I'm a diehard Dragons fan. The scariest thing about Ben Hunt's exit is what comes next

OPINION

As a diehard Dragons fan, the scariest thing about Ben Hunt's departure is what comes next.

The club's decision to finally part ways with our disgruntled playmaker brings to an end one of the longest-running and most infuriating contract sagas in NRL history.

The ongoing 'will he stay or will he go' debate was doing more harm than good at a crucial time for a fanbase which is desperate for success under Shane Flanagan.

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Hunt's constant pot shots in the media have undermined everything that the coach is trying to build and it ultimately forced the club to show him the door.

At plenty of stages, Dragons fans loved having him and even though he was among my favourite players to watch, even I can acknowledge the plug had to be pulled.

But his departure is only the tip of the iceberg for the Red V and the uncertainty ahead is terrifying.

I wrote two weeks ago that the circus at the Dragons wouldn't end just because Hunt was out the door and that point absolutely still remains true.

While his form at the back-end of this season left plenty to be desired, there was no denying Hunt also dragged the side to plenty of victories over his six-year tenure.

He also spent plenty of time running a one-man operation in the halves, unsurprisingly receiving little help from five-eighth Kyle Flanagan throughout the year.

The coach's son produced four try assists compared to Hunt's 30 and provided very little in terms of kicking or running game, before deciding to have a big chomp on Stephen Crichton's nose with a finals spot still up for grabs.

The suggestion that Flanagan could partner Clint Gutherson - who isn't even signed yet, mind you - in the halves next year is absolutely absurd.

Gutherson has spent the majority of his first grade career playing fullback, while Flanagan has proven at multiple clubs he is not an NRL quality playmaker and is perhaps even better-suited at hooker or in the utility role.

There surely has to be an actual plan in place that doesn't include the coach's son, but what that plan is remains to be seen.

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Lykhan King-Togia is an exciting prospect, but he isn't ready to play an entire season of NRL in a key position alongside a fringe first grader, while Jesse Marschke was quietly let go by the Dragons and received limited opportunities in 2024.

Jayden Sullivan, who at one stage was seen as the club's long-term solution, was released to go and play NSW Cup for the worst team in the competition, allowing Flanagan Jr. a clear passage into the halves under his dad.

Junior Amone also remains deregistered after being found guilty of assault, although it's unlikely the Saints would go back there even if the NRL does clear him.

But if the Dragons are looking to go to the open market, Flanagan would need to weave some magic in order to land a half immediately or wait for some dominoes to fall.

Toby Sexton and Sean O'Sullivan being the first two names suggested won't excite anybody from Kogarah or Wollongong, with all due respect to the pair.

Coming into the November 1 free agency date, the name Braydon Trindall will definitely be tossed around, but the Dragons won't be the only club looking at him and it does nothing for the 2025 season, with the pivot still signed at Cronulla.

The green shoots that were starting to grow throughout this season have been swiftly chopped down by the Hunt saga and the uncertainty around the future.

Add on top of that the fact Zac Lomax is no longer going to be donning a red and white jumper and it's clear to see why many are already writing off the Dragons.

Flanagan still has plenty of quality players to work with - including new recruits Damien Cook and Valentine Holmes - but without someone steering the ship, it could be a long season for one of the game's most passionate fanbases.

It really is the hope that kills you sometimes.