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Broncos chief Dave Donaghy has spoken out after his club was asked to explain correspondence they’ve had with Ben Hunt.
Donaghy denies the Broncos have spoken to the wantaway Dragons gun, who revealed on Nine’s coverage of the Dragons’ clash with the Warriors he has a meeting with club bosses next week, believed to be on Monday.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports three Queensland clubs have received an email from NRL salary cap auditor Matt Faulkner asking for any and all correspondence between the clubs and Hunt.
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League bosses fear because Hunt was seeking an immediate release from the Dragons, talks with rival clubs were already well-underway.
Under current league rules, clubs and players or their management can freely meet at any time, however a player may not field a formal offer from another club until November 1 in the year before his contract expires.
Earlier this week, Broncos coach Kevin Walters said the club would look at Hunt, but only if he was off-contract.
“There haven’t been any negotiations with Ben, and we’re not in for him because he’s not off contract,” Donaghy said.
“I saw Kevvy’s quotes about Ben, which basically said nobody had spoken to him, but if a player like that was off contract, the club would consider him. Every club would.”
Hunt received a frosty reception in his first game back for the Red V against the Warriors in Wollongong on Friday night.
Although not obvious on the broadcast – possibly due to the small crowd – Nine commentators Brendon Speed and Paul Gallen said a section of the crowd did indeed boo Hunt as he ran onto the ground.
NRL Highlights: Dragons v Warriors – Round 17
The Dragons were comprehensively flogged by the Warriors, going down 48-18.
Stream the NRL premiership 2023 live and free on 9Now
Post-game, Nine expert Darren Lockyer – who is also a board member at the Broncos – was unsure about the situation Hunt might be facing.
“I guess the question is and a lot of people have asked the question, do you ask for a release if you don’t have a back up plan?,” he said.
“That’s the question.
“But maybe he’s that unhappy, he just wants to go back to Queensland (and) he doesn’t have an option yet but he wants to get the first hurdle out of the way and that’s be released from the Dragons, but that might all change next week.”
The Titans are the favourites to secure Hunt’s contract.
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