After several years of agitating for a release, Australia and Queensland representative star Ben Hunt has finally been cut loose by the St George Illawarra Dragons. He still had one year remaining on his contract, but after a few acrimonious public exchanges, the Dragons thought it best to send him on his way, rather than face a season of further drama.
Hunt was recently part of the Kangaroos squad that won the Pacific Championships, but never made it into the match-day 17. With international duty out of the way, he can now focus on nailing down his rugby league future which is open to several options. At 34 years of age, the end is very near for a player who has shown admirable resilience, considering he has starred in either the 7 or 9 jerseys through most of his career.
A return to Queensland was considered high on Hunt's priority list, with the Titans, Broncos and Dolphins all possible destinations at various times. But talk lately has suggested that Hunt is open to remaining in Sydney, if the deal is right. The Roosters and Bulldogs seem to be the only two Sydney NRL clubs realistically open to hiring Hunt for a short stint. While the prospect of a trip to England for a superannuation bump in the Super League has not been ruled out either.
Hunt and his wife have recently purchased a property in Bangalow, about an hour's drive from the Gold Coast. Obviously, this is where he would like to end up, but it doesn't necessarily discount any of the other cards that are currently in play. Let's have a deeper look at some of the options open to Hunt.
Sydney Roosters
The Roosters have emerged as strong favourites to sign Hunt, despite recently signing Cowboys veteran halfback Chad Townsend for a similar reason. With halfback Sam Walker recovering from an ACL injury, which will keep him out for the majority of 2025, and Luke Keary off to Super League, the Roosters need a temporary solution in the halves. With hooker Brandon Smith also out injured and rumoured to be on the outer with coaching staff, Hunt and Townsend could both find spots in the starting line-up, whether it be pairing up in the halves or with one of them taking on the dummy-half role.
While the salary cap has never really been an issue for the Roosters, they have recently freed up plenty of space with the departure of Keary, Joseph Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and the mysterious release of prop Terrell May.
There is a very good chance that Hunt could emulate Cooper Cronk and play out the final two years of his career for the Roosters. It remains to be seen whether he could be as successful as Cronk, who famously led the club to back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019.
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have assembled a team capable of making the finals, as they proved in 2024, but inarguably lack the polish to go all the way. Toby Sexton finished the season at halfback and cemented his position with an improving contribution, but there are doubts over whether his ceiling is high enough to include a premiership-winning performance. In the wings awaits superstar junior half Mitch Woods, who may be a year or two away from making his NRL debut.
It seems that Hunt could be a perfect boost to the Bulldogs' immediate chances, as well as providing valuable tutelage to Woods. Could Hunt be the man to take the Bulldogs through to the big dance and, after saying for years that he yearns for the Sunshine State, does he really want to join a club that is literally right next door to the Dragons?
Brisbane Broncos
Hunt would seemingly be a perfect fit for the Broncos in the No. 9 jersey, particularly now it appears they are prepared to persist with Ezra Mam despite his off-field issues. With Adam Reynolds having signed on for one more year and with a history of recent injuries, having Hunt on the roster would also be perfect cover for the halves, while competing with Billy Walters for the dummy-half role.
The problem for the Broncos is that in keeping Mam on the books, they don't have the salary cap space to make a decent offer to Hunt. For Hunt, a return to the Broncos would bring with it enormous pressure, considering the lasting memory of his time there was the dropped kick-off that cost them the 2015 Grand Final against the Cowboys. The Broncos are set for a tough year under new coach Michael Maguire and it seems that Hunt might not be part of their plans.
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans have lost halfback Tanah Boyd to the Warriors and have an aging Kieran Foran at five-eighth. They have the ever-versatile and elusive Jayden Campbell who prefers fullback, but can play in the halves. Last season they tried AJ Brimson at five-eighth, but he seems set to play in the centres this year. They also have rugby convert Carter Gordon, who is destined for a run in the halves at some point.
Sam Verrills played most of the 2024 season at dummy-half, but Hunt would make a perfect back-up, ready to step into the role or as a No. 14 off the bench. The Titans could certainly use the experience and guile of Hunt if they hope to make a genuine run at the Top 8. If Hunt was to make the move north, the Titans would seem to be the most likely landing spot.
Dolphins
The Dolphins are transitioning to a new regime under coach Kristian Woolf, but they seem to be well stocked in the halves with Isaiya Katoa looking better every time he steps onto a field and Kodi Nikorima keeping Sean O'Sullivan out of the team. Playing centre is Jake Averillo, who also has experience in the halves.
The Dolphins also welcomed hooker Jeremy Marshall-King back from injury last season and have Max Plath as a more than capable back-up. Nikorima and Ray Stone are also options for the dummy-half role, so the Dolphins are well stocked in that department. All of this obviously leaves very little salary cap room to make an offer to Hunt, so the Dolphins would seem a very unlikely destination.
Super League
Hunt certainly wouldn't be the first player to make the trip to England to play out the final years of a sparkling career. The Super League has long been seen as the perfect spot for an aging NRL star to find a second wind and build up the retirement coffers.
Any number of clubs would be more than happy to welcome a player of Hunt's standing. Going on recent player transitions, he would likely pick up the "Man of Steel" trophy in his first season over there. The toughest part of this move is that Hunt has a young family. Would he be willing to drag them over to the North of England for a couple of years?
If Hunt is unable to come to a suitable arrangement with any of the NRL clubs, the Super League might just be his only remaining option.