Ben Hunt vows to lift St George Illawarra Dragons in run to NRL finals

With skipper Gareth Widdop set to miss three to six weeks after dislocating his shoulder during Saturday’s loss to the Eels, Hunt recognises the team’s hopes rest on his ability to lift the side. 

Pressure on the Dragons’ $6 million recruit has mounted in recent weeks, with Hunt struggling to find the form that rocketed the team to the top of the table earlier in the season. 

While disappointed to see Widdop ruled out through injury, Hunt is looking forward to helping the team out of their current hole.

“There’s a couple of ways to look at it, it’s a big blow to the side with how good of a player Gareth is,” Hunt said. “But it’s a bit of a challenge for myself personally – I’ve got to lead the team around a bit more now and step my game up a bit.”

Dragons coach Paul McGregor has opted for utility Kurt Mann as Widdop’s replacement, with Jacob Host moving on to the bench. 

Mann has acted as a Mr Fix-It for McGregor in recent times, filling in on the wing and as a middle forward throughout the year.

He stepped in as halfback at times in 2017 as the Dragons sought a partner for Widdop and Hunt has faith Mann will slide into the number six jersey against the Tigers on Saturday night. 

“We really just want to stick to our game-plan as much as possible. If Kurt is the guy he can step in and do a job for us. He played in the halves last year and I thought he did really well. If he is the man he’ll be fine.”

As the losses mount for the Dragons, the spotlight on Hunt has intensified, with fans and commentators lining up to question the 27-year-old’s performance.

Having moved to Wollongong from Brisbane, however, Hunt is accustomed to the pressure that comes with a demanding fan base and he is confident he will be able to turn his form around.  

“I personally feel like there has been more spotlight when I was in Brisbane. Being a one-club town, all the media up there is all just focussed on the one team. You’re sort of in the middle of it.

“Being down here it feels a bit more laid back with the spotlight. You get a little bit, but I feel like Brisbane is a lot more.”

St George Illawarra have now lost five of their last six matches and find themselves outside the top four for the first time this season. While at a loss to explain the sudden decline in results, Hunt acknowledged opposition defences have adjusted to the team’s style of play. 

“I definitely feel like some teams have [adjusted defensively]. We’ve done things to change little bits and tweak our offence. I feel like a lot of teams are defending better now – whether it’s just against us or in general as the season’s gone on.”

The Dragons have featured in some of the NRL’s biggest games this season, but with the Tigers sitting two points outside the top eight, Hunt views Saturday’s match as their biggest yet. 

“It’s a massive game. It’s really important for us and the Tigers. It’s going to be a huge game – they’re trying to get into the finals and we’re fighting to stay in and possibly get in the top four.

“It’s a huge game for us and if we want to do anything in the finals if we make it I really think it has to start this weekend.”