchanges. Modern day hookers HAVE to be able to run the ball and McCullough needs to show more 'oomph' next weekend to get his big men going forward.