“I’ve always wanted to play centre-back, but I’m happy to do what’s best for the team. If [the positional shift] does work, I’m stuck there. I considered it a few times as a possible option, but I never brought it up to him. Deep down, I thought I could help the team, but my heart was always in centre-back. “
Hunter has endorsed Griffin many times Asked about seeing his Dragons tradesigned late last year and runs until the end of 2025.
While he has previously said that a coaching change could cause him to reconsider his future, Hunter on Saturday said he was “committed to the Dragons” and that the possibility of Griffin leaving was part of his contract negotiations.
Sullivan will start against the Tigers off the bench, with Hunter at halfback and Moses Mbaye at forward. Had the Dragons fired early, there’s a good chance Hunter wouldn’t have moved at all.
But Sullivan’s recall from the NRL is also a recognition of the youngster’s talent and is considered a long-term No 7 for the club. The 21-year-old initially requested his release last year after his playmaking path was blocked by Hunter.
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Sullivan has impressed in the New South Wales Cup in recent weeks after he was knocked out by childhood partner Tarato Amon, and Hunt praised Sullivan’s progress since last year.
“I’ve seen him mature a lot,” Hunter said. “He’s a really exciting player, ‘Sully’. He can do anything you want with the ball, but he might have been a bit inconsistent in the past.
“And I think I’ve seen him mature and learn to calm down and just sit back and read the game better instead of taking his chances when he doesn’t have to. I think that’s probably the most important thing I’ve seen in Sully The only thing that matters is maturity.”
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