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Ben Hunt forced to bide time at Dragons as rival NRL clubs close door on wantaway halfback

The Dragons are playing hard ball with the veteran halfback ahead of the 2025 season.

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read

Halfback Ben Hunt is facing a brutal situation at the Dragons with reports no other club is too keen on signing the 34-year-old with the speculation all smoke and mirrors. Hunt's situation at the Dragons appears to be deteriorating fast with the No.7 reportedly not keen to return to pre-season training after negotiations have broken down around a new NRL contract.

According to SMH, the halfback has requested an immediate release on multiple occasions but they have been flatly rejected by the club. However, Hunt reportedly does not intend on returning to pre-season training as he doesn't plan on staying with the Dragons after negotiations broke down.

Ben Hunt (pictured) is facing a brutal situation at the Dragons with reports other clubs are weary of signing the 34-year-old. (Getty Images)
Ben Hunt (pictured) is facing a brutal situation at the Dragons with reports other clubs are weary of signing the 34-year-old. (Getty Images)

Although this presents a problem for the player with the Dragons who are keen for Hunt to see out his 2025 contract. The Dragons currently don't have a replacement No.7 and losing Hunt next year would be a major blow. And due to Hunt's sizeable contract, it appears Hunt may not have too many options to wiggle his way out of the contract next year. This leaves him out of contract at 35 years old and seeking a new club.

Hunt has made it no secret he wants to finish his career in Queensland. However, it appears the push to return north might be harder than first thought. With a swap unlikely for Hunt in 2024, reporter Dave Riccio has claimed rival clubs are currently not as interested in signing a 35-year-old halfback as was first suggested.

"Ben Hunt is the halfback. Fans are getting confused around this Ben Hunt circus. At no point have the Dragons given permission for Ben Hunt to negotiate to get out of next season's deal," Riccio said on SEN Radio on Monday.

"Until the Dragons have an alternative option at No.7 next season, they won't be letting Ben Hunt go," Riccio said on SEN Radio on Monday. "My understanding is there are no suitors at this point in time. As far as the Dolphins rumours and Titans rumours, I think it is all smoke.

"There is no formal offers. They are all waiting...you aren't going to invest in a 35-year-old before you see what other dominoes fall post-November 1." Riccio claimed Hunt would need to nearly halve his estimated $900,000 deal to sign with another team if he signed at 35 years old.

Ben Hunt training.
Ben Hunt (pictured) is currently with the Kangaroos squad.

Recently, Broncos great Corey Parker suggested rival NRL clubs could be weary of signing Hunt at the end of his current deal. Hunt And while a number of players have excelled into their mid-late 30s, including currently Daly Cherry-Evans and the recently retired Cameron Smith, Parker does not believe rival clubs will be too interested in offering the Dragons halfback big money.

“Shane Flanagan and the Dragons are currently holding out and rightly so," Parker said on SEN Radio. “He’s on contract for next year, he’s looking for an extension for 2026 where he will be 36 years of age on big money.

“I think Flanagan may be doing the right thing by not going for Ben Hunt but does that mean he goes to the open market and someone else buys him at 36? There’s a risk attached to that and I am one of Hunt’s biggest fans but there is certainly risk attached to a 36-year-old halfback."

Ben Hunt with coach Shane Flanagan.
Ben Hunt's (pictured left) relationship with coach Shane Flanagan (pictured left) has reportedly soured.

Hunt is currently with the Kangaroos squad, but hasn't played a game in the Pacific Championship. And it appears the halfback isn't overly keen on returning to his club having become disillusioned with the club.

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"Hunt is due back for pre-season training in early January, but sources with knowledge of the situation but not authorised to speak publicly confirmed to this masthead that Hunt has become so disillusioned with the situation that he has no desire to stay at the Dragons or be coached by Flanagan," SMH reports. "The relationship between coach and captain has become untenable, the same sources confirmed."