St George Illawarra has told Matt Dufty that he is "free to go" as the Dragons look to part ways with their star fullback.<\/p>\n
Off-contract for some time now, Dufty recently revealed talks over an extension at the Red V had stalled despite being arguably one of the Dragons' best performers week-in week-out.<\/p>\n
But, speaking on Nine's 100% Footy, veteran league reporter Danny Weidler revealed the Dragons were eager to move Dufty on and potentially target boom Storm gun Nicho Hynes.<\/p>\n
"It's my understanding that Matt Dufty has been told by the Dragons that he is free to go. I don't think they want him for next year," Weidler said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"The information I've got is that he's been told they don't want him and 'go look around'. All the information I've got is that they don't want him at the club.<\/p>\n
"I'm hearing perhaps they're looking at Nicho Hynes. But I don't know what Matt Dufty has done wrong as a footballer.<\/p>\n
"They've had a chance to re-sign him for a while now at the Dragons and they've decided not to."<\/p>\n
NRL guru Phil Gould, who conducted a top-down internal review at the Dragons in 2019, revealed plans to push Dufty out the door had been in place for some time now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"They've been trying to move him for two off-seasons. I'm not going to any further than that, it's just the truth," Gould said.<\/p>\n
"Matt's aware of that and the Dragons have certainly got other plans.<\/p>\n
"As to the reasons why the Dragons don't want him, I don't think that it's football related."<\/p>\n
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