The Courier-Mail can reveal Hannant’s management has begun talks with an NRL rival as the veteran bookend faces the prospect of being squeezed out of Brisbane.
The parties have held a series of delicate talks and Hannant’s agent George Mimis met with Griffin again last week to seek clarity on the prop’s future at Red Hill.
Off-contract at season’s end, Hannant wants to finish his career at the Broncos, but the 29-year-old is increasingly resigned to leaving to avert being forced into retirement.
The Broncos have yet to table a new offer for Hannant.
And while Brisbane hierarchy haven’t ruled out retaining Hannant, even if they agree to an extension for 2015, it will be at a vastly reduced rate to the prop’s current $500,000 salary.
A starting fixture just two years ago, Hannant is languishing off the bench — despite statistics showing Martin Kennedy has been the least productive of Brisbane’s props.
In Brisbane’s most recent hit-out against Souths, Hannant amassed 34 tackles and 159 metres from 18 hit-ups, while Kennedy made a paltry 50 metres from six runs.
With his career in limbo, Hannant pledged to give everything in the coming weeks to secure a new deal at the Broncos.
“I’d love to stay here,” said the veteran of 12 Origin matches.
“I’m in a different place in a very long time with football, my future is uncertain and it’s not easy, but hopefully things change moving forward.
“At times it can be frustrating, but I’m not going to whinge.
“Myself and my wife have spoken about it, I know what I can do and I’m doing as much as I can with the game time I get.
“I’m definitely not finished as a footballer so whatever role I get in the team, I will do what’s required of me to prove I’m worth keeping.”
Griffin declined to comment last night, but the coach is keen for Kennedy to succeed to vindicate the club’s big-money purchase of the ex-Roosters prop.
Hannant arrived at the Broncos in late 2010 during former coach Ivan Henjak’s regime and over the past 18 months has slipped into a bench role under Griffin.
The six-Test prop said he harboured no resentment towards Griffin over his axing from the starting side.
“I’d definitely love to crack the starting side, but that’s up to the coach,” Hannant said.
“I respect his decision. I’m putting in as much effort as I can to do whatever I can in the time I’m out there.
“I would love to have more game time. Hopefully I can keep pushing and we’ll see what happens in the weeks to come.”
